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Dylan Byron

by Seetha from Pickerington

the Great Wide Sea by M.H. Herlong ( http://msbarsu20.pbworks.com/The-Great-Wide-Sea)
the Great Wide Sea by M.H. Herlong ( http://msbarsu20.pbworks.com/The-Great-Wide-Sea)

Hero(hē'rō): A hero is somebody who puts the needs of others before their own. A hero has the courage to do what is necessary even if it is rough. They do right when no one is watching.

I believe that it is important to have a hero. Everybody needs someone to look up to; somebody to inspire them. Having a hero makes you want to better yourself and become somebody else's hero. More importantly, heroes shape their "followers," they help you to not make the same mistakes that they believe they did.

In The Great Wide Sea, Dylan puts the needs of Ben and Dylan before his own. This is shown when Dylan and Gerry scare the shark away from Ben. "Gerry and Dylan were swimming beside me, kicking and yelling and slapping the water. The shark's fin stopped, he was frozen in the water and facing the three of us," (Herlong 224). Dylan keeps a straight head and helps Ben during a few rough spots. One of these is right after their dad has jumped ship. "I sat down beside Dylan. He turned and looked at me, and I saw that he wasn't an eleven year old boy anymore. He was an eleven year old man," (Herlong 158). Dylan never gives up on his dad or Ben when either of them leave. He sticks to his beliefs no matter what the others tell him. That is a type of integrity. This happens twice. The first time it happens is when Ben dives off the ship. when he gets back on Dylan says, "I knew you'd come back.... You're our brother, you'd never leave us," (Herlong 90). The second time is when their dad jumped ship. After they found out he was gone Dylan kept insisting they look for him.

Dylan Byron should be inducted into the Hero Hall of Fame. Dylan has done what most people could never do in the prime of their life at just eleven years old. He has kept himself and his two brothers alive on a deserted island for over 3 months. When their ship wrecked on the coast, Dylan found out which plants were safe to eat, which animals could be caught where and how to cook them so they could be safely eaten, how to get fresh water, and how to scare off predators. Even when Dylan had broken his leg, he endured through the pain and told Ben how to set and bind his leg. Even when his leg was infected, they had no medicine and he ran the risk of dying, Dylan still did not want Ben to risk his life going out into the open waters in the little dinghy. Dylan has done what no other eleven year old boy should have or could have been able to do; survive on a deserted island.

Question 1: What is your favorite color?
A: Blue like sea water.

Question 2: Who is your personal hero?
A: My big brother Ben

Question 3: Why is Ben your hero?
A: When we got stranded on the island, Ben was the one who got us there safely in the first place. He kept me and Gerry safe on it too, when I broke my leg, Ben went out on his own to find help for me.

Question 4: When you get older, who do you want to be like?
A: Galileo Galilei. He knew so much about the stars. He even discovered stuff that was true, but it was so crazy and different that nobody believed him. I love stars and science so I want to be an astronomer like him.

Question 5: You have been nominated for the hero hall of fame. Do you think you're a hero?
A: No. If anybody won that it should be Ben or Gerry. Like I said earlier, Ben took care of us and kept us safe on that island for over three months. Gerry was only six years old and he stayed on the island and helped me when Ben went out to get me help for my leg. He even speared us dinner one night when we were starving!

Question 6: If you had one wish, what would you wish for?
A: I'd wish my mom was still alive. It's been a few years since she was killed, but I still miss her every day.

Question 7: In your opinion what is the most heroic thing you have ever done?
A: If I had to pick something, then I would probably have to say taking shifts with Ben when we had to steer the boat through those huge waves. It was terrifying but I did it anyway.

Question 8: What is your definition of a hero?
A: I think heroes are brave and courageous. I think that they take care of the people around them and that a real hero isn't afraid to admit that they are flawed as long as they try to work on them.

Question 9: If you could be any where right now, where would it be?
A: I would be on the Chrysallis laying on the deck looking up at the stars.

Question 10: What kept you going on the island?
A: Thinking about my mother and what would happen to Ben and Gerry if something happened to me.

Page created on 4/14/2011 12:00:00 AM

Last edited 4/14/2011 12:00:00 AM

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