What Is a Hero?

John Lennon (http://image3.examiner.com/images/blog/EXID32274/images/johnLennonFull(1).gif)

A hero. Someone of admirable traits or qualities. All of us have a hero. To some, a hero might be their favorite actor or musician. To others, someone closer to home, like a father or uncle. But what is a hero? It means different things to different people.

Many find people of fame or importance to be their heroes. Someone supporting the war in Iraq may think George Bush is a hero, while others believe every decision he made was wrong. On the flip side, some may find Osama Bin Ladin heroic for fighting for his religious beliefs, while some others may despise him for intentionally killing innocent people. Actors are often portrayed as the heroes of many younger people. You may watch ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ and find Johnny Depp your hero. Many people ignore the reality and praise actors for their fictional deeds.

Fictional character have, too, sown their way into the hearts of people everywhere. Fictional characters are easy to respect, for they can never prove themselves wrong unless they are meant to within their stories. They do only as intended by their creators, and the creators include heroic traits in these characters based upon their views on what a hero is. In movies, they often become heroes based on appearance or strength, while in books they are valued for their heroic deeds, such as killing great beasts or surviving impossible feats against nature. In the media, what a hero is differs greatly.

Lastly, we come to the heroes of myth and legend. They are admired for many of the same things found in media. Strength, impossible feats etc. In the story of Peach boy, an old Japanese legend, a boy born from a giant peach is found in the forest by an elderly couple and raised as a normal child. He ends up undertaking a great quest, in which he sails to a far off island and kills the trouble making demon that resides there. He returns home with the treasure the demon had stolen and lives happily ever after. Not all heroes, however, live “happily ever after”. In the story of Jason and the Argonauts, Jason takes on a perilous quest in order to regain his country. Along the way, he conquers many dangers, and marries a witch named Media. He ends up being banished from his kingdom and throne by those who feared his wife. He lived a weary life as a trouble man, and ends up being killed when a part of his ship that had rotted through the ages falls and kills him. Either way, they are admired for their heroic deeds.

In conclusion, heroes are seen everywhere, and are kept in the hearts of those who admire hem. Whether the heroes ends justify his means that is left up to those who hear of their tales. A hero differs greatly too many people, and it has always been that way. Admire them for their traits and model yourself after them and you may become someone’s hero one day as well.