Monday, January 27, 2020

Criminological Praxis And Tearoom Trade Media Essay

Criminological Praxis And Tearoom Trade Media Essay Laud Humphreys study of the tearoom trade has proved to be an extremely controversial piece of research, so controversial in fact that many called for his PhD to be revoked. Humphreys used covert observation in order to study impersonal sexual encounters between men in public restrooms, this is an extremely controversial subject, and was even more so at the time when the research was undertaken; furthermore, covert research is often heavily criticised for being unethical, leading to additional controversy. Covert research is where researchers go undercover to obtain their information. To lessen the potential for reactive effects and to gain entry to otherwise inaccessible settings, some researchers have adopted the role of a covert participant. By doing so they keep their research secret and do their best to act like other participants in a social setting or group. (Bachman and Schutt, 2007:267) This essay will explore whether the controversy surrounding the tearoom trade is a result of the subject matter studied, or the methodological approach used. The research undertaken by Humphreys will be discussed in some detail, describing what the research consisted of, and evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of the methodology. Consideration will also be given to the use of covert research in general, assessing the pros and cons of the method, as well as covert research conducted by other researchers. Laud Humphreys conducted his research in the 1960s and his book Tearoom Trade: A study of homosexual encounters in public places was published in 1970, with a second edition published in 1975. Humphreys carried out his research in order to determine who the men were, who were willing to risk arrest in order to indulge in impersonal sex in public places, as well as to uncover the dynamics of the encounters between the men involved, and discover what this could tell us about human behaviour. The main finding of his research was that the majority of individuals engaging in homosexual activities within the tearoom led the rest of their lives at heterosexuals. Humphreys used covert methods in order to enter in to the tearoom. A tearoom is a public toilet where men meet for sex with other men. (Banyard and Flanagan, 2005:27) Humphreys (1970, pp page 2-3) suggests that the reason public restrooms are so ideal for impersonal sex is because they can provide both a public and private setting. Public restrooms are easily accessible, yet they provide little public visibility. Due to this Humphreys focused his study on restrooms within public parks, as they were often frequented by men seeking instant sex due to their easy access and limited use by general members of the public. In order to be accepted by the participants of the tearoom trade, Humphreys, assumed the role of tearoom watchqueen by serving as a lookout with the responsibility to warn of approaching strangers in exchange for the right to observe the homosexual activity. (Kimmel, 1988:22) By acting as the watchqueen, Humphreys was able to freely observe what was occurring in the tearooms without suspicion from the genuine participants. This use of deception has been heavily criticised by many, as deception within research is seen as highly unethical. Many social scientists feel that it is unethical for a researcher to conceal his identity to gain inside information. Others feel disguised observation is ethical as long as the welfare of the subjects is protected. (Fitzgerald and Cox, 2002:133) Although he did use deception, Humphreys did go to some lengths to protect his participants, which will be discussed later. Furthermore if he were to have entered the tearooms, and announced his role as a researcher, the likelihood is that all sexual activity would have been terminated and the men who frequented the tearooms would have left, either for fear of being discovered as a person who seeks impersonal sex, the fear or criminal conviction, or for the sheer fact of not wishing to be observed by a researcher. Even if the participants remained, it is likely that they would have altered their behaviour, as they knew they were being observed. If Humphreys had informed the tearoom goers of his research, the results which he obtained would probably not have been as valid, as the results he obtained by using covert methods. Another issue that arises from the use of covert methods and deception is that of informed consent. Covert participant observation is clearly a violation of the principle of informed consent. (Bulmer, 1982:218) Covert methods rely on the research subject being unaware of the research taking place; it can therefore be argued that by studying people without their prior knowledge is a breach of human rights. People should clearly have the right to decide whether or not to participate in any research, and their decision should be based on full understanding of what the research consists of, and how any personal information or data obtained will be used. Every code of ethics designed to guide research involving human subjects gives primacy to the requirement of fully informed voluntary consent on the part of the individual concerned. (Gregory, 2003:35) Humphreys research clearly violates this need for informed consent; however, it again can be argued that his research findings could not have been obtained by any other means. It is also important to note, that at the time the research was conducted, there were no professional guidelines making informed consent