Heroes: Why Heroes Are Important By M. Scott Labarge

A hero is a person who overcomes their fears to fight for what is right. A person who fights for change. Heroes are everywhere. Heroes can be anyone. Every hero is a unique person with feelings and families. An example of a hero is Minerva Mirabal, who fights in the Dominican Republic for change. She fights the dictator Trujillo and the rest of the regime with her life. In Julia Alvarez’s historical novel In the Time of the Butterflies, Minerva is characterized as both an individual and a martyr.

Every past and modern culture over the course of history, has its hero’s. A hero is a person or figure that others look up to and use as forms of protection. Many cherish the hero’s, they make up who we are today. The Anglo-Saxon hero, Beowulf, and the postmodern hero/hero’s, the soldiers, both show the traits of bravery, selflessness, and loyalty.

A famous actor Christopher Reeve once said, “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to preserve and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” Being heroic does not always mean you’re special or well known. Since a hero shows determination, it drives them to help others and go beyond what’s expected of them.

A hero is someone who puts others before themselves. Heroic acts can range from small gestures or actions such as saving countless lives. Heroes are known for their outstanding achievements and selflessness. Welles Crowther was a hero because he put other people's lives ahead of his own and sacrificed his life for others..

American actor Christopher Reeve once quoted, "A hero is an ordinary individual who finds strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles" (Brainy Quote). Not only did he play a hero as Superman, he truly became one in his personal life. After becoming a quadriplegic Reeve became a spokesperson for people with spinal cord injuries. A hero is a person one admires because of the qualities and selfless actions they exemplify to overcome adversity and inspire others. Heroism is apparent in literature, history, and in our own life. In Suzanne Collins book The Hunger Games, the heroic character of Katniss Everdeen is an example of strength and perseverance against death. Baseball legend Jackie Robinson became a hero when

The majority of authors or movie writers have one common factor; they have a hero somewhere in the plot. Ask a friend to summarize a favorite movie or book. They could easily point out who the hero or villain is. However, heroes do not only exist in movies or in books, but they exist in real life. Despite our culture’s fascination with Marvel Comics and DC Comics, we most commonly hear about war heroes.While the definition of a hero varies, I personally deem a hero as a person who is selfless, noble, or outstandingly courageous. The people who clearly put others before themselves despite any means or consequences.

In modern times, people toss around the word hero, but the idea of heroism through the centuries has never perished. What is exactly as a hero? A hero is not someone that can fly or has super strength. A hero maybe someone who is fighting for their people, to someone that crushes fear, or to an average person that sacrifices themselfs for people in need. Overtime, the evolution of a hero has changed drastically. The essence of heroism is shown in literature and in modern life to the poem, “Beowulf”, to The Things They Carried, and through a doctor named Jim Withers.

What are heroes? How could one be a hero? Heroes are someone who shows compassion towards others than themselves. A hero idealized for their extraordinary courage. A hero does not have to be embodied by tights and a cape to be accounted for. Heroes could be represented through divergent people.

A hero is a person admired for his qualities or deeds. These individuals have impacted others by performing extraordinary acts. Every hero has left a legacy that has affected many lives in a positive way. When thinking of heroism, Louis Zamperini comes to mind for his courageous and selfless actions.

The word “Hero” has many different labels. In “ Heroes Versus Sociopaths” Andrea Kuszewski explains what she thinks the word “hero” means to her. In the article she also talks about sociopaths and what they mean to her. Towards the end of her article she starts to compare and contrast heroes and sociopaths so you can have a better understanding. She quoted, “ They are people who possess extraordinary traits of altruism - selfless concern for the well-being of others - even at the expense of their own existence”, talking about heroes. A hero could be any person in any type of situation. If someone says “You are a hero”, or “You are my hero”, those phrases have two different meanings. Being a hero has 3 different meanings to me; first, a hero could be someone who is willing to put themselves at risk to help others, someone who is willing to sacrifice anything to help others, and finally a hero could be someone who has changed or affected your life in any positive way.

In the passage “Heroism: Why Heroes are Important” by Scott LaBarge, he clearly uses the rhetorical strategy of exemplification and the persuasive appeal of Pathos to explain to the reader that children no longer have ‘real’ heroes. LaBarge discusses modern day heroes and the reasons that they differ from the heroes of older generations. He contributes this fact to to the environment and role models that children are exposed to now. Though LaBarge harms his argument by discussing the cynicism of heroes, his article, “Heroism: Why Heroes are Important,” provides a convincing argument that the idea of heroes as we know it is under attack by the modern generation and their influences.

Heroes in our society are revered and respected as Joseph Campbell reminds us: “A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself” (Joseph Campbell). Heroes exist in all societies and throughout history. Maybe they are not always on the news or from the movies, but their words and their actions never fail to resonate across their feats. A hero gives of himself and dedicates himself to causes which better others and their society unlike individuals who are self serving, greedy, and cruel.

Would the statement, all heroes and heroines are originated from the same basis be true? Most likely, ones favorite hero novel would follow the hero’s journey which is the cycle of the hero’s adventure involving different archetypes. A hero novel does not necessarily have to involve supernatural powers and the hero does not necessarily have to save the world; a hero can go through the hero’s journey to save one person or to reveal a hidden truth. If a story follows the hero’s journey, it includes the three categories of the archetypes—character, place, event. Midwinterblood written by Marcus Sedgwick is one example of a novel that fits into the hero’s journey archetype.

Everyone has a personal hero, most recent arguments have introduced ideas of celebrities being the new hero, and some have wondered who is considered heroes today. Being a hero these days doesn’t mean you are someone with special powers, or someone that has saved lives, but anyone can be labeled a hero. The word hero is often used by young kids naming someone they appreciate or wish to be such as famous singers, actors, and sport players. What is a hero to everyone, is that hero really a hero, and who is really considered to be a hero?

A hero is “Any person admired for qualities or achievements and regarded as an ideal or model” (“Hero”). When someone hears the word ‘hero’, they most likely think of firefighters, police officers, or soldier. However, the person who comes to my mind when I think of a hero is my mother, Becky Harper. She goes above and beyond each day, displaying characteristics of a hero. My mother can brighten up anyone’s day simply with the beautiful smile that is always on her face.