a thesis statement about heroes

Essays About Heroes: 5 Examples And Topic Ideas

Here, we’ll look at examples of essays about heroes and questions that can be used as topics for essays about an imagined or real hero .

A few different images likely come to mind when you hear the word hero . You may imagine Superman flying above the world with his superpower of flight. You may imagine a personal hero , a real person who has made a significant impact on your life for the better. You might think of a true hero as someone who has shown heroic qualities in the public eye, working to help ordinary people through difficult situations.

When writing an essay about your life hero , it’s important to consider the qualities of that person that make them stand out to you. Whether you choose to write an essay about how your mom got you through tough times and became your role model or about a political figure who made a difference in the lives of people in history, it’s key to not just focus on the person’s actions —you’ll also want to focus on the qualities that allowed them to act heroically.

Here, we’ll explore examples of hero essays and potential topics to consider when writing about a hero .

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Examples Of Essays About Heroes

• 1. These Are The Heroes Of The Coronavirus Pandemic By Ruth Marcus
• 2. Why Teachers Are My Heroes By Joshua Muskin
• 3. Martin Luther King Jr.—Civil Rights Activist & Hero By Kathy Weiser-Alexander

4. Steve Prefontaine: The Track Of A Hero By Bill O’Brian

5. forget hamilton, burr is the real hero by carey wallace, topic ideas for essays about heroes, 1. what makes a hero, 2. what are the most important characteristics of heroes in literature, 3. what constitutes a heroic act, 4. is selflessness required for heroism.

1.  These Are The Heroes Of The Coronavirus Pandemic  By Ruth Marcus

“Is this what they signed up for? There is some danger inherent in the ordinary practice of medicine, but not this much. I confess: I do not know that I would do the same in their circumstances; I am not sure I am so generous or so brave. If my child were graduating from medical school, how would I deal with her being sent, inadequately protected, into an emergency room? If my husband were a physician, would I send him off to the hospital — or let him back into the house in the interim?” Ruth Marcus

Healthcare workers have had no choice but to go above and beyond in recent years. In this essay, Marcus discusses the heroism of those in the healthcare field. He delves into the traits (including selflessness and courage) that make doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers heroes.

2.  Why Teachers Are My Heroes   By Joshua Muskin

“Teachers are my heroes because they accept this responsibility and try extremely hard to do this well even when the conditions in which they work are far from ideal; at least most do. Our jobs as society, education systems, and parents is to do our best to be strong allies to teachers, since their success is essential to ours.” Joshua Muskin

In this essay, Dr. Muskin discusses the many challenges teachers face and what parents, administrators, and education researchers can do to help teachers support students. Muskin explains that most teachers go above and beyond the call of duty to serve their classrooms.

3.  Martin Luther King Jr.—Civil Rights Activist & Hero   By Kathy Weiser-Alexander

“During this nonviolent protest, activists used boycotts, sit-ins, and marches to protest segregation and unfair hiring practices that caught the attention of the entire world. However, his tactics were put to the test when police brutality was used against the marchers, and King was arrested. But, his voice was not silenced, as he wrote his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” to refute his critics.” Kathy Weiser-Alexander

In this essay, Weiser-Alexander details both the traits and the actions of Dr. King before and during the civil rights movement. The author touches on King’s commitment to justice, persistence, and willingness to stand for his beliefs despite difficult circumstances.

“I remember this so vividly because Prefontaine was a hero to me, a hero in a way that no one was before, or really has been since. A British commentator once called him “an athletic Beatle.” If so, his persona was much more Lennon than McCartney. Actually, I thought of him more as Mick Jagger — or ultimately James Dean.” Bill O’Brian

A hero to many in the running world, Prefontaine’s confidence, unique style, and unmatched athletic ability have been heralded for decades. In this essay, O’Brian shares how he, as a distance runner during the era of Pre, related to his struggles and ambition.

“Burr fought against an ugly tide of anti-immigrant sentiment in the young republic, led by Hamilton’s Federalist party, which suggested that anyone without English heritage was a second-class citizen, and even challenged the rights of non-Anglos to hold office. In response, Burr insisted that anyone who contributed to society deserved all the rights of any other citizen, no matter their background.” Carey Wallace

In this essay, Wallace explains why Aaron Burr, the lifelong nemesis of founding father Alexander Hamilton, should be considered a historical hero . This essay exposes someone seen as a villain but much of society with a different take on their history. 

