What is a Hero

A word hero is widely used in everyday speech, but when it comes to its definition, there appear to be quite a few and probably different ones. Really, who or what is a hero? For some, this may be a TV star, for others, it is a soldier fighting for our lives. Anyways, a hero is someone who is responsible for outstanding deeds.

There exist plenty of stories, anecdotes, novels, films and songs about heroes. Their actions are unparalleled and their dedication is unmatched. However, it is yet to be understood whether heroes are born or made. On the one hand, a person may spend a whole life pursuing heroic deeds and fail to perform at least one of those. On the other, some people carry out brave actions and refuse to take credit for them, as, for example, Sergeant Benavidez in John McCain’s novel. According to Green (2004), Sergeant risked his own life to safe his comrades, but he did not like being called a hero, because “the real heroes are the ones who gave their lives for their country.” It means that people whom we address to as heroes do not even realize their greatness. In fact, heroic deeds for them are absolutely ordinary.

There also exists a conception that a hero is a successful leader. Every country and every nation needs leaders. They are people of wise decisions and brave actions. Their mission is to encourage fellow citizens and to be role models. As 12 year old Brittni (2006) says, “A hero doesn't have to be someone considered better than anyone else. A hero is someone who has done something that he is looked up upon for.” Obviously, heroes set good examples for the next generations, thus helping to preserve national values and achieve ambitious goals. Such leaders are needed in every domain of human society: sport, army, science, medicine, etc.

To sum up, there is no single definition as to what a hero is, but he or she is definitely a dedicated person willing to perform great actions for the sake of others any moment without a sign of hesitation.