The Lady Lindy: My Hero Amelia Earhart

Amelia Earhart stamp©️ Wikipedia“To begin a redefinition of the American hero—as we do in this issue—is an act of will that says that whatever else we may actually be, it's to this that we aspire” (Granger). David Granger’s article Boy do we Ever Need a Hero argues that even though heroes may seem like the dreams of a ten year old, the crumbling society around the American people has pushed many to turn back to their childhood role models. As Americans, it is very important that we have heroes by our sides, to guide us through troubling times. So what do we aspire to be? How do we redefine heroes? A hero is not someone who is necessarily noticeable. Heroes go for the little things, not the big accomplishments. Heroism does not come from being dipped in radioactive waste, or having a traumatic childhood, but from the hearts of people who want to make a difference in the world. There is no limit to the amount of compassion people have for making a change to things they believe are wrong; therefore there is no end to the heroism in the world. Heroes come in many ways. Many people possess traits that are important in the definition of a hero, whether it’s a single mother struggling to support her three kids, or an  individual who speaks out for what they believe in. They all have a strong work ethic, they are determined, and they stand for what they believe in.

Amelia Earhart plaque©️ WikipediaAmelia Earhart not only embodies these three traits, but upholds these important American values. She was born on July 24th, 1897, and grew up in Atchison, Kansas along with her sister Muriel. Earhart grew up going to private schools, and spending most of her time with her maternal grandparents, Alfred and Amelia Harres Otis. As she grew up, she became infatuated with airplanes. She felt like she had to fly one. In January of 1921, she began taking flight lessons with a female instructor, Neta Snook, and in December of that same year, earned her pilot license. Seven years later, Charles Lindbergh chose her to accompany him on his flight across the Atlantic, earning Earhart the playful nickname “Lady Lindy”. Then, in 1931, she began to set records of her own. She started by flying an autogyro across the US and back. Then she flew across the Atlantic, just as Lindbergh had done, in the next year. She set altitude records, and earned awards, gaining more and more popularity. Then she decided she would do something no one else had ever attempted. She would attempt a flight around the world. She disappeared during her second attempt in 1937. This is one of the most mysterious disappearances in history. A hero must possess important character traits, such as being a hard worker, having determination, and acting on their beliefs. From an early age, Earhart defied the gender stereotype and developed a can-do attitude about life. Her father was a lawyer, and moved where his work took him, while her mother had a very hard time supporting herself and her two kids. As a result of this, Earhart developed a strong work ethic because she had to care for herself nearly her whole life. As she moved on through her aviation career, Earhart faced a lot of hardships, especially since she was a woman in what was considered a “man’s job”. She resolved to not take any insults or disbelief from others to heart, and instead ignored them, proving her determination to succeed. Because of the difficulties she faced, she decided to speak out against sexism, and take actions against it. Through her strong work ethic, which developed at an early age, activism for women’s rights, which included starting an aviation organization for women, and determined spirit despite much disbelief, Amelia Earhart embodies the definition of a true hero.

Her strong work ethic, caused by her independence as a child, allowed her to develop a can-do attitude, proving her a hero. Growing up, Earhart had parents who could not care for her due to various circumstances, from work to divorces to financial difficulties. Thus, she grew up self-determined, and willing to work hard to achieve what she wanted. “Amy Earhart left Edwin in Springfield in 1914, taking her daughters with her to live with friends in Chicago, where Amelia was graduated from Hyde Park School in 1915… In 1924, when her parents separated again, she sold her plane and bought a car in which she drove her mother to Boston where her sister was teaching school”(Gale Student Resources). Despite her parents splitting many times, Earhart never let that get in the way of her dreams. She found ways to cope with the change, and learn to make sacrifices like “[selling] her plane to [buy] a car” to drive her mother places.  Instead of giving up on her dreams because of the difficulties faced, she decided to work harder to achieve what she wanted, even if it meant giving up material objects. If she gave up on her dreams because of a mentally difficult setback, she would most likely regret it, so she decided to work even harder as a result, proving her heroism. Earhart was incredibly interested in the idea of flight, and in January 1921, began taking flight lessons. However, Earhart’s mother Amy was still struggling with finances, so Amelia decided to take matters into her own hands: “To help pay for those lessons, Earhart worked as a filing clerk at the Los Angeles Telephone Company. Later that year, she purchased her first airplane, a secondhand Kinner Airster.”(History). Earhart decided to take her job “as a filing clerk” to support her flight lessons, and, by extension, support her dream of being an aviator. She wouldn’t let her troubling finances get in the way of being successful, so she worked just so she could take the lessons and get her pilot license, It was a big step in her career and she didn’t want it to prevent her from becoming an aviator. Even though Earhart faced a lot of hardships early on in her life and career, she didn’t let it stop her from becoming what she knew she was born to do. She worked hard, and stayed on track, proving her strong work ethic, and incredible heroism.

