What is a Hero?

Who is a real hero? Nowadays, there are a great number of answers to this question. Some people define a hero as a person with a super power and speed, wearing a mask and a cape like Batman or Superman. This person is saving the world from the danger and all the evil in it. Unfortunately, they only exist in cartoons, and are just fictional characters. Even though people are self-reliant today, there are still many heroes who step up and do good things for the sake of others.

In the real world, a hero is an average person who is brave, strong, courageous, and tries to make the world a better place to live in. For me, a person who solves everyday problems and dilemmas deserves to be a hero. Such people help others to get through the tough and dark time of their lives. Sometimes they sacrifice themselves and their peaceful life to help others. They put themselves in danger and risk in order to get the truth and justice in today’s life. The heroes help others to become the best versions of themselves. When people feel self-sacrifice and dedication from others, they want to stay strong regardless of danger and not to give up.

A hero is a person who does not strive for fame or monetary compensation. They know that it is their obligation to act heroically. They only care about the prosperity and welfare of others. The most important trait of heroes’ characters is that they put lives of other people before their own ones.

There are two types of heroes and heroic acts. Firstly, they are people whose job and service is to defend others and to save their lives. For instance, the police officers  are modern day heroes, whose mission and obligation is to keep the society safe. They also prevent criminals from illegal actions. Another example may be firefighters, who are willing to sacrifice their lives in spite of any danger. They enter the burning building, so that they can drag innocent people out of the fire. Secondly, modern heroes and knights are people who volunteer to provide peaceful life in the world. For instance, they are military men, whose duty is to maintain peace in a war, they virtually never started. The average citizens who cannot deal with injustice, corruption and violence also volunteered to be heroes.

Heroism is doing the best, despite any obstacles, to accomplish the mission of making people’s lives happier and more fulfilled. For instance, in the novel Bogeda Dreams, written by Ernesto Quinonez, the author tries to explain that ordinary citizens, unlike the politicians, can make changes in the country (James & Merickel). The main character William Irizarry or simply Willie Bodega embraces the author’s aim throughout the novel. He is a former leader of the radical political group of activists in Puerto Rico, who aims at changing the impoverished community into the prosperous one (Kevane 131). He wants to renew it with the help of educational and business means. The charachter provides a free education for those who wish to become professional physicians, lawyers or professors (Kevane 132). However, in order to help his community financially, he has to start a drug selling business. He wants to create a community that will protect itself against the U.S. social and political system (Kevane 132).

The heroism of this fictional character may be controversial. Even though he wants to uplift the society with the help of crooked money, his ultimate goal in life is very noble. Willie Bodega is a villain who tries to achieve his goals with the help of corruption means (Kevane 132). However, in return for his help, Bodega requires loyalty from people. The novel forces the readers to look at both sides of a coin. They should understand the contradiction of a hero that helps ordinary people and a villain, who earns money through drug trade.

Another example of heroism is a Letter from Birmingham Jail, written by Martin Luther King Jr.(James & Merickel). He was the one who thought and spoke on behalf of other people as well as changed the world by uniting it socially, creating racial brotherhood, and trying to maintain peace and welfare of people. In April 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. violated the court’s prohibition of marches and the police arrested him (Rieder 15). With this letter, he defended the nonviolent protests against the racist terror (Rieder 15). He stated that it was people’s obligation to fight against injustice in courts. This letter became a statute for the 1960s American Civil Rights Movement (Rieder 16). He has always supported and defended his fellow African-Americans, who faced oppression. This letter and the struggle of Martin Luther King Jr. against injustice forever changed the American nation. He claimed that police brutality, courts injustice, and unsolved cases of violence against African-Americans racially divided the country (Rieder 16).

Martin Luther King loved not only his race but the entire humanity. The Letter from Birmingham Jail was his cry for African-American freedom. Once, he told that he would not be satisfied until the justice was finally served (Rieder 20). Thus, it is evident that Martin Luther King was a real hero, who fought for the civil rights of both African-Americans as well as Caucasians.

Thus, taking account the above-mentioned things, one can state that a key feature of heroism is a care for other people, who are in need. It is an obligation or a good-will to defend others, knowing that there will be a personal risk and danger. Finally, it is an understanding that there will be no monetary reward for such heroic actions. The only thing they can expect is people’s support, respect, and lifelong gratitude. It is important to understand that heroes are average people, found in Armed Forces, Police and Fire Departments, and in a modern community.