It can be interesting to think about your definition of a hero . When describing what the term hero means to you, you may want to choose a person (or a few people) you look up to as a hero to solidify your point. You might want to include fictional characters (such as those in the Marvel universe) and real-life brave souls, such as police officers and firefighters.

A word of caution: stay away from the cliche opening of describing how the dictionary defines a hero . Instead, lead-in with a personal story about a hero who has affected your life. While talking about a public figure as a hero is acceptable, you may find it easier to write about someone close to you who you feel has displayed heroic qualities . Writing about a family member or friend who has shown up as a heroic main character in your life can be just as exciting as writing about a real or imagined superhero.

From Beowulf to Marvel comics, heroes in literature take on many different traits. When writing an essay on what trait makes a hero come alive in a short story, novel, or comic, choose a few of your favorite heroes and find common themes that they share.

Perhaps your favorite heroes are selfless and are willing to put themselves last in the name of sacrifice for others. Perhaps they’re able to dig deep into the truth, being honest even when it’s hard, for the greater good. There’s no need to list endless heroes to make your point—choosing three or four heroes from literature can be a great way to support your argument about what characteristics define heroism in literature.

When someone is named a hero in real life, we often picture them saving people from a burning building or performing a difficult surgical operation. It can be difficult to pin down exactly what constitutes a heroic act. When writing about what constitutes a heroic act, think about people who go above and beyond, performing feats of courage, honesty, and bravery to support themselves or others. When writing about what constitutes a heroic act, discuss real-life or literary examples of heroes at work.

To many people, being a hero means giving back to others. While giving something away or trading in one’s well-being for others can certainly be seen as a heroic act, many people wonder if selflessness is required for heroism or if a hero can serve the greater good in a way that also supports their happiness. When writing about whether selflessness is required for heroism, choose examples from literature and real-life to support your point.

Tip: If writing an essay sounds like a lot of work, simplify it. Write a simple 5 paragraph essay instead.

If you’re still stuck, check out our available resource of essay writing topics .

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• Knowledge Base
• How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples

How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples

Published on January 11, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on August 15, 2023 by Eoghan Ryan.

A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . It usually comes near the end of your introduction .

Your thesis will look a bit different depending on the type of essay you’re writing. But the thesis statement should always clearly state the main idea you want to get across. Everything else in your essay should relate back to this idea.

You can write your thesis statement by following four simple steps:

• Start with a question
• Write your initial answer
• Develop your answer
• Refine your thesis statement

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Table of contents

What is a thesis statement, placement of the thesis statement, step 1: start with a question, step 2: write your initial answer, step 3: develop your answer, step 4: refine your thesis statement, types of thesis statements, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about thesis statements.

A thesis statement summarizes the central points of your essay. It is a signpost telling the reader what the essay will argue and why.

The best thesis statements are:

• Concise: A good thesis statement is short and sweet—don’t use more words than necessary. State your point clearly and directly in one or two sentences.
• Contentious: Your thesis shouldn’t be a simple statement of fact that everyone already knows. A good thesis statement is a claim that requires further evidence or analysis to back it up.
• Coherent: Everything mentioned in your thesis statement must be supported and explained in the rest of your paper.

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The thesis statement generally appears at the end of your essay introduction or research paper introduction .

The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts and among young people more generally is hotly debated. For many who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its many benefits for education: the internet facilitates easier access to information, exposure to different perspectives, and a flexible learning environment for both students and teachers.

You should come up with an initial thesis, sometimes called a working thesis , early in the writing process . As soon as you’ve decided on your essay topic , you need to work out what you want to say about it—a clear thesis will give your essay direction and structure.

You might already have a question in your assignment, but if not, try to come up with your own. What would you like to find out or decide about your topic?

For example, you might ask:

After some initial research, you can formulate a tentative answer to this question. At this stage it can be simple, and it should guide the research process and writing process .

