Thinkin' About Lincoln

The film "Lincoln" offers many instances that could lead one to make the argument that Abraham Lincoln is a hero. Generally, this argument would come down to the fact that Lincoln "abolished slavery" which isn't exactly true, though he was the biggest push behind the 13th Amendment, which did abolish slavery in America. In the film, Lincoln makes many sacrifices from his personal life to achieve the passing of the amendment. The most prominent example, in my opinion, comes from Lincoln's tumultuous relationship with his wife, which only grows more unstable as the movie progresses. She begins to resent him throughout various parts of the film, and he doesn't restrain himself very well either. He also shows the courage to stand for what he believes in when he discusses the Amendment with his friends, family, and Cabinet. He never strays from wanting the Amendment passed, and he makes it clear that he will go to extremes to get it passed, such as buying votes, which is much more common than some would like to believe. When it all boils down to it, one could easily make the argument that Lincoln was a hero, only in also pointing out that no hero is without their flaws.