Western Hero AchillesAchilles was the son of Thetis, who was a daughter of the sea god called Nereus. The gods Zeus and Poseidon wanted to marry Thetis but Prometheus' prophecy that Thetis' son would be greater than his father dissuaded them from pursuing her. When Achilles was born, Thetis wanted her son to become immortal and she took him to the River Styx, which lay between the land of the living and the land of the dead, where she washed him. However, while he was washing him, he was holding his heel so the water couldn't touch his whole body. It was therefore not fully protected. During his childhood, his father sent him to Chiron who taught him how to fight and survive war. The prophet Calchas prophesied that the Greeks would fail to conquer the city of Troy unless Achilles joined the war. Despite his mother's protection, Achille joins the war. During the Trojan War, his friend Patroclus was killed by Hector. He was furious and killed Hector. Later, Paris, the prince of Troy, injured him and killed the hero (Arrowsmith, 1967). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Since Achilles was the son of a goddess and born of a prophecy, he possessed supernatural powers. His actions were guided by the gods of his people for the good and safety of his people. For example, when he hid among women, he loved armor and weapons of war and therefore could no longer hide. He agreed to join the war and protect his people. The story of Achilles is an important lesson; the elected cannot escape their destiny. Achilles' mother did not like him to join the war, but as the gods had chosen him, he lived fighting for his people and died fighting (Slatkin, 1995).The Eastern Hero Da Yu-the GreatAccording to Clark (2008), Da Yu is considered one of the greatest legends in Chinese history. He was considered a flood savior and one of the founders of China's oldest dynasty. Yu was the son of Gun, responsible for controlling the floods of the Yellow River and destroying the fields and homes of the Chinese. Gun is believed to have stolen magical earth from his god and was executed. Three years after his death, it is believed that his preserved body was cut open and Yu was taken out. Yu's father spent nine years trying to control the floods, but he was unsuccessful. As an adult, Yu wanted to fulfill his father's quest: controlling the floods. Four days after his wedding, he set out to find the best ways to control the floods. It took him thirteen years to complete the project. He created a good irrigation system by creating canals and dredges on river banks, which alleviated flooding and channeled water to the fields. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay An archetypal hero, Yu accomplished great works to prevent flooding through the sacrifice of his time (McNeal, 2012). His actions can be linked to the normal sacrifices made by different leaders in the world today. Yu sacrificed his time and spent thirteen years searching for a solution to the floods without returning home. Additionally, his story contains a moral lesson of sacrifice for others. His story teaches us that we should not be selfish. Through his selflessness, he spent most of his time trying to improve the lives of his people. Thus, we should always imitate Yu by helping others without considering personal gains..