Matthew Walsh

A hero is someone that looks out for those that are less fortunate, a hero is someone that always knows the right thing to say and always makes the best choices for him/her and everyone else. A hero is also someone that is humble and doesn't ask for anything in return for his services. Finally a hero is someone that can forget the past, live in the day, and wait for the future.

I think it is very important to have a hero. The reason I say that is because a hero has always got your back even when you don't know it. A hero is someone that can maybe help you make better and more wise decisions. The final reason I think it's important to have a hero is because you always know that there is someone there for you when you are going through hard times.

In the novel, The Rules of Survival, by Nancy Werlin, Matt is the hero. Throughout this story, Matt is trying to protect not only himself, but his little sisters. Their mother is insane. On one occasion, she drove into on-coming traffic. "And all at once we were on the wrong side of the road," (Werlin 58). Their mother tells Matt to say he loves her but he doesn't want to. Out of fear, not only for his own life, but for his sisters too, he gives in, doing what's best for them. After this incident, Matt knows that he must get his sisters somewhere safe. "I need to do something, I thought. I need to get us out of this," (Werlin 59). Later, Matt joins together his dad, Aunt Bobbie, and his mother's ex-boyfriend Murdoch, so they can try to get them away from his mom. "You might try to get custody of all three of us?' I asked. I stressed the words all three," (Werlin 166). Matt always has what's best for him and his sisters in mind. When custody is finally taken away from Nikki, Matt chooses to stay with Aunt Bobbie to protect her from her sister living above her.

The reason I believe that Matt should be put in the hero hall of fame is because, Matt is an older brother that would do anything to protect his two younger sisters from his psychotic mother that sometimes tries to kill them. He is also the type of person that will never give up, for instance when he was looking for Murdoch. Another reason I think he should be submitted is because he makes good choices, of course not all the time but we're all only human and we're not perfect. That is the reason I believe he should be submitted into the hero hall of fame.

Q: Who's your hero and why? Matt: That would be Murdoch. He's not afraid to do what's right most of the time and I look up to him for that. Q: what qualities make him a hero? Matt: Well, he's not afraid to do something once he puts his mind to it. Like, when Nikki sent Rob after him. Murdoch didn't back down from trying to help us. Q: Do you want to be like Murdoch? Matt: Yeah, I do. I want to be able to not be afraid and face my fears. But I also want to be able to act when I need to. Q: Why do you want to be like him? Matt: I don't want to be afraid of Nikki anymore, so I can do better to protect Callie and Emmy from her if she ever comes around again. Q: Do you think it's important for everyone to have a hero? Matt: yes. Heroes inspire you. If I hadn't met Murdoch then we never would have been able to get away from Nikki. He's the one who inspired everything I did to help us. Q: Should everyone try to be just like their hero? Matt: no i think that every one should try to be a hero in there own way. Q: What qualities do you think make someone a hero? Matt: Well a hero needs to not be afraid. Also, they need to want to protect and help others. Q: Do you exhibit any of these qualities? Matt: I really do try to. I taught Callie and Emmy how to be careful when Nikki was in one of her moods and protected them from her when they slipped up. But I'm definitely afraid. Even to this day Nikki scares me. Q: Do you think you are a hero to anyone? Matt: It's possible that I am to Callie and Emmy. I did take charge for years and help them through every chance I could.