"Where I Find My Heroes"

Having served in the Vietnam War and directed the films "Platoon" and "Born on the Fourth of July," Oliver Stone realizes that heroism does not come from fighting others but on fighting to live and grow. He explains this in an article for McCall's Magazine.

Here are all the word lists to support the reading of Grade 8 Unit 1's texts from SpringBoard's Common Core ELA series: A Wrinkle in Time, The Drummer Boy of Shiloh, The Odyssey, A Man, Soldier home, Sonnet 116, Where I Find My Heroes, White House Funeral Sermon, O Captain! My Captain!, Frederick Douglass, The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, A Definition of a Gentleman
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. concept
    an abstract or general idea inferred from specific instances
    It's not true that there are no heroes anymore--but it is true that my own concept of heroism has changed radically over time.
  2. orient
    cause to point
    Most history was oriented toward male heroes.
  3. evolve
    undergo development
    But I am saying that I think the meaning of heroism has a lot to do with evolving into a higher human being.
  4. consciousness
    an alert cognitive state in which you are aware of yourself
    So heroism is tied to an evolution of consciousness...
  5. overwhelm
    overcome, as with emotions or perceptual stimuli
    Since the war, I've had children, and I'm wrestling now with the everyday problems of trying to share my knowledge with them without overwhelming them.
  6. recognize
    show approval or appreciation of
    Most of what they do goes unheralded, unappreciated. And that, ironically, is heroism: not to be recognized.
  7. modest
    marked by simplicity; having a humble opinion of yourself
    The celebrity who remains modest and treats others with respect, or who uses his position to help society.
  8. defer
    hold back to a later time
    The student who defers the immediate pleasure of making money and finishes college or high school.
  9. impulse
    an instinctive motive
    We should allow for the heroic impulse--which is to be greater than oneself, to try to find another version of oneself, to grow.
  10. virtue
    a particular moral excellence
    That's where virtue comes from.
Created on 十二月 14, 2014 (updated 十二月 14, 2014)

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