a research requirement. By observing the participants covertly it can be argued that Humphreys was also invading their right to privacy, however, as they were conducting private acts, in a public domain, is this criticism justifiable? Any male is free to enter the mens restroom, and observe the goings on, it was only by recording his observations that Humphreys can be criticised for invading privacy. As well as observing the homosexual acts conducted in the tearooms, Humphreys engaged in verbal relationships with twelve men he encountered during his research, he named these the intensive dozen. Humphreys revealed his true identity to these twelve men, informing them of his true reason for attending the tearooms. This enabled him to conduct in-depth interviews. With the help of some meals together and a number of drinks, all agreed to cooperate in subsequent interviewing sessions. (Humphreys, 1970:36) It can easily be argued that the intensive dozen, were the only participants in Humphreys study who gave full informed consent. Interestingly, especially to those who criticise Humphreys use of deception, Laud himself states that, Apart from the systematic observations themselves, these conversations constitute the richest source of data in the study. (Humphreys, 1970:37) This brings in to debate whether the covert methods used were really called for, as Humphreys obtained valuable information from the intensive dozen, by revealing to them his true identity and purpose. However, it could be argued, that without his use of deception, and the fact that he often frequented the tearooms, that the twelve men would not be willing to cooperate. If a total stranger had approached these men, would they be willing to confess all about their homosexual exploits? Social deviants inside restrooms and elsewhere develop careful defences against outsiders, including special gestures and extreme caution with strangers. (Warwick, 1982:39) Was it because they had become acquaintances with Humphreys already that they were willing to tell all? Unfortunately it is impossible to be able to answer these questions. In order to gain even more information about the men who participated in the tearoom trade, Humphreys made notes about the physical appearance of the men he observed as well as noting the licence plates of their vehicles. By posing as a market researcher Humphreys was able to obtain the registration details for the vehicles in question from a friendly policeman; again this procedure is ethically questionable as Humphreys once again used deception to gain private information about people. Upon receiving the names and addresses of the participants, he visited their homes and made observations and notes about the physical appearance of the house, as well as the location. Humphreys then took advantage of his role as a research associate for a local research centre. He was asked by the centre to produce a questionnaire for a social health survey, for men in the local community. Humphreys saw this as an opportunity to include the tearoom participants in the survey, selecting 50 participant s to be surveyed along with 50 other members of the community. Approximately a year after his attendance at the tearooms, he sufficiently altered his appearance, so that the tearoom participants would be unable to recognise him as the voyeuristic watchqueen, and proceeded to enter their homes, under the premise of a social worker, in order to conduct the social health survey. This again raises ethical issues, as Humphreys is once again using deception to enter in to the private domain of the men he is researching, and because of this deception he was able to gain private information under false pretences. It may also be argued that Humphreys was putting his participants in harms way, as the issue of impersonal homosexual encounters is a sensitive one. As many of the men he surveyed led heterosexual lives, with wives and families, he was putting them in real danger of being exposed, which may of led to their personal lifes being destroyed. However, regardless of how the information was obtained, Humphreys ensured he took every measure to prevent the information being used by anybody else, and to protect the anonymity and confidentiality of the participants. The British Sociological Association state that, The anonymity and privacy of those who participate in the research process should be respected. Personal information concerning research participants should be kept confidentialWhere possible, threats to the confidentiality and anonymity of research data should be anticipated by researchers. The identities and research records of those participating in research should be kept confidential Appropriate measures should be taken to store research data in a secure manner. (British Sociological Association, 2002) The survey data and all other research materials which were obtained by Humphreys, were secured in a safety deposit box, in a different city to where the research was conducted, and upon finishing with the data, it was destroyed. This is good ethical practice, despite the way the information was gathered. As the information was so sensitive, and could have been used for blackmailing purposes or to bring about criminal convictions, it was vital that Humphreys treated the information in such an appropriate way. So far, it is evident that one of the major controversies surrounding Humphreys research was his repeated use of deception. Warwick (1982:46) suggests that, Humphreys research provides a unique case study of deception. The concatenation of misrepresentation and disguises in