What do you think defines a villain or a hero? Use your own thoughts, backed up with experience and references, and ideas from the readings we did in class.

The people that are around the hero or villain define what they are. For example, before WW2 Hitler was viewed as somewhat of a hero because he brought their economy back and made Germany prosperous, this, however, did not stop him from becoming a villain to the countries that were around Germany and to be written down in history as a villain. Every person defines a hero or villain different than the person that is next to them, this does not make one person wrong and another person right, it can simply be from a difference of background that makes them think differently. If you simply focus on one side or aspect of a person than it is quite easy to make them a villain or a hero depending on what light you paint them in. I think that the easiest way that people make this distinction is based on others actions and the motivations behind those actions, for instance in the Dark Knight Joker seems to do everything to simply get to Batman and to play mental games with the people of Gotham, while Batman tries to keep the people of Gotham in mind in his actions. This contrast between the two provides the villain and hero dynamic for the movie in that they are two sides of a coin in that the Joker seems senseless and Batman seems to have a motive for everything even if it is just personal. The people of a society ultimately decide who their heroes and villains are, and this can change depending on the person that you ask simply because of their past experiences.