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Now you need to consider why this is your answer and how you will convince your reader to agree with you. As you read more about your topic and begin writing, your answer should get more detailed.

In your essay about the internet and education, the thesis states your position and sketches out the key arguments you’ll use to support it.

The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its many benefits for education because it facilitates easier access to information.

In your essay about braille, the thesis statement summarizes the key historical development that you’ll explain.

The invention of braille in the 19th century transformed the lives of blind people, allowing them to participate more actively in public life.

A strong thesis statement should tell the reader:

• Why you hold this position
• What they’ll learn from your essay
• The key points of your argument or narrative

The final thesis statement doesn’t just state your position, but summarizes your overall argument or the entire topic you’re going to explain. To strengthen a weak thesis statement, it can help to consider the broader context of your topic.

These examples are more specific and show that you’ll explore your topic in depth.

Your thesis statement should match the goals of your essay, which vary depending on the type of essay you’re writing:

• In an argumentative essay , your thesis statement should take a strong position. Your aim in the essay is to convince your reader of this thesis based on evidence and logical reasoning.
• In an expository essay , you’ll aim to explain the facts of a topic or process. Your thesis statement doesn’t have to include a strong opinion in this case, but it should clearly state the central point you want to make, and mention the key elements you’ll explain.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.

The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:

• It gives your writing direction and focus.
• It gives the reader a concise summary of your main point.

Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.

Follow these four steps to come up with a thesis statement :

• Ask a question about your topic .
• Write your initial answer.
• Develop your answer by including reasons.
• Refine your answer, adding more detail and nuance.

The thesis statement should be placed at the end of your essay introduction .

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How to Write an Essay About My Hero

Writing an essay is difficult, but if it is about your favourite hero, it becomes even more challenging. You have to describe the main character, their heroic actions, and the unique skills that set them apart. A lot depends on the hero you have chosen to write an essay on. The first question that comes to your mind is who is your hero and why? It could be heroes or fighting soldiers from the war or a hero from a fictional story or your favourite cartoon movie. Once you have decided on the central figure of your essay, you can now describe and narrate all relevant details regarding your hero. The resilience, the character, and the personal traits that distinguish a common person from a hero can be elaborately discussed in the essay. If you are still in a fix and are wondering how to write an essay about my hero, then you have landed on the right page as we are about to give clear instructions on how to pen down a great compelling hero essay on your own. All you have to do is follow these simple guidelines and hints:

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Importance of Hero Essays

Catchy titles for an essay about my hero, how to get the best hero essay, how to start a hero essay, tips concerning writing a hero essay introduction, how to write body paragraphs, how to write conclusion for a hero essay, short example of a college essay about my hero.

Heroes or heroic figures have a great impact on the minds of young souls. Children who view cartoons and watch heroic actions of their favourite characters like to adopt their traits. That is why when writing a heroism essay, it becomes imperative to reflect on the qualities these heroes exhibit truly. This helps narrate how heroes transform the lives of ordinary people through their special attributes, chivalry, and characteristics. Some superheroes like Spiderman and Ironman depict special powers and are most children’s favourite. Children also consider authority figures like their father to be a superhero who can solve all kinds of problems and always help them.

Writing such kind of essays instil a sense of love and pride for their superheroes. Since students love their superheroes and look up to them for guidance, they would like to describe all the good qualities of their heroes. Writing an essay about my hero helps them use describing words and good writing skills, which will, in turn, help them excel in their life.

There are plenty of hero essay ideas you can choose from. If you are wondering how to write a title and heading for your hero essay, these shortlisted titles will surely help you.

• My Father: My Hero
• Heroes of the Second World War
• What Makes Superman a Superhero?
• Traits that Distinguish an Ordinary Man from a Hero
• Top Qualities of a Hero
• True Legends of Time
• Heroes for a Cause
• Life of Nelson Mandela
• Who is my Role Model?
• Finding Your Hero

Wondering how to write my hero essay outline? Here is a simple guideline that will help you organize your content professionally. Writing an essay outline, you must go through a proper format to convey all the points in an easy, coherent manner. You should be able to put it in the following way:

Introduction

In the heroes essay introduction, there should be a statement describing a hero's life and the attributes that make a hero. In the introductory paragraph, you should describe your hero briefly and what makes your hero different from other superheroes.