this effort must surely hold the world record for field research. (Warwick,1982:46) Warwick then continues with a list of shortcomings regarding the research Humphreys conducted. Included in the list are the facts that Humphreys misrepresented his identity while serving as a watchqueen in public restrooms, the fact that he deceived the police in order to obtain personal information about the tearoom participants, and the fact he altered his appearance and conducted the surveys in disguise. When all the uses of deception are put so bluntly into a list, it is clear to see why there is such controversy surrounding the methodology used by Humphreys. But is this criticism unique to Humphreys work, or can it be applied to all covert research? Many people strongly object to the use of covert research, this essay will now explore why this is so. Roger Homan (1991, pp page 109-113) lists thirteen separate objections to the use of covert research. He argues that covert methods flout the principle of informed consent, help erode personal liberty, betray trust, pollute the research environment, are bad for the reputation of social research, discriminate against the defenceless and powerless, may damage the behaviour or interest of subjects, may become habitual in the everyday life of the person doing the research, are seldom necessary, have the effect of confining the scope of the research and finally he suggests that the researcher suffers excessive strain in maintaining the cover. With so many objections to covert research is it any wonder that Humphreys has been so heavily criticised for his work? All these objections and criticisms of covert methods, begs the question, why do some researchers employ covert methods? Many researchers do so, as they feel that they would be unable to infiltrate and obtain information from certain groups or settings, if covert methods were not used. For example, Calvey (2000) who went undercover for six months to research club bouncers and nightlife, states that, In terms of taking a covert role, some argue that such a stance is ethically indefensible. However, given my concern with authenticity and the lived experience of this dangerous work, it would have been nearly impossible to gain access any other way. (Calvey, 2000:46) What Calvey is saying here, is that he felt that the only way to gain accurate, valuable information from his research was to adopt a covert approach; he felt that by honestly approaching bouncers as a researcher he would be unable to obtain information on their culture and way of life. Like Humphreys, Calvey has been heavily criticised for his work, due to his use of deception and the fact he was putting both himself and the people he was researching at risk. However, not all covert research has come under such heavy fire when it comes to criticism; an example of such research would be that conducted by Howard Becker on dance hall musicians and becoming a marijuana user. Becker also used deception, and often recorded conversations without informed consent, yet his work has not been criticised as relentlessly as Humphreys work has. It would appear, that although covert methods are widely criticised as unethical practice, the subject matter being studied is capable of stoking the fire, and influencing peoples judgement even further, helping to produce heavier criticisms and distain for both the research and the researcher alike. At the time when Humphreys conducted his research, homosexuals did not have the same freedom to explore and enjoy their sexuality that they do today; the gay liberation movement was only just beginning to emerge. At the time, homosexual sex was characterised as criminal sodomy and very little research had been conducted on the gay subculture in general, never mind research pertaining to sexual acts between members of the same sex. It is interesting to think that, if Humphreys conducted his research in todays modern times whether he would have received the same criticism that he did when his book was published in 1970. It is clear that, through his use of covert methods, and controversial subject matter, Humphreys has come under fire, and his research has been heavily criticised. But was his research justified and did the outcome of his research benefit those involved and society as a whole? Although his use of covert methods are controversial and may be considered unethical, Humphreys probably would not have been able to uncover the information which he did without using such methods, therefore, in these circumstances, the use of such methods are justified. There are serious ethical and legal issues in the use of covert research but the use of covert methods may be justified in certain circumstances. (British Sociological Association, 2002) Humphreys also went to incredible lengths to protect the information he obtained, which can only be seen as a strong asset to his research. Also, it was due to the research undertaken by Humphreys, and other such research conducted at a similar time, that many of the current ethical codes and guidelines pertaining to research exist today. These guidelines have enabled recent research to be much more ethically sound, and therefore not be so heavily criticised. Therefore, Humphreys work has helped in the advancement and evolution of social research. It is also interesting to consider whether the research conducted by Humphreys should have received such criticism considering that these ethical codes did not exist at the time. In relation to the impact his research has had on both the homosexual community and society as a whole, Humphreys managed