I believe that that is how a true hero would react - he would think over the situation carefully, come up with the best solution, and act on it. Society is always hoping for the more exciting hero, the one who would go out and beat up the villains and rescue the helpless girl. To look at Ben's appearance, he is around 14, small, wears old, ragged clothes and has bare feet. Stereotypical heroes, again using the well-known example of Superman wear loud, colorful costumes and have a muscley body and broad shoulders. I believe that you don't have to be big and muscley to be a hero, that a hero can be anyone who takes control of a situation and puts someone else's life before theirs. Therefore, the representation of heroes that is portrayed in the novel, through the main character, Ben, reinforces my views, yet challenges society's view about this group. .

             Ellie, the heroine of the novel Taronga, by Victor Kelleher, is a representation of a female which also reinforces my views on this group. Ellie is constructed as being caring, kind and compassionate, such as when she saves Ben from being eaten by the tigers. I think that Ellie is a great representation of a female, as she contradicts society's views on women. Many women rely on their beauty to get themselves through life - for instance, have you ever read a fairytale where the handsome prince rescues an unattractive, overweight woman? Ellie is described as being around 14, thin, Aboriginal and stick-like, yet she still is the heroine of the story, and she still is the one that the hero of the novel, Ben, goes walking off into the sunset with. Like Ben, Ellie is quiet and submissive, yet she is not passive, as is shown when she and Ben cut a hole in the security fence and let all of the animals escape. I believe that women do not have to be beautiful to be able to take control of their lives and make a valuable contribution to society.