The manufacture of heroes: A critical comparison of the press coverage of the British campaign in Afghanistan and the Jessica Lynch case

Essay from the year 2011 in the subject Communications - Media and Politics, Politic Communications, grade: 1,3, University of Lincoln (Media and Humanities), course: War and the Media, language: English, abstract: Hero/Heroine: ¿A man/woman, who is admired for their courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities: a war hero, she was a true feminist heroine¿ (Oxford 2010). The need for a hero or a heroine is probably as old as humanity itself. Whether it was the mythical Achilles in Greek mythology, Admiral Nelson in British history or Margaret Corbin, a heroine of the American Revolutionary War, in the American one, people always felt the urge to have somebody to look up at.

By the example of two modern heroic legends, Jessica Lynch and the average British soldier in Afghanistan, I want to find out why this need for heroes exists, where it comes from, and how the media deals with it. Additionally, I will try to find out whether the manufacture of heroes serves the interests of the media and the government, and if it does, what interests this could be and how they are pursued