What is a hero in American Lit
What is a hero? A hero can be described as a person who is respected for the challenges he or she has accomplished and admired for his or her continuous efforts towards helping others. According to American literature, a hero is defined as a protagonist who overcomes his or her fears, or is able to leave the past behind and begin with the future. In both "The Fat Girl" by Andre Dubus and "A&P" by John Updike, the two main characters are perceived as heroes because they learn how to recognize their self worth and how they can improve their self image. Not all heroes are meant to affect the way a society acts, but in this case these heroes are just trying to benefit themselves. A hero has many different qualities that enable him or her to interact with others based on the situation and as long as the person is willing to respond. For example when in war, a hero is envisioned as someone who does courageous deeds and is willing to risk his or her life for what he or she believes in. To an ordinary person, their role model may be someone that is very respected or looked highly upon. However, in American literature, it is a person who changes something relating to his or her life and improves the way the
Sammy hopes that if he quits, "they'll stop and watch [him], their unsuspected hero" (Updike 601). In this aspect, Sammy is not a hero because he is quitting to show off to those three girls, who "keep right on going" (Updike 601). They are of higher-class and so Sammy does not receive the credibility that he expects or seeks. Even though he is the hero of this story because he "[experiences] a sudden revelation about [himself] or someone else" (Updike 597). Sammy realizes that if he does not quit, he will grow up to be exactly like his friend, "the responsible married man" (Updike 599) who "thinks he's going to be manager some sunny day" (Updike 599). These three girls who are the reason for Sammy's sudden decision to quit his job could actually have inspired him to acquire a better job and life. Since Sammy understands that quitting can improve his life, by definition of a hero in American literature, he is a hero. "The Fat Girl," a short complex story narrated by a woman with an eating disorder focuses on her feelings rather than giving any clinical diagnosis of the problem. Vicariously we feel, along with Louise, the pity and disapproval of her parents whose standards, especially her mother's, seem completely superficial. Her roommate, Carrie, loves the hidden Louise and this increases Louise's self-esteem and desire to lose weight. Carrie cares for her and helps her fight her need to eat. When Louise is with her husband, it is clear that he does not love her for herself, but rather as the thin, imitation of the attractive boss's daughter. When she is overweight, he does not want her and she realizes that she does not want to be with him either. Some may believe that the ending is a defeat and so Louise is not a hero because she does not change in any way. However, others may understand it as Louise finding herself and accepting herself for what she is. By ga
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Approximate Word count = 1277
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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