to disprove many of the myths surrounding the tearoom trade. Many believed that the tearoom trade put young people at risk of sexual assault, yet Humphreys managed to show that the only sexual activity occurring in public restrooms was between consenting adults, and that no advances were made to disinterested parties. He also managed to show that the men engaging in the tearoom trade were not merely criminals or transients, but that the majority were upstanding members of the community, many of which were employed and had families, and a considerable amount were members, or had been members of the armed forces. This can only been seen as shedding a positive light on the then, underground homosexual subculture. As West (1970) states, [there can only be] benefit in the long term from the information the author has been able to obtain about a little understood but important facet of deviant behaviour. (West, 1970: viii) In conclusion it can be argued that the controversy surrounding Humphreys research is down to a combination of his methodological approach, and his chosen subject matter. His work drew attention to a little known deviant activity, which many people may have been disgusted by, and his findings are somewhat graphically depicted in his book Tearoom Trade. This controversial subject matter coupled with his ethically flawed methodology is what has led his research to become so infamously controversial within the field of social research. Warwick (1982), one of Humphreys main critics acknowledges that some of the controversies surrounding the research come from the research topic, yet he defends Humphreys decision to research into the tearoom trade, and only finds fault with the research methods that he used. Undoubtedly public reaction to Tearoom Trade will be strongly affected by the subject matter and the way in which the findings are presented. Many readers, finding the whole topic revolting, will channel their distaste against the author and sociology in generalEven so I would strongly defend Humphreys right to study this topic, however controversial it may beSocial scientists have not only a right but an obligation to study controversial and politically sensitive subjects, including homosexuality, even if this brings down the wrath of the public and government officials. But this obligation does not carry with it the right to deceive, exploit, or manipulate people (Warwick, 1982:54-55) However in defence of his methodology, it is important to consider that there were no formal guidelines and ethical codes relating to social research at the time Humphreys conducted his study of the tearoom trade. Also, many of the criticisms relating to the possible harm to participants are what ifs. Is it justifiable to criticise a piece of research on the fact that harm may come to the participant? Humphreys went to incredible lengths to ensure harm would not come to his participants, and that their identities would not be disclosed. In relation to his use of covert methods, deception and lack of informed consent, it is difficult to see how else he would have been able to conduct the research and still achieve the same results. Furthermore, deception is not restricted to covert methods, as can be seen in the example of Milgrams Study of Obedience, where informed consent was obtained, yet deception was still used. It is my opinion that although Humphreys research is ethically flawed, the reason it has become so controversial is not solely down to the methodology, the controversial subject matter has served as an accelerant in fuelling the controversy surrounding the research. Word Count: 3277

Sunday, January 19, 2020

The Grapes Of Wrath: Description Al Joad And The Setting :: essays research papers

The Grapes of Wrath: Description Al Joad and the Setting Al Joad is a fairly skinny guy of medium built who starts out being a cocky, self-conceited character. His only justifiable reason for acting cocky is that his brother, Tom, killed a man and went to jail. Al respects his brother and thinks of him as a man for having killed another man. The fact of the matter is that Tom was only acting in self defense. After a man came after Tom with a knife, Tom hit him over the head with a shovel, and killing him in the process. Al would receive complements all over town from people who recognize him and being the brother of a man that was a killer. As soon as Tom Joad comes home from prison, Al is a changed person. He is no longer cocky and he almost resents his brother coming home so soon. As the Joad family is forced to leave their home land and travel to California, Al takes on a great responsibility. His job is to drive the family and take complete care of the truck that they are driving. Al takes his job very seriously and gets upset when anything happens to the car. Emotionally, I would say Al has become very strong throughout the novel. He starts out pretty depend on the "glory" of his brother, but he takes his responsibilities seriously. I see Al as being a crucial character later in the novel. He is the kind of person that needs motivation from the start, but once he gets going, he won't stop. Setting Description Oklahoma could best be described as one large dustbowl. All rain has ceased to fall. The dry wind wisps through the air and gathers dirt. If you listen closely enough, it sounds as though there are people moaning whenever wind is present. The heat is so humid that any source of water is dried up, and the plants wither away. All of the corn crops are gone as well as all other crops. The dirt is like sand; it has no moisture or fertilization.

