culture hero

American  

noun

1. a mythical or mythicized historical figure who embodies the aspirations or ideals of a society.

2. a mythical figure considered by a people to have furnished it the means of existence or survival, as by inventing their alphabet, teaching them husbandry, or stealing fire from the gods for them.

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Example Sentences

“Seeing White Raven today confirms both his trickster and culture hero nature, bringing benefits to the human world — including laughter and humor.”

From Seattle Times

There was something epic about his life’s narrative to date, from Dutch stowaway to American culture hero.

From Washington Post

Historian William Leuchtenburg once characterized Presley as a "consumer culture hero," a manufactured commodity more image than substance.

From Salon

Though Ross mocks the idea of the heroic dissenter he associates with "vanguardist" critics of popular culture, he presents Andy Warhol as a culture hero, exemplary because he identified himself with popular culture.

From Salon

And in this way, Diana is being introduced as a consumable popular culture hero to the generation born after her demise.

From Salon