The American Anti-Hero

 In films there are many types of characters, but before World War II, Hollywood had a Classic Ideology of the protagonist and many times Hero of the film.  It was based on doing the right thing and how it had represented the typical characteristics of the good man in the story that saves the day. However, this would be proving wrong because the American Anti-Hero would emerge "This character defines conventional laws and can sidestep the rules of morality". This anti-hero was accepted by the audience because they needed one. Even the directors took a chance on including how Americans felt at the time in terms of the America's society. They decide to show through film the new perspective, and although it was about drugs, sex, prostitutes, crimes, violence, etc. people's response was favorable to the film industry because they were connecting with the entire situations shown in films such as Taxi Driver.

The reason of the change in America was because Americas a totally different country after the war and they needed new heroes. Another main reason of the creation of Anti-Heroes is because they represent rebellion. The third reason was that “America wanted human heroes, who were true representations of life, who were faulty and vulnerable, like America’s real life heroes”. And finally, the American spirit was needed to be shown, whether it was good or bad, it was needed to be express to the world.The European style is put it aside and the directors are only focusing in the American life; the issues people have after World War II. The country needed s character which was a combination of good and bad. Beside helping the cinema, it also impacts the politic and morals of Americans.


One of the greatest Anti-Heroes of all time in the American Film Industry  is Travis. He is considered a hero because he saved Iris, "but just hours before he shot itout with gangsters and pimps, he was trying to assassinate a Presidential candidate. Scorsese is symbolically saying thatthe difference between hero and villain is fractional at best". Again, people cared for this character because he thought America was completely damaged and the only way to fix it was by eliminating the things or people who have a bad influence int the world.

Overall, America was strongly affected y the World War II and that's a main reason of the acceptance of the audience to the Anti-heroes, but this only leaves the following question; Would American still accept the anti-hero character in a different time period?