Saturday, January 11, 2020

ABC Analysis for Inventory Management Essay

In supply chain, ABC analysis is an inventory categorization method which consists in dividing items into three categories, A, B and C: A being the most valuable items, C being the least valuable ones. This method aims to draw managers’ attention on the critical few (Aitems) and not on the trivial many (C-items). Prioritization of the management attention Inventory optimization is critical in order to keep costs under control within the supply chain. Yet, in order to get the most from management efforts, it is efficient to focus on items that cost most to the business. The Pareto principle states that 80% of the overall consumption value is based on only 20% of total items. In other words, demand is not evenly distributed between items: top sellers vastly outperform the rest. The ABC approach states that, when reviewing inventory, a company should rate items from A to C, basing its ratings on the following rules: A-items are goods which annual consumption value is the highest. The top 70-80% of the annual consumption value of the company typically accounts for only 10-20% of total inventory items. C-items are, on the contrary, items with the lowest consumption value. The lower 5% of the annual consumption value typically accounts for 50% of total inventory items. B-items are the interclass items, with a medium consumption value. Those 15-25% of annual consumption value typically accounts for 30% of total inventory items. The annual consumption value is calculated with the formula: (Annual demand) x (item cost per unit). Through this categorization, the supply manager can identify inventory hot spots, and separate them from the rest of the items, especially those that are numerous but not that profitable. The following steps will explain to you the classification of items into A, B and C categories. 1. Find out the unit cost and and the usage of each material over a given period. 2. Multiply the unit cost by the estimated annual usage to obtain the net value. 3. List out all the items and arrange them in the descending value. (Annual Value) 4. Accumulate value and add up number of items and calculate percentage on total inventory in value and in number. 5. Draw a curve of percentage items and percentage value. 6. Mark off from the curve the rational limits of A, B and C categories. eCommerce example The graph above illustrates the yearly sales distribution of a US eCommerce in 2011 for all products that have been sold at least one. Products are ranked starting with the highest sales volumes. Out of 17000 references: Top 2500 products (Top 15%) represent 70% of the sales. Next 4000 products (Next 25%) represent 20% of the sales. Bottom 10500 products (Bottom 60%) represents 10% of the sales. Inventory management policies Policies based on ABC analysis leverage the sales imbalance outlined by the Pareto principle. This implies that each item should receive a weighed treatment corresponding to its class: ï‚ · A-items should have tight inventory control, more secured storage areas and better sales forecasts. Reorders should should be frequent, with weekly or even daily reorder. Avoiding stock-outs on A-items is a priority. Reordering C-items is made less frequently. A typically inventory policy for C-items consist of having only 1 unit on hand, and of reordering only when an actual purchase is made. This approach leads to stock-out situation after each purchase which can be an acceptable situation, as the C-items present both low demand and higher risk of excessive inventory costs. For C-items, the question is not so much how many units do we store? but rather do we even keep this item in store? B-items benefit from an intermediate status between A and C. An important aspect of class B is the monitoring of potential evolution toward class A or, in the contrary, toward the class C. Splitting items in A, B and C classes is relatively arbitrary. This grouping only represents a rather straightforward interpretation of the Pareto principle. In practice, sales volume is not the only metric that weighs the importance of an item. Margin but also the impact of a stock-out on the business of the client should also influence the inventory strategy. Procurement and Warehouse Applications The results of an ABC Analysis extend into a number of other inventory control and management processes: 1. Review of stocking levels – As with investments, past results are no guarantee of future performance. However, â€Å"A† items will generally have greater impact on projected investment and purchasing spend, and therefore should be managed more aggressively in terms of minimum and maximum inventory levels.Obsolescence review – By definition, inactive items will fall to the bottom of the prioritized list. Therefore, the bottom of the â€Å"C† category is the best place to start when performing a periodic obsolescence review. 