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The Subway Hero
My class watched a video on the subway hero, Wesley Autrey, who courageously jumped onto another man to protect him from an oncoming subway. We then free-wrote about our own ideas about heroes. For the first time, I realized how difficult it was to define a hero because of how varied acts of heroism can be and how differently others viewed heroes. I defined a hero as a selfless, brave person who acted without expecting reward or compensation. -
Why Courage Matters
On January 6, for first chapter Friday, my class heard the story of Roy Benividez in Why Courage Matters by John McCain. Benividez’s selfless act that saved several lives illustrated a side of heroism that requires “a moment of madness”, an idea that I added on to my personal definition of a hero. From this story, I began to realize that being a hero could require extreme courage and honor. -
Peace Corps
In class, we watched an interview of Kristi Quillen, a teacher who had joined the peace corps. The idea of volunteers as heroes intrigued me so I researched a few local heroes in Houston. Ms. Quillen's story also made me realize that a hero does not necessarily have to be extremely well known, that any regular person could be considered a hero. -
Heroes in Literature
In class, we got into groups of four and discussed heroes in different pieces of literature we had read about. I believed that the authors that wrote the heroic characters were the true heroes because it was their words that the heroes stood by. From characters like Atticus Finch, I learned how important standing by what you believe in is, and how a person that stands up for what they believe in, regardless of other opinions, can be seen as a hero. -
Library
We went to the library again and after deciding to choose a female political figure as my hero, I found a book on Queen Victoria!
Her Little Majesty by Carolly Erickson -
HOLIDAY!
There was no school so I read a few chapters of Her Little Majesty. -
Change the World
In class we began the "Change the World" powerpoint and brainstormed different catagories of heroes and the different qualities of people in each category. Once again, I went back to change my definition of a hero, adding visionaries and the different characteristics of political heroes, such as charisma and the ability to manipulate others. -
Change the World 2
My class continued with the "Change the World" powerpoint. Through several videos we learned that some people do not know what to do to change the world, while others believe simple acts of kindness can bring a significant amount of change. We also learned that, although most acknowledge the need for change, not many people are willing to work for it. These ideas led to me to realize that a hero is a person that actively tries to make a change no matter how big or small. -
Blog post 1
I worked on my first blog post about how I chose Queen Victoria as my hero. -
Change the World 3
On the third day we worked on the "Change the World" powerpoint, my class discussed how youth can contribute to society, and how for true change, we must act. These discussions allowed me to broaden my viewpoint about the kind of people that qualify as heroes, including younger people, too. It also made me realize that heroes are heroes because they try to make a change instead of simply waiting for one. -
Heroes in Literature Blog Post 2
I completed my second blog post about Heroes in Literature. I found it interesting that my definition of a hero changed so much from when I was younger. In elementary school, I looked up to heroes like Superman, now, however, I believe that regular people that make a change without superpowers are the true heroes. This essay also made me realize how well characters like Percy Jackson and Sydney Carton embody heroic qualities, and how much I learned from the Literature I have read. -
Share!
I shared a passage from my biography with the class. I chose one passage from Victoria's early childhood because I thought it was interesting that she came from such a miserable childhood. It seemed heroic to me that she was able to overcome her deprived upbringing and become an amazing ruler. I also thought it was interesting that she was one of the few European monarchs that actually loved their spouse.