The other element important in the outline is background. Inform the reader about the heroic acts and details set against the background. If it is the entire life history you wish to explain, then mention it in the background.

Attributes of a Hero

Once you have explained the background information and the setting, you should now mention the characteristics and attributes of the hero. In this part of the essay, the positive and negative aspects of the hero should be properly explained.

Acts of Heroism

What are the different heroic acts or special powers that set your hero apart from other superheroes? When writing the heroes definition essay, you should put together the acts of heroism.

The concluding paragraph should sum up the details about your hero.

When writing an introduction, you should keep in mind the special powers of your hero. Don’t write down everything in the introduction. Here are some tips you should keep in mind:

• Keep it simple
• Choose your superhero
• Write it in a statement form
• Mention the key points that differentiate your hero from others

It should have the suggested length. The body paragraphs can comprise 3-4 paragraphs depending upon your content. It should have complete details and mention the special features and attributes of the hero you selected. You can break down the body paragraph into different points. In one paragraph, you can explain the setting, background, life history of the superhero. In the other consecutive paragraphs, you should explain the special features and attributes.

For a compelling who’s your hero essay conclusion, you must sum up the essay. Write down all the points that tie the essay together. From the beginning to the end, everything in the essay should be conveyed in a gist. A good conclusion leaves a great impact on the mind of the reader.

Finalizing Essay

Once you have written down everything, now is the time to finalize your essay. Make sure to edit, proofread, revise and provide citations where necessary.

Essay Revision

Revise your essay. Read it out loud. When you read the essay, you will be able to find mistakes.

Essay Proofreading

Proofread the essay. Keep a check on the grammatical errors and typos. There should be no mistakes. Students who have tight deadlines tend to miss this part and are in a hurry to submit their work. This might show serious issues in the essay, which will reflect badly on your work.

Make Citations

Write down the references. While writing down the essay, if you have taken from different sources, then you should mention it. These citations and references show varied sources from where you have taken material for your essay. It also reflects your researching skills.

An essay on my hero example is as follows:

For instance, your topic is ‘My father, my hero!’ Here is how you should begin writing your essay.

My father is a gem of a person. He knows how to take care of his family in times of distress. Apart from this, he is a great teacher, impacting the lives of millions of people. His noble ways of teaching and sharing knowledge make him a superhero not only for me but for all those people whose lives he touched.

My father had a small family. He was the only son of his parents. His parents loved him but were very strict. His childhood days were carefree, but he was a responsible kid, aware of his duty towards his parents. He would never disobey them. His love was unconditional for his parents, and he would go out of his way to serve them. Since he did not have his siblings to support him, he led quite a lonely life. He was a self-made man who struggled in his early years to make a name of himself. His teachers loved him for his honesty and intelligence.

As he grew up to be a man, he was loyal to his job and family. He left no stone unturned in serving his aging parents. He got married and had kids. His love continued to grow for his family. For the sake of our happiness, he would sacrifice his little acts of happiness. He would feel happy when we were happy. The students he taught learned acts of graciousness and nobility from him. They would yearn to be like him, striving in little ways to become a personality he would cherish. Simple acts of kindness made him a superhero. He became a hero in my eyes and in the lives of all those people he affected in one way or the other.

From the milkman to the newspaperman, every person would greet him with great respect. The respect he earned showed how loved and revered he was. His altruism, chivalry, and bravery were exhibited in daily activities. He was a man of integrity, values, and principles. All these things and a lot more made him different from other superheroes. He was neither a celebrity nor an action hero, but he was a great man of spirit who lived in people's hearts.

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Greater Good Science Center • Magazine • In Action • In Education

What Makes a Hero?

This month, Greater Good features videos of a presentation by Philip Zimbardo, the world-renowned psychologist perhaps best known for his infamous Stanford Prison Experiment. In his talk, Zimbardo discusses the psychology of evil and of heroism, exploring why good people sometimes turn bad and how we can encourage more people to perform heroic acts. In this excerpt from his talk, he zeroes in on his research and educational program designed to foster the “heroic imagination.”

