Preview

Characteristics of a Hero

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
545 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Characteristics of a Hero
Becoming a Hero

"A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself" (Campbell 1). When we think of heroes most of us think of movie stars or professional athletes, but it's not always about your popularity or talent it can also be about how you help society. What I think make a great hero is someone who is able to overcome his or her obstacles in life, is highly motivated, and has plenty of bravery. Overcoming obstacles may be one of the hardest parts of being a hero. I think it's the hardest because a lot of people are blocked from doing something and just quit. A great example of this trait is Jackie Robinson. He was discriminated against because he was African-American. Even though that blocked him he broke the color barrier, and made it in Major League Baseball. In one of his quotes he said, "I'm not concerned with you liking me or disliking me, all I ask is that you respect me for being a human being" (Robinson 1) showed that he thought that everyone was equal even though their skin may be a different color. In order to be a successful hero you must be a highly motivated person. Without motivation you would not be very successful because you would have no ambition to try and make a difference in the world. I think Rodney Dangerfield is a great example of this because he started he career at just 15 and he died while he was in the middle of a movie. Also when his wife tried to make him quit he just blew their many years of happiness and divorced her. In one of his quotes he stated, "At twenty a man is full of fight and hope. He wants to reform the world. When he's seventy he still wants to reform the world" (Dangerfield 3). Bravery is a great trait for a hero to posses. I think bravery is a key quality because you don't always know what lies ahead of you and you have to be brave to continue. A good example of this is Charles Lindburgh. He was the first person to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. I believe that took a great

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    People read and watch things about heroes all the time because in the deepest reaches of their mind they aspire to be among their ranks. The problem with the average person’s desire to be a hero is that they don’t truly know what a hero is. A hero is able to bounce back from a defeat that would stop any normal man in their tracks, they are inspirational, they gain followers and believers just by doing what they think is right, and they don’t have to be strong, but have to be able to take mental punishment like no other.…

    • 775 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.”…

    • 505 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Often people have to endure tests of character in order to prove who they are. It is when people have to face great opposition that their character is truly shown; we see whether people are heroes or cowards. Those who are heroic always stand up for their morals and never back down and do selfless acts for the good of others. When people encounter moments where they have to face opposition they can do either of two things; they can stand up for what they believe in and do what they think is the right thing to do, or they can sit back and let someone else do it and simply try to ignore the problem. The ones who always stand up for what they believe are the people who are true heroes. People who have a heroic character will constantly rise up and speak out loud when they see that something wrong is going on. The people who are heroes are incredibly important to society, because they are the people who work for a better tomorrow; they are the people who are willing to sacrifice themselves for something better.…

    • 1718 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    The definition of hero varies among people but, in my definition of a Hero is a person who is able to achieve the difficult task regardless of the resistance of society or sacrificing themselves in risky situations. A hero is not a person who is easily scared, gives up easily and selfish. In my opinion, when people are described as “hero” we neglect their bad behaviors, but this doesn’t imply to every hero we should be aware of such things because we all have our own flaws.…

    • 672 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    To be a hero you have to be strong enough to stand up for what you want, no matter who or what gets in the way. Several people have done inspiring things to accomplish what they wanted. Strong heroes like Anne Frank, Jackie Robinson, and Helen Keller had to fight hard for a long time to reach their goal.…

    • 639 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    How Are Heroes Brave

    • 662 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Heroes are motivated to help others. It doesn’t matter what their motivation is- whether it be love, greed, guilt,…

    • 662 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Heroism can only truly be defined subjectively. Every single one of us can discover courageous qualities within any individual: it all depends on which endeavors a person finds heroic. In my opinion, a hero is someone who displays bravery or self sacrifice in the face of misfortune. They are not afraid to intervene and rectify what they see is wrong, despite the situation. Challenges may be confronted along the way, but a hero will arrive stronger than before. They will finish by attempting to or fully producing a positive impact on society. My personal role model is Elizabeth Cady Stanton, a leader of the women’s rights movement during the 19th century. She is someone who manifested all of these heroic traits by combatting the sexist ideas people had during this era. Throughout the course of her life, she shattered the expectations…

