In society a hero can be a fictional character or a person that is living among us. Often times you hear the word tossed around here and there. What is the true definition of a hero? There are several factors and characteristics that would classify someone as a hero. It could be someone who always take the leadership role in a group. It could also be someone like Martin Luther King, who spoke up for an entire race. Someone who endured many obstacles or some form of injustice to make a change or difference for the sake of others. In my eyes hero’s that live among us are deeply rooted in their esteemed professions.
They live a normal life, which may seem extraordinary to some and those are the very ones that may see them as a hero. Some of these heroes are those that make sacrifices for others each day such as putting in long hours being a fireman or police officer. These are just a few of the jobs where these individuals put themselves in harm’s way to protect and serve others. The jobs come with a lot of stress that are often ignored by others. Then we have teachers and principals that sacrifice their personal time by working long hours teaching and education children.
They even sacrifice they money to accomplish their goals and task set forth before them. They often times have to by school supplies and other tools out of their own money. All of this is a sacrifice being made to help the children reach and achieve their goals. Other hero’s that are among us, are nurses, doctors, emergency responders, paramedics face stressful situations every day that others do not respect or recognize what sacrifices these individuals make every day. But these individuals make it their personal mission to help those that need them regardless of putting themselves in harm’s way. The public service hero’s take pride in the oath they took to protect and serve with great honor and courage.
These individuals are selfless beings who put the needs of others before their own. These heroes are often overlooked when they possess the qualities of being patient and having compassion for those that need them. These hero’s wake up every day with one thing in mind and that’s to make a difference by making the world a better place to live in and exist in. With that in mind these heroes have great satisfaction knowing that their goals were met, and they will leave behind a legacy that others will follow in their footsteps and to continue their legacy. As I read the stories and poems from the required reading, I came across many characters or individuals whom possessed hero like characteristics.
The Letter of Birmingham that was written Martin Luther King, was his way to convince and prove to others how and why he made the sacrifices he made for the African American race. He wanted them be treated equally and fairly. He also used the letter as a platform to explain the negative behavior of the protestors. I also read Bodega Dreams, where in the author talks about how not fitting in and being constantly put down. The students develop a strong sense of hate by being put down by their teacher which led to them feeling rejected.
The student being told that they would reach their dreams and never amount to anything in life was very harsh. This harsh treatment led to the students to not complete assignments and turn in homework. Which led to further confusion when the students went to their other class, the teacher had a more positive approach. So with Sapo being the hero in this story, felt forced to stand up to and defend himself against Mr. Blessington. In the poem Outcast, the man was apparently brought over to America as a slave and deeply longed for and missed his African homeland.
He felt lonely and isolated by being away from and out of his element. He tried so hard to hold on his memories but they were slowly becoming distant dreams in his mind. In the poem Crazy Courage, Michael was the hero who decided to be a cross dresser. He made the decision to dress a woman in class, which was pretty shocking for his peers. His decision displayed a great deal of bravery and deemed him a hero for that moment. The Train from Hate, displayed a mother love who handled herself in such a profound way when dealing with her dilemma.
The Mother and her children boarded the incorrect train and was forced to the colored rail car. Her refusal to do so while the train was moving, prompted the train conductor to stop the train and remove them the train. My definition of a hero has been altered as I’ve read all of the assigned reading material. I now have a full understanding on what it takes to qualify as a hero. It’s more than your dad or favorite uncle who’s a soldier and they’ve been away fighting for their country.
So a now days a hero is more than a Vietnam Veteran or those that fought in the Persian Gulf. Yes, they did put their life on the line with not a care in the world about their own well-being or livelihood In conclusion I have learned that hero’s come in many different forms and it can someone that is standing next to you in the store or sitting next to you at church. A hero can do more than just save your life from grave danger. A hero can be a teacher taking interest in a child and helping them overcome obstacles or things going on at home. Or when a lawyer hears about a case that touches them and they want to help that individual free of charge. Society want us to believe that hero’s only come in the form of LeBron James or Beyoncé. The issue I have with this is, we often forget what other forms a hero can be in or who they can be.