More on Heroism

Watch the video of Philip Zimbardo's Greater Good talk on heroism.

Read his essay on " The Banality of Heroism ," which further explores the conditions that can promote heroism vs. evil.

Read this Greater Good essay on the "psychology of the bystander."

Learn more about Zimbardo's Heroic Imagination Project.

What makes us good? What makes us evil?

Research has uncovered many answers to the second question: Evil can be fostered by dehumanization, diffusion of responsibility, obedience to authority, unjust systems, group pressure, moral disengagement, and anonymity, to name a few.

But when we ask why people become heroic, research doesn’t yet have an answer. It could be that heroes have more compassion or empathy; maybe there’s a hero gene; maybe it’s because of their levels of oxytocin—research by neuroeconomist Paul Zak has shown that this “love hormone” in the brain increases the likelihood you’ll demonstrate altruism. We don’t know for sure.

I believe that heroism is different than altruism and compassion. For the last five years, my colleagues and I have been exploring the nature and roots of heroism, studying exemplary cases of heroism and surveying thousands of people about their choices to act (or not act) heroically. In that time, we’ve come to define heroism as an activity with several parts.

First, it’s performed in service to others in need—whether that’s a person, group, or community—or in defense of certain ideals. Second, it’s engaged in voluntarily, even in military contexts, as heroism remains an act that goes beyond something required by military duty. Third, a heroic act is one performed with recognition of possible risks and costs, be they to one’s physical health or personal reputation, in which the actor is willing to accept anticipated sacrifice. Finally, it is performed without external gain anticipated at the time of the act.

Simply put, then, the key to heroism is a concern for other people in need—a concern to defend a moral cause, knowing there is a personal risk, done without expectation of reward.

By that definition, then, altruism is heroism light—it doesn’t always involve a serious risk. Compassion is a virtue that may lead to heroism, but we don’t know that it does. We’re just now starting to scientifically distinguish heroism from these other concepts and zero in on what makes a hero.

My work on heroism follows 35 years of research in which I studied the psychology of evil, including my work on the infamous Stanford Prison Experiment . The two lines of research aren’t as different as they might seem; they’re actually two sides of the same coin.

A key insight from research on heroism so far is that the very same situations that inflame the hostile imagination in some people, making them villains, can also instill the heroic imagination in other people, prompting them to perform heroic deeds.

Take the Holocaust. Christians who helped Jews were in the same situation as other civilians who helped imprison or kill Jews, or ignored their suffering. The situation provided the impetus to act heroically or malevolently. Why did some people choose one path or the other?

Another key insight from my research has been that there’s no clear line between good and evil. Instead, the line is permeable; people can cross back and forth between it.

This is an idea wonderfully represented in an illusion by M. C. Escher, at left. When you squint and focus on the white as the figures and the black as the background, you see a world full of angels and tutus dancing around happily. But now focus on the black as the figures and the white as the background: Now it’s a world full of demons.

What Escher’s telling us is that the world is filled with angels and devils, goodness and badness, and these dark and light aspects of human nature are our basic yin and yang. That is, we all are born with the capacity to be anything. Because of our incredible brains, anything that is imaginable becomes possible, anything that becomes possible can get transformed into action, for better or for worse. 

Some people argue humans are born good or born bad; I think that’s nonsense. We are all born with this tremendous capacity to be anything, and we get shaped by our circumstances—by the family or the culture or the time period in which we happen to grow up, which are accidents of birth; whether we grow up in a war zone versus peace; if we grow up in poverty rather than prosperity.

George Bernard Shaw captured this point in the preface to his great play “Major Barbara”: “Every reasonable man and woman is a potential scoundrel and a potential good citizen. What a man is depends upon his character what’s inside. What he does and what we think of what he does depends on upon his circumstances.”

So each of us may possess the capacity to do terrible things. But we also posses an inner hero; if stirred to action, that inner hero is capable of performing tremendous goodness for others.

Another conclusion from my research is that few people do evil and fewer act heroically. Between these extremes in the bell curve of humanity are the masses—the general population who do nothing, who I call the “reluctant heroes”—those who refuse the call to action and, by doing nothing, often implicitly support the perpetrators of evil.

