Heroic Virtue - The Anatomy of a Heroic Act
"Would a hero be a hero if he or she did not possess virtues of character that were as inspiring as the 'heroic' quest itself?"
THE FIVE COMPONENTS OF A HEROIC ACT
All actions, from the profound to the mundane, are made up of five elements:
1. Vision: A vision is simply something a person can see that naturally fills them with enthusiasm. For example, after watching a TV program on homelessness, a hero may feel an overwhelming compassion for people who are homeless.
2. Intent: This is the hero’s motivation or reason why s/he pursues a given quest or mission. For example, it might be expressed as “I am moved to provide housing for people regardless of their ability to pay.”
3. Actions: These are the strategies/tactics/steps heroes use to set out and accomplish their mission. For example, “I know other people who share this concern. I am going to get them together and, with their help, I’m going to see what human, financial, in-kind and donated resources we can put together to address the problem of homelessness in our community.”
4. Outcome: This is simply the result of a hero's actions. For example,one outcome may be that the hero was successful in developing affordable housing for homeless people that is sustained by donations from individuals, foundations, and nominal.
5. Evaluation: This is the final step in which heroes take a fearless, honest inventory assessing whether or not their heroic quest has served their original intention. For example, an intended outcome might be a 30% decrease in homelessness in the area where affordable housing was constructed. An unintended outcome might be that the housing is located away from other parts of the community, creating social and economic isolation.
It is important to remember that there is no heroic action that is without flaws. The only thing heroes have control over is their intent and vigilantly maintaining the integrity of their original intent through action and evaluation.
SELECT AND DISCUSS STORIES / EXAMPLE(S) OF HEROIC QUESTS from the MY HERO archive.
Stories from the My Hero: Directory
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
As you read various examples, answer the following questions:
1. What about this hero's work is heroic?
2. What heroic virtues does this person embody?
3. Do you see any flaws in this hero's heroic act that could disqualify him or her as a hero?
4. Dividing the story up into vision, intent, action, outcome and evaluation, what areas do you think reflect heroic virtues?
5. Do you think this hero could do more to live up to his / her original vision? What would you have done?
SOURCE: by Charles Harper, The MY HERO Project (Laguna Beach, CA) https://myhero.com/teachersroom/Show/14
What is a hero? 3 Discussion/Writing Prompts
1. Essay: "Where I Find my Heroes" by Oliver Stone
This personal essay by Oliver Stone examines the concept of a hero.
SOURCE: Hamby, Z (2018), Where I Find my Heroes by Oliver Stone, Creative English Teacher, https://creativeenglishteacher.com/pages/teaching-joseph-campbells-the-heros-journey
2. Article: "Christopher Reeve Remembered"
This article recounts the accomplishments of actor Christopher Reeve, including his heroic struggle with paralysis. Students can compare Superman, the character embodied by Reeve, and the actor's real-life heroic struggle.
Discussion: What are some qualities of comic book heroes? What are some qualities of real-life heroes?
3. Article: "Heroes with Solid Feet" by Kirk Douglas
In this op-ed piece, published in the New York Times, Kirk Douglas tells of a Jewish woman he met upon receiving an award at the Berlin Film Festival. She stayed in Berlin throughout World War II, protected by several ordinary, heroic Germans.
What Does it Mean to be a Hero?
Student Activities
- Assignment: Comic book heroes [PDF]
This assignment asks students to analyze a comic book, looking for the heroic characteristics applied to a certain superhero. They must decide who considers their subject a hero, what makes him or her a hero, and also draw a picture of the character. (Requires classroom set of comic books.) - Hero Traits Reading Log [PDF]
As you read a text, keep a list of the hero’s traits. Indicate if you think they are considered heroic. Support your ideas with evidence from the story.
Lesson Plans
- Lesson: What makes a hero? [TEDEd]
What trials unite not only Harry Potter or Frodo Baggins but many of literature's most interesting heroes? And what do ordinary people have in common with these literary heroes? Matthew Winkler takes us step-by-step through the crucial events that make or break a hero. - Lesson: What Makes a Hero?
Do your students have heroes? Who are they? What qualities of a hero do they represent? Which historical figures would students recognize to be heroes? Are there contemporary or even local figures with similar qualities?
