Hanelle Galvo

RW 402
Paragraph of Analysis

The Tank Man

The Monday of June 5, 1989 was supposed to be a normal day in
China; nonetheless, at the day after a violent suppression of protests in
Beijing, a simple man who was holding two shopping bags stood in
front of four tanks as a way of protest against the feverish posture
adopted by the Chinese government. He was not wearing a cape. He
had not had superpowers. He had not even had weapons to protect
himself, but this proactivity act made him a hero for Chinas population
and the entire world. We can associate some characteristics of this
brave act with Edward Campbells theory, especially in respect to
crossing the threshold, testing, and rewarding.

As cited at Campbells theory, crossing the threshold means to

cross into the field of adventure, leaving the known limits of his or her
world and venturing into an unknown and dangerous realm where the
rules and limits are not known. Our tank s hero left his comfort zone
and went to the danger. He could just go to his home and finish his
housework, but he decided to follow the opposite direction.
Subsequently, he experienced a trial. Campbell refers this stage
as a series of tests, tasks, or ordeals that the person must undergo to
begin the transformation. In this way, we can infer that the biggest trial
of our hero is when he faces the column of tanks and stop the army to
keep going. He outstands from an entire population and shows his fury
against his government behavior. By this gest, he represents all those
who are tired of this way of repression.
Finally, after this act of bravery and with the help of someone
who filmed this event and broadcasted the video, the tank man
became popular everywhere. Internationally, the image of the lone
man in front of the tank has become to be considered one of the most
iconic images in the 20th century. According to Campbell, the trick in
returning is to retain the wisdom gained on the quest, to integrate that
wisdom into a human life, and maybe to figure out how to share the
wisdom with the rest of the world. Even though he did not spread
himself what he learned, his actions somehow touched each of us.

In conclusion, we can infer that a hero doesnt need to be as

superman. Somehow, we also can be a hero, especially when we refer
to crossing the threshold, testing, and rewarding. Our actions can
influence people around us and there are consequences and rewards.
Sometimes the journey is not easy, but it worth at the end. In addition,
heroes follow the same pattern. They act with ethics and bravery,
being an example for the population.