Rediet Boelk 

Mr. Connor 
English 10 
15 December 2020 
 
Difference Between Modern Heroes and Traditional Heroes  
 
Our traditional heroes are different from our modern heroes because the way 
the stories start are different. Meaning one story started by travel and the other 
started with an explosion. Our modern-day heroes have powers and some type of 
strength. Modern heroes can get their power from something that happened in the 
past or because they have money. The traditional heroes have the mindset of being 
prideful and big-headed. Modern day heroes are nice and more worried about the 
world. 
All the heroes have different start to their stories. Superman came to Earth 
because his plant exploded. Superman was adopted and has into a family. His life is 
based on saving the world. He was found in a field by someone and taken in. 
Odysseus was traveling to see what was around his home. All of the modern heroes' 
stories start different and are not the same as before. Most of the time traditional 
heroes do something that someone asks the God’s for something. For example, the 
Cyclops asked his father to make Odysseus' trip home hard. Also the old heroes only 
can get out of some of the situations with God's help. Book 22 says, “ Six of the 
suitors attempt an attack on Odysseus, but Athena deflects their arrows.” Also, “At 
least Athena’s presence becomes known to all, as the shape of her shield becomes 
visible above the hall. The suitors, recognizing the intervention of the gods on 
Odysseus’ behalf, are frantic to escape but to no avail.” How both of their stories 
started are very different. 
Modern heroes have the power that can help them get out of situations. For 
example, Superman has ten different powers. The powers are X-ray vision, 
superhuman strength, healing factor, superhuman speed, eidetic memory, 
faster-than-light, infrared vision, superhuman breath, invulnerability, and longevity. 
There are a lot of ways that he can use his power against his enemies. Traditional 
heroes are more of the belief that the gods are the ones that have powers, all they 
have is the power of asking the gods for help. Odysseus’s power was him being a 
king and the ability to fight in wars and kill people. For example, when they were 
trapped in the cave with the cyclopes he figured out a way to get them out without all 
of his men dying. Odysseus said, “I had touched the spot when sudden fear stayed 
with me: if I killed him we perished there as well, for we could never move his 
ponderous doorways slab aside. So we were left to groan and wait for morning.” in 
Book 9. So what makes superheroes in the past is changed to who has power, like no 
human can have.  
Traditional and modern heroes have two different mindsets. For example, 
Odysseus always has the idea that he is the best. After running into cyclops he said 
that he was the king that killed a lot of people in war. He also makes a comment 
about how he was able to do something all the men couldn’t do. In book 21, page 
1155, he says, “ Telemachus, the stranger you welcomed in your hall has not 
disgraced you. I did not miss, neither did I take all day stringing the bow. My hands 
and eyes are sound, not so contemptible as the young man says the hour has come to 
cook their lordships mutton supper by daylight. Other amusements later, with song 
and harping that asorn a feast.'' The start of the quote shows that he thinks that he is 
the best. Our heroes now care more about how people view them. So when they are 
out they have to be the best side of themselves. They are also always worried about 
saving the world. One of Superman's quotes is, “ To catch them if they fall.” Before 
that quote he was being asked why superheroes are needed. This shows that he is 
caring about the world. This is also another reason that modern-day heroes are 
different from traditional heroes.  
Modern-day heroes and traditional heroes are very different. The 
modern-day have powers, a better mindset, and stories start differently. So this 
shows that they have changed as time has gone by. They might have a lot of things 
that are different but they also have a lot of things in common. If they changed 
everything then that means that they would be leaving how they become to be 
known as heroes.