2. Cycle counting – The higher the usage, the more activity an item is likely to have, hence the greater likelihood that transaction issues will result in inventory errors. Therefore, to ensure accurate record balances, higher priority items are cycle counted more frequently. Generally â€Å"A† items are counted once every quarter; â€Å"B† items once every 6 months; and â€Å"C† items once every 12 months. 3. Identifying items for potential consignment or vendor stocking – Since â€Å"A† items tend to have a greater impact on investment, these would be the best candidates to investigate the potential for alternative stocking arrangements that would reduce investment liability and associated carrying costs. 4. Turnover ratios and associated inventory goals – By definition, â€Å"A† items will have greater usage than â€Å"B† or â€Å"C† items, and as a result should have greater turnover ratios. When establishing investment and turnover metrics, inventory data can be segregated by ABC classification, with different targets for each category. Definition of ‘Inventory Turnover’ A ratio showing how many times a company’s inventory is sold and replaced over a period. the Periodic Review To make the most effective use of ABC classifications, the analysis should be completed at least on an annual basis, and more often as necessary. Other Inventory Classification Techniques HML Classifications The High, medium and Low (HML) classification follows the same procedure as is adopted in ABC classification. Only difference is that in HML, the classification unit value is the criterion and not the annual consumption value. The items of inventory should be listed in the descending order of unit value and it is up to the management to fix limits for three categories. For examples, the management may decide that all units with unit value of Rs. 2000 and above will be H items, Rs. 1000 to 2000 M items and less than Rs. 1000 L items. The HML analysis is useful for keeping control over consumption at departmental levels, for deciding the frequency of physical verification, and for controlling purchases. VED Classification While in ABC, classification inventories are classified on the basis of their consumption value and in HML analysis the unit value is the basis, criticality of inventories is the basis for vital, essential and desirable categorization. The VED analysis is done to determine the criticality of an item and its effect on production and other services. It is specially used for classification of spare parts. If a part is vital it is given V classification, if it is essential, then it is given E classification and if it is not so essential, the part is given D classification. For V items, a large stock of inventory is generally maintained, while for D items, minimum stock is enough. SDE Classification The SDE analysis is based upon the availability of items and is very useful in the context of scarcity of supply. In this analysis, S refers to scarce items, generally imported, and those which are in short supply. D refers to difficult items which are available indigenously but are difficult items to procure. Items which have to come from distant places or for which reliable suppliers are difficult to come by fall into D category. E refers to items which are easy to acquire and which are available in the local markets. The SDE classification, based on problems faced in procurement, is vital to the lead time analysis and in deciding on purchasing strategies. FSN Analysis FSN stands for fast moving, slow moving and non-moving. Here, classification is based on the pattern of issues from stores and is useful in controlling obsolescence. To carry out an FSN analysis, the date of receipt or the last date of issue, whichever is later, is taken to determine the number of months, which have lapsed since the last transaction. The items are usually grouped in periods of 12 months. FSN analysis is helpful in identifying active items which need to be reviewed regularly and surplus items which have to be examined further. Non-moving items may be examined further and their disposal can be considered.

