Matthew Walsh

22758_child_abuse_big.jpg (4:36, Mar 23)

The definition of a hero:
A hero is someone to look up to and believe in. A hero can put others before themselves and cares about the well being of others. A hero doesn't have to be a guy with a mask and a cape, a hero is anyone who knows how to do the right thing.

Is it important to have a hero?
Yes, it is very important to have a hero. Having someone to look up to in your life can help shape you to what you come to be. When having a hero it is important to know that heroes aren't perfect, they mess up too. Heroes not being perfect makes them even more so a hero. They can teach you from their mistakes.

Matthew Walsh is the story's hero. Matthew is a fourteen year old boy who has two younger sisters and a crazy mother. Matthew portrays many characteristics of a hero. An example would be that he cares for the well being of his two little sisters. On page three, Matthew says, "It was hard to figure out what would be the safest thing to do, for all three of us, all the time. But it was my job." Matthew cares about keeping everyone safe, including himself. Even a hero needs to be able to protect himself. A true hero knows when to ask for help. Heroes can't go everything on their own. On page sixty-five, Matthew decides to ask Ben for help. He arranges a meeting with him to tell him about what has been going on. Finally, heroes need to know when to take action. On page seventy-eight, Emmy and Nikki are getting into a fight. Matt knows if he doesn't act fast, Emmy will get hurt. Matt quickly grabs Emmy and takes her to the safety of the bathroom right before Nikki gets to her. If Matt hadn't acted, Emmy would have gotten seriously hurt.

Matthew Walsh should be put into the hero wall of fame for many reasons. First of all, he has many characteristics of a hero. He can put others before himself in very tough situations. He always wants to keep the people he loves out of harm's way. Without Matthew, Callie and Emmy could have been seriously hurt by their mother. Matthew always knew what to do in any situation that put their safety on the line. He knew when and how to take action and ask for help. If he had never stood up, he and his sisters would still be in the horrible situation.

Interview:
1. Who is your personal hero?
I have many heroes but it I had to pick just one it would be Murdock McIlvane. He helped convince Ben and aunt Bobbie to help me and my sisters. Without him, we would still be in the same situation.
2. Was it ever hard to do the right thing?
It was always hard to be nice to Nikki to keep us safe. I always wanted to say something mean to her, but that would only make her angry, putting us in danger.
3. Did you ever just want to give up?
I will admit it was never easy trying to get away from Nikki, but i never wanted to give up and just take was Nikki did to us.
4. Did you ever blame anyone for your problems with Nikki?
Yes, I blamed Ben all the time because i thought that he had left us.
5. Was it hard to focus on school work with Nikki around?
Yes, it was always a struggle trying to stay on top of my school work but somehow i managed with help from Callie.
6. What made you want to find Murdoch?
I wanted a hero myself. I wanted someone to look up to and maybe even help with Nikki.
7. Did you even consider leaving Emmy and Callie and running away?
I thought about how much easier that would be, but I could never leave Callie and Emmy.
8. How did you feel not knowing where Emmy was?
I felt scared and very responsible for her running away. I knew that i shouldn't have said what I had said to her. I felt very guilty.
9. Do you feel responsible for what happened to Julie?
I think we all secretly felt responsible
for what Nikki did to Julie. But when it came down to it, there was nothing we could have done. 10. What advice would you give to anyone who is in a similar situation as yours? I would tell them to get help. Don't just be a victim, try to get yourself away.