How Is Robert Oppenheimer An Anti Hero

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Robert J. Oppenheimer - The Anti-Hero Robert J. Oppenheimer was one of the most controversial figures in American history. Oppenheimer was recognized among the top theorists such as Albert Einstein and Neils Borh, both were the most recognized theorists at the time. His ideas inspired the making of the atomic bomb which brought the end of WWII, making him the most important man in the world. The creation of this atomic bomb brought questions about whether Oppenheimer inventions were for the betterment of America or if they were for communist ideals. Questioned about his personality, which was arrogant and unpredictable, making him seem trapped in his own self doubt about the bomb. Oppenheimer and his anti hero journey can be applied to his …show more content…

To harness such power as Oppenheimer did to kill hundreds of thousands without a blink of an eye. Oppenheimer thought of his work as a “big science experiment” but the bomb killed over 200,000 people. “Oppenheimer was by no means a pacifist, he fully supported having a strong U.S. arsenal – he just didn’t want to develop the hydrogen bomb”(Stanford.edu 3). Not supporting the hydrogen bomb was one of the biggest suspicions of the United States government when Oppenheimer was accused of having connections with the communist party. Unleashing this nuclear weapon could bring the world to an end Oppenheimer quotes “now I am Death, the destroyer of the world” (Hecht 12). In this quote, Oppenheimer recognizes the impact the bomb will have on the world. Oppenheimer met with President Harry Truman where he said” you don’t go bellyaching about it”. Today there are 12,119 nuclear warheads in the world, more than enough to rip the earth to pieces. Oppenheimer's contact with the communist party was the biggest worry to the American Government with the Cold War building up. Lewis Strauss brought him to court on April 12, 1954 on accounts of having affiliation with the communist