The Tragic Hero In John Hersey's Hiroshima

Throughout John Hersey’s book Hiroshima, he introduces six main subjects, or characters, and writes of their journey’s from before the bomb drops to a few months following the event. Each of these characters have similar and different methods for their survival and how they contributed to the tragedy. In the event of an end-of-the world scenario, depending on my health status, I would help and assist as many as I could, protect and guard my family, and cherish my most personal possession to contribute to history. My actions for assisting would be similar to Dr. Terufumi Sasaki, my protection for my family would resemble Reverend Kiyoshi Tanimoto, and lastly, I would cherish my belongings as did Mrs. Hatsuyo Nakamura.

In my role in an end-of-the

world event, I would use my passion for helping others to assist in mending injuries and wounds. I would compare my duties to the role of Dr. Terufumi Sasaki, a twenty five year old doctor who worked for Hiroshima’s Red Cross Hospital. His hard work and ambition is displayed throughout the book with his dedication to treating the thousands of wounded and dying citizens of Hiroshima. Dr. Sasaki worked countless hours rehabilitating patients all while wearing another nurses’ glasses. I would challenge myself and effortlessly continue to help as many patients as I could. Unlike Dr. Sasaki, I would serve the less injured and wounded first, in hopes to utilize the less injured patients as assistants in serving the others.
In today’s world specifically, if an end-of-the world event were to occur, I would save my most personal possession, my camera.

Mrs. Hatsuyo Nakamura who was a widow and mother of three residing in Hiroshima, saved one of her most prized possessions, her sewing machine. As childhood memorabilia and her main machinery for her trade as a tailor, she hid her sewing machine in a water tank made of cement. Unlike Mrs. Nakamura, instead of hiding my camera, I would use my camera to document. I would film the tragedies and horrors of the event to contribute to history and showcase visually the reality of the event. I admired Mrs. Nakamura’s devotion to herself and children. Her focus was keeping all of them safe and doing what was necessary to survive the negative conditions that resulted from the bomb dropping. I too would focus on keeping myself and family protected and

safe.
Father Wilhelm Kleinsorge lived in Hiroshima as a jesuit priest. While escaping the mission house, he forcefully carries Mr. Fukai out to the road. Even though Mr. Fukai refused to leave the house because he wanted to be left to die inside, Father Kleinsorge who is weakened by his diarrhea, denies Mr. Fukai’s plea to stay. He carries him down the road until he stumbles which results in Mr. Fukai getting away and running himself back in the fire to die. I commend Father Kleinsorge for his bravery in not abandoning Mr. Fukai. If one of my close allies were trying to stay in the fire I would do everything in my power to get them to leave with me and remain safe.
I greatly look up to Father Kleinsorge’s warmth and tenderness which is displayed as we learn that he conforted many of the people who were wounded and dying. Even though Father Kleinsorge was very ill, he still continued to assist others by carrying water back and forth from the facets to the park for the people there. I can relate to his encouragement that he posses. As he is walking through the woods to deliver the water back to the park, he encounters twenty of Japan’s soldiers. Each was so severely burned that the mouths of them were swollen, and their eyes were melted. He encourages the men and reassures them that help will be on the way, even though he knows that may not be the case.
Reverend Kiyoshi Tanimoto was a Methodist pastor who worked tirelessly to help many citizens of hiroshima to safety.

To me, Mr. Tanimoto was the most admirable subject Hersey wrote about. Throughout the novel, we examine Mr. Tanimoto as a selfless, kindhearted, brave, and compassionate individual. For example, after the bomb dropped, Mr. Tanimoto was gratefully unharmed. He feels guilty and ashamed that he wasn’t injured. He even asked for forgiveness from the people whom he would pass in the streets. I can relate to the guilt he was feeling, because I too would feel uneasy after witnessing others around me suffering when I was unharmed. I extremely dislike seeing others suffering and hurt and it would be heartbreaking to be faced with that scenario. I would positively use my good health to help the others who were injured and

wounded.
I would compare my responsibilities and reactions most to that of Mr. Tanimoto. I share the same sense of family values he has when he shows the love he has for his wife and baby as he frantically searches for them in the city. I would endlessly search for my mom and brother until I found them. Again, I can relate to his sense of compassion and strength that he showcases as he repeatedly paddles a boat back and forth from the riverbanks to ferry the people who are immobile. Mr. Tanimoto then heads a volunteer group to use buckets and clothes to help stop one of the fires. Comparable to Mr. Tanimoto, I would use the resources around me; water, shelter, clothes, food, boats etc. to help the environment and people struggling.
Many of the tasks and events that the featured survivors from John Hersey’s Hiroshima were faced with reflect how I would respond if I were ever faced in an end-of-the world event. I can relate to the helping and assisting brought on by some of the subjects in Hersey’s writing.