So on this bell curve of humanity, villains and heroes are the outliers. The reluctant heroes are the rest. What we need to discover is how to give a call to service to this general population. How do we make them aware of the evil that exists? How do we prevent them from getting seduced to the dark side?

We don’t yet have a recipe for creating heroes, but we have some clues, based on the stories of some inspiring heroes.

I love the story of a wonderful nine-year-old Chinese boy, who I call a dutiful hero. In 2008, there was a massive earthquake in China’s Szechuan province. The ceiling fell down on a school, killing almost all the kids in it. This kid escaped, and as he was running away he noticed two other kids struggling to get out. He ran back and saved them. He was later asked, “Why did you do that?” He replied, “I was the hall monitor! It was my duty, it was my job to look after my classmates!”

This perfectly illustrates what I call the “heroic imagination,” a focus on one’s duty to help and protect others. For him, it was cultivated by being assigned this role of hall monitor.

Another story: Irena Sendler was a Polish hero, a Catholic woman who saved at least 2,500 Jewish kids who were holed up in the Warsaw ghetto that the Nazis had erected. She was able to convince the parents of these kids to allow her to smuggle them out of the ghetto to safety. To do this, she organized a network.

That is a key principle of heroism: Heroes are most effective not alone but in a network. It’s through forming a network that people have the resources to bring their heroic impulses to life.

What these stories suggest is that every one of us can be a hero. Through my work on heroism, I’ve become even more convinced that acts of heroism don’t just arrive from truly exceptional people but from people placed in the right circumstance, given the necessary tools to transform compassion into heroic action.

Building on these insights, I have helped to start a program designed to learn more of heroism and to create the heroes of tomorrow.

The Heroic Imagination Project (HIP) is amplifying the voice of the world’s quiet heroes, using research and education networks to promote a heroic imagination in everyone, and then empower ordinary people of all ages and nations to engage in extraordinary acts of heroism. We want to democratize the notion of heroism, to emphasize that most heroes are ordinary people; it’s the act that’s extraordinary.

There are already a lot of great heroes projects out there, such as the Giraffe Heroes Project . The HIP is unique in that it’s the only one encouraging research into heroism, because there’s very little.

Here are a few key insights from research we’ve done surveying 4,000 Americans from across the country. Each of these statements is valid after controlling for all demographic variables, such as education and socioeconomic status.

Heroes surround us. One in five—20 percent—qualify as heroes, based on the definition of heroism I provide above. Seventy-two percent report helping another person in a dangerous emergency. Sixteen percent report whistle blowing on an injustice. Six percent report sacrificing for a non-relative or stranger. Fifteen percent report defying an unjust authority. And not one of these people has been formally recognized as a hero.

Opportunity matters. Most acts of heroism occur in urban areas, where there are more people and more people in need. You’re not going to be a hero if you live in the suburbs. No shit happens in the suburbs!

Education matters. The more educated you are, the more likely you are to be a hero, I think because you are more aware of situations.

Volunteering matters. One third of all the sample who were heroes also had volunteered significantly, up to 59 hours a week.

Gender matters. Males reported performing acts of heroism more than females. I think this is because women tend not to regard a lot of their heroic actions as heroic. It’s just what they think they’re supposed to do for their family or a friend.

Race matters. Blacks were eight times more likely than whites to qualify as heroes. We think that’s in part due to the rate of opportunity. (In our next survey, we’re going to track responses by area code to see if in fact these heroes are coming from inner cities.

Personal history matters. Having survived a disaster or personal trauma makes you three times more likely to be a hero and a volunteer.

Based on these insights into heroism, we’ve put together a toolkit for potential heroes, especially young heroes in training, who already have opportunities to act heroically when they’re kids, such as by opposing bullying.

A first step is to take the “hero pledge,” a public declaration on our website that says you’re willing to be a hero in waiting. It’s a pledge “to act when confronted with a situation where I feel something is wrong,” “to develop my heroic abilities,” and “to believe in the heroic capacities within myself and others, so I can build and refine them.”

