Human idealism is the product of hundreds of mythical creatures, creating representations and symbolism with each new beast. The creatures became the living embodiment of highly held values, often falling into folklore involving human interests. One of the most used and recognized creatures in our history is the dragon. A creature that not only appears in a variety of cultures, but has individual symbolism and traits suited to each. Even today, the idea of ​​what a dragon is can differ from one individual to another. While most people today believe that all dragons are fire-breathing terrors, this is a misconception of the idealism behind dragons. Dragons have taken many forms, from fire-breathing monsters to divine spiritual bringers of wisdom and rain. While dragons are ingrained in today's pop culture, where did the idea of ​​dragons actually come from? While the English name dragons comes from the Latin word dracon, meaning serpent (All About Creation 2). The general appearance of dragons usually consisted of tough metallic scales, razor-sharp talons, and the ability to fly (Spring Skylar). Although the true origin of dragons and their names are different, what is different about dragons is how each culture has considered the beasts as their own. In our society, the idea of ​​the evil fire-breathing dragon is the dominant trait attached to dragons. Western civilizations often viewed dragons as embodiments of the evil inherent in human qualities (Quotation C). Dragons may have acquired this trait of wicked motives from the lifestyle of snakes, creatures that were often used to symbolize the devil (Quote). Often appearing as antagonists against the heroes; they were the difficult goal to reach a... middle of paper ......ds, but in the palaces and homes of humans. While the western dragons presented the evil of the world and the trials necessary to defeat them with strength; and the oriental dragons were the protectors of the Chinese people (Layton Robin). They fell into the realm of mythology like many other creatures, all designed to symbolize something important in human thought. Unlike the others, they forged an identity alongside humans, one of their own. draconika.com/history.phphttp://pictures.linkmesh.com/dragons/celestial_chinese_dragons.phphttp://hassam.hubpages.com/hub/Chinese_Dragonshttp://pictures.linkmesh.com/dragons/dragon_history.phphttp:// www.allaboutcreation.org/dragon-history-5.htmhttp://hassam.hubpages.com/hub/Western-Dragon-Mythology