Atticus Finch Heroism Analysis

According to Atticus Finch, heroism is “when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do.” Heroism occurs in many different shapes and sizes. There are several different components to being a hero. Heroes in fairy tales are usually strong, undeniably brave, and always come out victorious in the end. However, there are other types of heroes as well. Children who have survived cancer, or other fatal diseases, are considered heroes. It is the bravery of those children that is admirable. As the old saying goes, great things can come in small packages. In other words, it is possible for anyone and everyone to be a hero.
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines bravery as “the quality that allows someone to do things that are dangerous or frightening: the quality or state of being brave.” Bravery is one of the most important attributes of a hero. Whether it’s saving a victim from a fire or standing up for what is right, bravery is involved. Firemen are everyday heroes; they rescue people and their homes from fire. Firemen would be incapable of risking their lives everyday if they had no courage, Children can even be brave. When necessary, a child could possess the courage to stand up for what is right.
There are also the people that are brave because of troubles in their lives. They could be terminally ill, their parents could be getting divorced, or perhaps others are rude to them daily. These heroes are courageous from their past experiences or from what they are forced to cope with everyday,
Selflessness is one of the prime characteristics that comic book heroes have.
Superman is often depicted saving buses full of orphans or saving the city from a super villain. He was born with extraordinary powers; he could have chosen to use his powers to his benefit. Instead, Superman chose to employ his powers to help average citizens. Selflessness is when a hero puts others’ safety before their own. This trait is important because without it, heroes would be selfish and only help themselves. Without the help of everyday heroes, people could be seriously injured, or suffer emotionally. That is why it is imperative that heroes are selfless and always put others before
themselves.
Try, try, again is a quote that encourages persistence. Persistence is to endure whatever happens and to never give up. This quality allows heroes to do what is right, even if things go wrong at first. A prime example is Samuel Leibowitz. He was a lawyer back in the 1930’s. Nine African American boys were accused of rape and convicted, even though they were innocent. For the retrial, Leibowitz was called down to the state of Alabama to defend those boys. He was a complete outsider; Samuel Leibowitz was a yankee, Jewish, and believed that blacks and whites should be equal. This was unheard of in the south. But he didn’t let that stop him. He presented his case expertly, using excruciating detail. Yet the boys were found guilty once more. This was the first case Samuel Leibowitz had ever lost. However, he was still undeterred. Throughout the course of a few years, he managed to free the majority of the boys. Leibowitz never did stop fighting, which is most likely the cause of those freedoms.
Heroism is comprised of many things including bravery, selflessness, and persistence. Any person is able to become a hero. It can be as small as including the new kid or as big as saving a bus full of orphans. Heroism comes in all shapes and sizes. It is important for the world to have heroes, without them this world would need saving. Thanks to heroes, this world is a better place.