Hero Definition Essay
“Great heroes need great sorrows and burdens, or half their greatness goes unnoticed. It’s all part of the fairytale.” -Peter S. Beagle, The Last Unicorn. Heroes can be found in normal, everyday people; however, they go unnoticed because they did not have to overcome a great calamity to perform an action. More well known heroes have all overcome the worst of situations imaginable. For example, Ms. Riley from October Sky had fought Hodgkin’s Disease while helping Homer and the Rocket Boys achieve their dream. Rainsford from The Most Dangerous Game fought to the death in a game he did not believe in or wanted to participate in. Josh Sundquist became an award winning author and a Paralympian after defeating cancer and having his leg amputated at age nine. A hero is one who is selfless, overcomes adversity, and inspires others.
Whether a hero is fictional or not, the most important trait they should possess is to be selfless. A hero should always prioritize others before themselves. Throughout the entire movie, Ms. Riley was suffering from Hodgkin’s Disease, but she was more concerned with the Rocket Boys’ future than her personal health. She never stopped teaching until her death in 1969. Ms. Riley dedicated her life to teaching and held a high standard for all of her students in hopes that they would do well in their lives. Rainsford showed selflessness when Zaroff first told him about the game. His first thought was all of the people who died at the expense of Zaroff’s pleasure. During the game and before he killed the General, Rainsford’s main objective was to make sure no one else would die in this barbaric form of entertainment. Before Josh Sundquist lost his leg, he dreamt of being able to wear uniform and being part of the team. Even after his amputation, this dream never died which led to his participation on Team USA at the 2006 Winter Paralympics. He shares this story to motivate other that are going