What Does It Mean To Be A Hero?

In life, anyone has the potential to be a hero. One does not need to ‘save the day’ or wear a cape and a mask to be considered heroic. Actually, a hero can be found in nearly every corner, and a hero can mean many different things. It is commonly assumed that a hero aspires to be good and to always do the right thing, but it should also be noted that, at the end of the day, even the most heroic figures in everyday life are still human, still capable of making mistakes and sometimes doing the wrong thing. A hero needs to have a kind of moral compass—or moral judgment—to help them recognize their mistakes and to understand right from wrong. Despite the potential everyone has of becoming a hero, however, it is much more common to see one to look

One has to endure, in some way, harsh and unfair living conditions and still remain kind, fair, and hopeful. A hero can be a parent who works long hours to support his or her family and to still remain a positive role model. This may not seem extraordinary to some people, but this requires a great deal of self-reflection, of knowing why a person does what he or she does. So, in other words, the first step to becoming a hero is to evaluate his or her life, to understand what is right and just and important, and to do whatever he or she can to ensure that there is peace, civil, and safety of some sort. All of this, however, is beyond the capability of Dukiram, Chidam, and every other character in Tagore’s short story. Though considering their lifestyle and the hierarchy system they live in, it is understandable why no one has even a basic understanding of things of good and bad. However, to be a hero means to have discipline, to be fair and objective, be a unique, independent-minded, and selfless person who aspires to do the right thing for not only his or herself but for others as well. Unfortunately, such an idea of a person would perhaps either confuse or give the village people a good laugh in Tagore’s