Friday, January 3, 2020

Heroism A True Hero - 1283 Words

George S Patton, a senior officer of the U.S. Army, once said, â€Å"The real hero is the man who fights even though he is scared.† The online dictionary from Merriam-Webster defines a hero as, â€Å"One who shows great courage.† People notice that a hero shows courage and perseverance in overwhelming positions. People can even be inspired to show the same in the problems they are going through. Maybe inside the hero they are nervous, or even scared, but outside they show that they will power through whatever obstacles come their way and never give up. Because heroes persevere and show courage in risky situations, they inspire other people to do the same. The idea of heroism can be defined by what it is and what it is not. First off, heroes are†¦show more content†¦Born on July 12, 1997, in Mingora, Pakistan, Malala Yousafzai was a voice for other girls and their education. The word got around about her fighting for women’s education, which made her a ta rget for the Taliban; a gunman found Malala and shot her in the head at point blank range, yet she still survived. She continues to devote her life to making her voice heard and inspiring other women that education is powerful; she was nominated and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014, and became the youngest person to receive it. Malala exemplifies a courageous hero because she continues to fight for educational rights for women all over the world, despite the risk to her own life. In 2012, after surviving injuries during an attack from a Taliban gunman, Malala stated, â€Å"I told myself, Malala, you have already faced death. This is your second life. Don’t be afraidãÆ' ¼if you are afraid, you can’t move forward.† (Yousafzai, 36). Clearly, Malala realized that she had been given another chance at life and even though she was afraid of being attacked again, she also knew that by doing nothing, the Taliban had won. Because she didn’t allow the Taliban, not her own fear, to keep her from fighting for educational rights, Malala’s courage is an example of what a true hero is. Instead of backing down from the challenges that she faces, she is determined to continue advocating for herShow MoreRelatedA Hero Essay : A True Heroism877 Words   |  4 PagesA True Hero â€Å"True heroism is†¦ not the urge to surpass others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost.† - Arthur Ashe. Heroism is not anyone that wears a cape, but is a person that is willing to sacrifice themselves just so everyone can be happy and can be safe. They are always going to look up with a smile and will be brave. Heroes won’t let anything get in their way. 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Is the hero always the good guy who defeats the evil? Or is it something more, something more meaningful. Not every story line has a good vs. evil and not every story has a defined l hero, but does that mean there is not heroism in those works? HeroismRead MoreThe Epic Of Heroism, By Dante Alighieri And Antigone By Sophocles1238 Words   |  5 Pagesadversities that only a true hero would ever overcome. With heroism, one should be morally in-tact, filled with courage and the will to do what is right. While each epic poem features its’ own heroic figure, they each possess different traits and attributes that truly form the quality of their character and heroic image: The Iliad by Homer focuses on the physical aspects of heroism, whereas Th e Inferno by Dante Alighieri and Antigone by Sophocles are merely based on the true depths of heroism. He is bold,Read MoreEpic of Beowulf Essay1106 Words   |  5 Pagescultural values and tradition. On the other hand, an elegiac passing of an extraordinary hero and the relationship between the themes of mortality and heroism are well discussed in Beowulf. Beowulf’s character exemplifies the Germanic and the Anglo-Saxon ideals of the hero: strong, fearless, bold, loyal, and stoic in the acceptance of fate. Despite his lack of humility, Beowulf was the definition of a hero in his own time by his demonstration of chivalry and his important roles in society. ItRead MorePersuasive Essay On Heroism859 Words   |  4 Pages Heroism doesn’t include fame, it includes selflessness. â€Å"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.† ~ Martin Luther King Jr. People don’t have anything to gain from being a hero from others, thats what being a hero is, stepping up and giving others help with nothing to gain. An act of selflessness. Heroism is a big part of America, it’s the most famous thing that America is about, freedom, and selflessness. People fighting forRead MoreHeroism Essay795 Words   |  4 Pageschild might consider a marvel character such as the flash a hero, while more mature individuals might consider a religious figure.   Heroes exist throughout today’s society in abundance.   I define heroism as,   Ã¢â‚¬Å" The qualities or attributes of a hero† (dictionary).   Some examples of heroism can be doctors saving an indivi duals life or me saving a random person’s life.   I define heroism as someone who places others before   him/ herself.   Heroism appeals to the five senses: sight, sound, smell, taste, and