You can also take our four-week “Hero Challenge” mini-course online to help you develop your heroic muscles. The challenge may not require you to do anything heroic, but it’s training you to be heroic. And we offer more rigorous, research-based education and training programs for middle and high schools, corporations, and the millitary that make people aware of the social factors that produce passivity, inspire them to take positive civic action, and encourage the skills needed to consistently translate heroic impulses into action.

We’re also in the process of creating an Encyclopedia of Heroes, a collection of hero stories from all over the world. Not just all the classic ones and fictional ones, but ones that people from around the world are going to send in, so they can nominate ordinary heroes with a picture and a story. It will be searchable, so you can find heroes by age, gender, city and country. These are the unsung, quiet heroes—they do their own thing, put themselves in danger, defend a moral cause, help someone in need. And we want to highlight them. We want them to be inspirational to other people just like them.

Essentially, we’re trying to build the social habits of heroes, to build a focus on the other, shifting away from the “me” and toward the “we.” As the poet John Donne wrote: “No man [or woman] is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main; … any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind. And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.”

So every person is part of humanity. Each person’s pulse is part of humanity’s heartbeat. Heroes circulate the life force of goodness in our veins. And what the world needs now is more heroes—you. It’s time to take action against evil.

About the Author

Philip Zimbardo

Philip Zimbardo, Ph.D. , is a professor emeritus of psychology at Stanford University, a professor at Palo Alto University, a two-time past president of the Western Psychological Association, and a past president of the American Psychological Association. He is also the author of the best-selling book The Lucifer Effect and the president of the Heroic Imagination Project .

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Very nice information. In this world this is the very difficult question that what makes people good or evil. This post has helped a lot to understand the difference. Actually in my point of it depends upon the individual that what he/she thinks. If he/she thinks negative all the time them they became evil and thinking vice versa makes them good.

Andrew | 2:31 am, January 19, 2011 | Link

I really like reading this article because there are many individuals in the world that are heroes but are not recognized.  Heroes that have help humanity progress and prosper have fought with the greatest weapons which are love, respect, sincerity, and peace.  The governments that have had the greatest fear of seeing people free have always use war for colonization, genocide, and false treaties.  However, love is much stronger than war, and thanks to the modern forms of communication and exchange of information, more people are united for peace and do not support or participate in colonization or human genocide.  Since the start of humanity most people have use peace to progress, few have participated in war and few are participating. May peace prevail on earth!

Victor | 7:48 pm, January 29, 2011 | Link

A son raising up against an evil father. A brother standing up to a bully attacking his sibling. A stranger rallying to the side of a woman being assaulted in the street.

My sons are my strength. My reason to help others, that they may find the help they need in their lives.

pops | 9:39 am, February 3, 2011 | Link

Of course religion and eduction has a big impact on a child. But once a child is trying to live a good life (earning good karma or call it whatever you want) good things will happen to that child and he or she will recognize this.

So I think you can definitely change from evil to good.. maybe you _can be changed_ from good to evil.

Massud Hosseini | 7:28 am, September 17, 2011 | Link

Actually in my point of it depends upon the individual that what he/she thinks

asalah | 9:41 pm, September 24, 2011 | Link

“Research has uncovered many answers to the second question: Evil can be fostered by dehumanization, diffusion of responsibility, obedience to authority, unjust systems, group pressure, moral disengagement, and anonymity, to name a few.”  <—What I find amazing about this statement is that anything is being branded “evil” at all.  Well, maybe not.  Relativism seems to be something that’s employed when convenient, disregarded when it’s not.

Kukri | 6:58 pm, November 6, 2011 | Link

This is a very comprehensive discussion on heroism. Victor makes a great point in his comment about how most heroes go unnoticed by the vast majority of people. I think that lack of notoriety is part of what it means to be a hero: doing that which is unexpected without the need for a pat on the back. quotes for facebook status

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I found this informative and interesting blog so i think so its very useful and knowledge able.I would like to thank you for the efforts you have made in writing this article. I am hoping the same best work from you in the future.

