"The Rise of the American Anti-hero: The Character that Changes the Way We Watch Movies" Response

Image of an anti-hero from the film
"Fight Club" (1999)

The rise of the American anti-hero came in the the 1940s because of the new ideas that Americans wanted. An anti-hero is an individual that "will perform acts generally deemed 'heroic', but will do so with methods, manners, or intentions that may not be heroic". This rise in the anti-hero was assisted by America's desire for new types of characters. They wanted "new kinds of heroes", they wanted "their heroes to rebel against the status quo", and they wanted "human heroes". This reflected the American mind set in this era. Americans, wounded from world war, wanted characters that they could relate to, thus the creation of the anti-hero. Audiences were able to connect to their actions because of the rebelliousness that arose after the war. This allowed audiences to connect emotionally with the characters because of the similar actions and characteristics that the anti-hero exerts. The effects of the anti-hero does not stop with the movie, but instead audiences will continue to analyze their actions and motivations which are much different than the traditional hero, which acts out of selflessness and to protect others. Unlike the traditional hero, the American anti-hero does not necessarily embody the positive traits that constitute a superhero.