Kimberly Chang

The cover of the book that shows her heritage and (www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)

My definition of a hero is someone who overcomes extreme odds to achieve their goals. They are always determined and no matter what happens will always do what they believe to be right. A hero is someone who never forgets their goals and always aspires to reach their dreams.

In my own opinion it is and isn't important to have a hero. It is important because it gives you something to dream about and aspire for. It also helps you to set up permanent goals you want to achieve during your lifetime. It isn't important to have a hero because if your hero is ever "dethroned" or is accused of something they actually did you would think that it was also okay for you to do the same thing as them. It could also cause you to think that everything you've done up to that point has been for nothing because your hero did something wrong and you think that you could also go down the same path as them.

Kimberly Chang portrays characteristics of a hero because of her undying will power and determination. She helped her mother during the times when they lived in a rat infested apartment. She made up a ploy to keep her mom further away from the rats. "After that night I told Ma I should sleep on the side of the mattress away from the wall because I needed to pee sometimes. I want to protect her from having to sleep closer to where the mice and rats were likely to be active." (Kwok 20). Throughout her life her grades got her and her mother through tough times. After a graduation ceremony Kimberly's mother asked her what had happened and Kimberly replied," Ma, the principal said I won a full scholarship to that private school!" (Kwok 110). She went through lots of things and even risked losing her scholarship when another girl in her class dropped a note that had test answers on it. Kimberly though it was a note for her until the teacher picked it up and she saw part of it. "I figured out what had happened. My face flamed. I would never cheat, even in subjects where I had trouble." (Kwok 150).

Symbol for determination (www.orientaloutpost.com)

You should induct Kimberly Chang into a Hero Hall of Fame because of her will to beat overwhelming odds and succeeding in doing so. She grew up in a roach and rat infested apartment with no heat and she could barely speak English, yet she scored the top grades in her math and science classes and won a full scholarship to a prestigious high school. Her drive was her situation and seeing her mother being worked to the bone. Kimberly's determination was not faltered even when she found out she was pregnant. She chose to keep the baby, but she did not tell her ex boyfriend because she thought it would hold them both back. She also went to Yale and became a pediatric heart surgeon and she did all of this while also working four jobs to support her baby and her mother. Kimberly may seem normal and her life may seem only a little above ordinary, but just remember all of the things she went through and think to yourself could you have done what she did. If you did that you will see that the answer will almost always be, no because without or even with her circumstances you could never get the right mentality or the level of drive that she had and this is why she should be inducted into a Hero Hall of Fame.

Kimberly who is your hero? My hero is my mother because even though we lived in a poor neighborhood and in a poor apartment she never lost hope in me and she gave me a person who I knew I would always be able to count on. What do you think about your Aunt Paula? I think that she might have been a good person once, but she changed and became a greedy, cold-hearted person who put her sister and niece down so that she could feel better. I'm happy to say that I haven't seen her since that day when my mother and I left the factory. If Matt had said that he would come with you, would you still have left him? Yes, because I wanted him to have his own choice about how his life turned out and I felt that if I had told him that I kept the baby that he would feel obligated to stay with me and marry me. If you and your mother had been better off, would you still have worked so hard to become what you are today? Yes, because I am the type of person that doesn't give up on my dreams no matter what my circumstances are. Do you think that you will ever be able to find love again? Yes, but it will never be as strong as the love that I feel for Matt because my love for Matt will always remain as long as I have my son, who looks just like him. Did you ever give up on your dreams? Yes, when I found out about the baby I gave up momentarily, but then I thought about our current situation and about my mother and my resolve never broke again. Do you think that your mother is proud of you? Yes, she tells me that she is everyday and that if it hadn't have been for me that we never would have made it out of that disgusting apartment. What will you do when your son wants to know who his father is? When that time comes I will drive him to wherever Matt and his wife are living and explain the whole thing because at that time it will be easier for me to face Matt. What are your expectation for your son? He doesn't have to be extraordinary or even get good grades, but I want to have options and opportunities that I didn't. If anything I just want my son to be happy because with all that I had to do I never really had the chance to. Did you keep in touch with Annette after college? Of course I kept in touch with Annette because she had been a friend to me like no one else had and she had been there when I needed her the most. She will always and forever be my best friend.