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When a sniper’s bullet hits one soldier and misses the person next to him, that alone does not make the wounded soldier more heroic.

brokesteves | 6:10 am, April 24, 2012 | Link

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Hercules in Greek Mythology Essay

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Greek mythology is known for its great mythological heroes one of which was Hercules. This hero deserved general recognition for his courage and strength. The name of Hercules is widely known in different mythological legends of modern time. This character is always presented as the embodiment of strength and power who can resist any difficulties and life obstacles.

His name is considered to be Roman; being the son of Alcmene and the God Zeus he experienced great level of unfaithfulness and cruelty in his life. The ancient mythology is rich in myths and legends describing the fate of the powerful god’s son. Being a little boy Zeus’ wife Hera wishing to kill Hercules managed to send serpents for his destroy; though Hercules managed to strangle those snakes and remain alive. His courage and power allowed him to kill a bear being young and inexperienced man. He is widely known in the Greek mythology for his 12 labors introduced by Eurystheus as a kind of penance. The labors of Hercules covered twelve difficult tasks created in order to test the courage of Hercules.

The character of Hercules and his achievements have been described not only in the sphere of mythology. The theme of his legends interpretation was to show the power of mythological heroes on the example of one of the most strong and powerful. The Roman and Greek mythological legends managed to disclose the peculiarities of Hercules’ adventures and achievements. (Wilson, 2008).

Hercules is considered to be a significant hero in the sphere of science and art. Hercules was recognized as one of the most great and powerful representatives of the Greek mythology; he managed to turn from a mortal person into the god. His bright achievements and victories brought him immortality. A bright representative of the scientific theories about mythological characters and events is considered t be Carl Yung. This great person of his time managed to continue the theories of Sigmund Freud regarding the functions of the mythological events. He managed to continue psychological approach and the theory of collective unconscious and archetypes. He considered that archetypes are always presented in the myth and legends.

“… myth-forming structural elements must be present in the unconscious psyche…” (Carl Jung and the Collective Unconscious, 2005).

According to his statements the identification of the Hercules myths should take a start from the identification of archetypes. It was stated that myth should be perceived symbolically; it not about the gods or physical world. The myths of Hercules should stress the symbolism of strength and power, courage and braveness rather than the story disclosing the process of man’s transformation into the god. He did not stick to the goddess of the myths. The legends of Hercules are perceived as the process of a male self development during the lifespan. Jung supported the idea that in myths people were usually motivated by a psychological energy pushing them for new achievements and psychological growth. He never agreed with Freud’s instinctual drives of aggression. Regarding the mythological nature Jung stated that his patients’ dreams were closely connected with his own theory of collective unconscious and archetypes. He tried to explain it by the fact that consciousness is based on the activities of people’s mind, sense and intuition while the world of mythology refers to the unconsciousness, psychological archetypes. Jung proved by his theory that each person had archetypes as they exist in human unconsciousness. They can be especially vivid when people are covered by the world of dreams or mythological stories. (Morford, 2003).

Hercules is considered to be an example of a common archetype, a warrior archetype. He explained his warrior nature by the character’s desire to be superior to all others, to fight in order to protect; this archetype can be sometimes active in usual people because they understand and feel his function and role in life. Thus, Hercules is an example of the warrior archetype stimulating people for their personal qualities development somewhere on the unconscious level.

Thus, it is necessary to underline the main point of the mythological analysis of Hercules: this character is regarded to be the embodiment of strength and power of the Greek mythology. He managed to leave a print as a god and as a mortal character; Hercules has always been introduced as a muscular and strong man having no fear at any difficult situation. In modern science this hero is perceived as an archetype of a warrior. His place in modern science manages to prove that the character of Hercules can be embodied in every ordinary person in case of their desire to self development and realization. The ancient Greek myths disclosing the achievements and actions of Hercules are the background for the creation of new modern works of literature and for the development of new psychological theories such as those created by Carl Yung.

Morford, Mark P.O. & Lenardon, Robert J. Classical Mythology. 8th ed. Oxford U.P., 2003.

Wilson, Randy. Greek Mythology Hercules: the Mortal who became a God. 2008.

Carl Jung and the Collective Unconscious. 2005. Web.

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Tragic Hero — Brutus As A Tragic Hero Essay

Brutus as a Tragic Hero Essay

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