Write a compare-and-contrast analysis of how culture shapes the heroes in Heart of a Samurai and Black Ships Before Troy.

The culture in "Black Ships Before Troy" caused a hero to be seen as a traitor, while in "Heart of a Samurai" the culture almost prevented a hero from appearing.

Explanation:

"Black Ships Before Troy" presents a people with a culture very based on religion, where they believed that all the events that happened were due to the action of the gods. Good events were because the gods were happy, while bad events were caused by the wrath of the gods. In this case, when a hero tried to stop the horse sent to Troy and ended up dying before completing his mission, he was seen as a traitor who was rebuked by the gods.

In contrast, "Heart of a Samurai" shows how a boy who dreamed of being a samurai was prevented because his family was made up of fishermen and the culture said that young people should follow their parents' tragedy.