In her plane©️ WikipediaEarhart can also be classified as a hero by her strong women’s rights activism, particularly, her fight for women in their respective science fields. She led the way for women in aviation, and encouraged them to follow their dreams. She wanted to make sure that no woman felt held back by the need to be a “housewife”, so she formed an organization:  

Earhart consistently worked to promote opportunities for women in aviation. In 1929, after placing third in the All-Women’s Air Derby—the first transcontinental air race for women—Earhart helped to form the Ninety-Nines, an international organization for the advancement of female pilots. She became the first president of the organization of licensed pilots, which still exists today and represents women flyers from 44 countries. (History).

Earhart did not want women to be stuck inside their homes, and not following their interests, so she took action. She created something bigger than herself, for the benefit of others. She fought for women to be able to pursue any career they wanted to, regardless of which field it was in. Math, all types of sciences, writing. She believed they could do it all. The influential pilot also spoke out against sexism in science fields in her speeches. She talked about how recent advancements in maths and sciences led to women being more independent and free to do whatever they wanted to, instead of being stuck in the typical housewife role of the 1800s:  “...that women have become the greatest beneficiaries in the marginal scheme. Science has released them from much of the...old drudgery connected with the past.” (Earhart). The effect science has had on the world lets women break free of traditional roles and be free to pursue any interest they may have in other areas. They no longer have to stay in the house and clean and cook. They could be out there doing something. Earhart herself inspired much of this through her aviation career. Her activism, combined with her determined spirit and perseverance, caused women to be inspired and go out into the world. Through her activism, Amelia Earhart urged women and girls to go after interests in science and math, rather than follow the tradition of being housewives, and is this way, proves herself a hero.

Lastly, Earhart can be defined as a hero by her incredible determination and willingness to do whatever it takes to succeed in her career. She faced a lot of harsh sexism as an aviator because she was seen as just a woman who could not possibly achieve, in that day and age, something only a man was competent enough to do. This only made her more determined to prove every single one of her disbelievers wrong: “Resenting reports that she was largely a puppet figure created by her publicist husband and something less than a competent aviator, she piloted a tiny, single-engine Lockheed Electra from Newfoundland to Ireland to become--on May 20-21, 1932, and five years after Lindbergh--the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic.”(Gale Student Resources). This accomplishment was incredible not because she set the record, but because she proved to her disbelievers that she was not “something less than a competent aviator” and could fly a plane well, if not even better than a man could. She would be the final say in whether or not she was successful, and that she wouldn’t let gossip affect her determined spirit, which proves her a hero. As Earhart grew confident in her career, she aspired to be not only the first woman, but also the first person to fly completely around the world, from one side to the other and back again, in a span of a day. “On June 1, 1937, Amelia Earhart took off from Oakland, California, on an eastbound flight around the world. It was her second attempt to become the first pilot ever to circumnavigate the globe” (History).  This was Earhart’s “second attempt to circumnavigate the globe.” She did not attempt this flight just once, but twice. Earhart didn’t give up, even after her first attempted flight did not succeed, or even go well at all.  Her determination shows here, because she was so driven to achieve the first flight around the world, that she attempted it twice. Earhart’s determination saw her through much of this flak, and even failure, as she faced it consistently throughout her career. Her ability to keep pushing through the obstacles she faced shows that she is incredibly determined, and therefore worthy of the title ‘hero’.

AmeliaGoogleAmelia Earhart is a hero, not only because of her many awards, or her flight records, but also because of her perseverance, determination, and activism on behalf of women's rights. Earhart continues to inspire people around the world, and even though she has passed on, her footprints on history immortalize her as a heroic individual. By working hard and achieving her dreams, Earhart overcame her gender-related obstacles and proved that her name belonged in the history books. She did not do these things for the fame, but because she had a passion. She didn’t let anyone tell her she couldn’t do it, “just because she was a woman”. In a speech, Earhart stated, “...that women will share in these endeavors, even more than they have in the past, is my wish-and prophecy.” She took action so men would have to begin involving women, and it is because of her contribution that the advancement of women in all fields, especially science has come so far. I don’t want to be a pilot; Earhart inspires me in a completely different way. Instead, I want to take a stand for what I believe in, and advance society further. Because of Earhart, I am inspired to speak out on behalf of all oppressed people in the nation, such as the LGBTQ community and the African American society, the ones who can’t be heard over all the politicians words, much as she did. Earhart taught me that sometimes it’s necessary to step outside of your comfort zone in order to achieve the things that must be done, like when she piloted the plane across the vast Atlantic alone for the first time. Earhart did not achieve her dreams because she stayed inside and acted like a “perfect housewife.” She went out and grabbed the opportunities herself, because if no one did, they would never be taken. Heroes have taught me that it is important to stay true to one’s values, even when times are tough, or when you get flak from it. As Granger said, the American hero is someone who we aspire to be, every day of every year. To me, Earhart is the definition of a true American hero.