In his “Thematic Paradigm”, Robert Ray elaborates on the most significant features typical for the official and the outlaw heroes. According to Ray (2009), the outlaw character is to be reluctant when it comes to accepting the responsibilities of an adult life. That way, instead of embracing the traditional behaviors of a settled down person such as stability, marriage, decent work, social connection to name a few, the outlaw embraces the childish conduct and stays away from all of the aspects mentioned above. At the same time, the official hero is supposed to be a mature personality open to all the traits of the traditionally “good” lifestyle.
To illustrate Ray’s paradigm, I would like to use the American classic action film “Die Hard” where the outlaw Hans Gruber is opposed by the traditional hero John McClane. Gruber fits Ray’s three criteria (aging, marriage, and politics) only partly – he has no female partner in the film, and he violates the law severely being engaged in terrorism and robbery, but out of the two characters the married policeman McClane is the one who behaves childishly joking all the time, ignoring the most serious dangers, and committing risky behaviors.
Reference
Ray, R. B. (2009). Thematic Paradigm. In Maasik, S. & Solomon J. (Eds.), Signs of Life in the USA. Boston, MS: Bedford.