Many societies contain heroes that exemplify the greatest aspects of their respective culture. When looking back on past societies, examining their heroes indicates what they valued. Even those from thousands of years ago, like the Ancients Greeks, used heros to share their values. The Greeks saw Homer’s Odysseus as an war hero because of his cunning and great battle skills. His legend still lives on today as people around the world learn about the myths of Odysseus. In more recent times, many people appreciate the work of Malcolm X for his heroic fight against injustice and his tremendous speaking ability. His monumental speeches impact the thoughts and shape the ideals of many activists that advance in the fight for social justice. In Homer’s The Odyssey and Malcolm X’s “The Ballot or the Bullet”, both heroes convey great strength in their battles through Odysseus’s surviving the hurricane sent from Poseidon, Malcolm X’s clear portrayal of the injustices in America, and both heroes willingness while staying persistent and achieve justice.
Homer conveys Odysseus’s strength through his survival of the hurricane from Poseidon. For example, while Odysseus struggles to stay alive during the storm, “he’d not forget his craft-- he lunged after …show more content…
Firstly, before finally reaching the shore Odysseus experiences, “deathly waves of exhaustion… But once again he regained his breath and rallied back to life” (5.505-507). In this moment of complete despair, Odysseus manages to effectively raise his spirit from the dead without any aid from a god. Usually, Odysseus receives inspiration from Athena, but here Odysseus proves himself as mentally strong and self-sufficient. Secondly, when Malcolm X spoke of how he responds to violence he admitted, “But when you drop that violence on me, then you've made me go insane, and I'm not responsible for what I do” (“The Ballot or the