    • 577 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    A hero can make a difference in a small, medium, or large way. Some say that you can’t be a hero until you do a difficult or large task to prove that you are one. The truth is, the world is filled with heroes who became one by one simple task. Like your parents, city workers, or many other citizens. People aren’t doing the good to help themselves, there doing it for the person they are helping. Heroes aren’t heroes because they want to be, but because they choose to be kind and they go out of their way…

    • 762 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Another example of a hero is Atticus Finch who became a hero by overcoming the racism of the people around him, and to help free a black man. He goes against everyone who thinks he is wrong to be a lawyer in black man’s case. His instinct helps him know what was right, and he goes with it making his bravery and riotousness heroic. Atticus…

    • 804 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Elie Wiesel's Heroism

    • 990 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Gerard Way once said, "Heroes are ordinary people who make themselves extraordinary." In other words, one has to make themselves a hero. No one needs to be born with magnificent strength or the audacity to stand up to any bully that might come their way. Heroism is self built. To be heroic is to be passionate, to believe in the greater good, and to live without hate.…

    • 990 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    paper

    • 822 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Heroism and heroes are two things that no matter what, will always be around, people will always admire heroes, and wish they could be them. While there is an endless supply of heroes from the beginning of time, there are only a few definitions, yet over time that definition has changed to an extent. Dictionary.reference.com defines hero as: “A man of distinguished courage of ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities.” Campbell’s definition, “someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself… The hero performs a courageous act in battle and saves lives,” varies quite a bit from the twenty first century definition. In both Joseph Campbell’s definition and dictionary.com’s definition, several characteristics of heroes are laid out before us: courageousness, dedication, and selflessness. These can be considered the three pillars of heroism; these characteristics add character and depth to a hero, other than somebody who performed a glorious act. Courage, the biggest pillar, are the building blocks of a hero, without courage, you simply cannot be an admired hero. Courage allows you…

    • 822 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    When people define the word hero it usually varies by age, gender, and generation when they answer, and even though people's connotations of the word may vary, the denotation and the connotation always seen to cross paths with each other. According to Merriam-Webster.com the definition of hero is "a person who is admired for great or a brave act or fine qualities: a person who is greatly admired: the chief male character in a story, play, movie, ect." A person's connotation and the denotation both have to do with someone being admired or a person who has performed a great act of selflessness. The word "brave" means "Ready to face or endure danger or pain", and that’s exactly what people associate with a hero. People imagine a person who will put their life on the line to save someone elses, and they are admired greatly for it.…

    • 580 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Example Of Heroism Essay

    • 712 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Heroes have three main traits: enough guts to ignore those who have a problem with their goals and the way they are living their life, devotion to their cause, and benevolence towards everyone, no matter what. They do their best to be brave, courageous, and have spirit; in one word, gutsy. Even though many people didn’t support her and called her a witch, Joan of Arc had the bravery and strength to continue fighting for her cause. She used her courage and spirit to ignore negative opinions from the people around her. Heroes are devoted to their cause, and are persistent in trying to reach their goals, especially through hard times. An example is Penelope, wife of Odysseus. He went away to fight in a war, and didn’t come back. “Everyone by now took for granted that he was dead, except Penelope, his wife…the hope that her husband would return was faint, but it never died.” (Mythology, Edith Hamilton.) Penelope waited twenty…

    • 712 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    America And Me Final

    • 532 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Christopher Reeve once said, “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” Many people in this world who we consider “heroes” started just like any average kid. They were not born heroes or with special talents. They just have the willingness and determination to succeed and fight their way around obstacles. That is what I see everyday from my brother. He is just a normal person, but whether he is studying or doing his job he excels at it. He knows that if he just sits there and worries he won’t succeed in anything. This is why I look at him as my Personal Michigan Hero and why others should as well.…

    • 532 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Gilgamesh and Superman

    • 318 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The heroes of today are not that different than the heroes of the ancient world. They have goals to achieve, obstacles to overcome, and quests to pursue. Their existence is necessary to inspire hope in generations of those struggling to survive and to find meaning in their lives. It could be said that our admiration and devotion to heroes is because we seek something that we can aspire to, whether it be to improve ourselves, to cope with our flaws, or overcome obstacles and succeed. Two examples of great role models, both past and present, for learning how to overcome obstacles and succeed are: Gilgamesh and Superman. During their obstacle-filled journeys of achieving goals, both heroes experience failure and success. In addition, both heroes receive critical help along the way.…

    • 318 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays