In order for someone to be viewed as a hero, they do not necessarily have to do something that proves them to be the strongest, or the “best”. A hero is someone who has faith in what they believe in, and whose actions give other people reason to believe that they are brave. Every story has some sort of hero – someone who is looked up to by others because of what they have done. In The Odyssey, Huck Finn and Beowulf, the "heroes" of the stories are fighting to achieve something that they feel is right, and do not give up until they are satisfied. These characters are faced with a troubling situation, and are successful in getting through it by the end of the stories. A hero is someone who stands up for what they believe in, and does not let anyone change their mind. Someone is considered a hero because they are strong - not physically, but mentally - strong enough to fight no matter what may stand in their way. Heroes are brave people who are perseverant, and give other people hope to follow in their footsteps.
A hero does not necessarily have to be a male – there are many females in history that have stood up for what they believe in and deserve to be considered heroic. Your gender shouldn’t be what classifies you a hero – your actions are what earn you this distinction. People choose their heroes based on what they believe fits the description. To some, a hero could be someone who plays a sport, and to others, a hero may be someone who finds a cure to a disease. Depending on your personal definition of a hero, you may look up to different people than the person next to you. Everyone who fights for what they believe in is considered a hero – no matter what their gender is. Men are usually the ones portrayed as heroes because they can be described as built, strong, and may physically look the part. Women who fight for something they are passionate about are also considered heroes, but are rarely seen in movies or books, because people enjoy hearing about someone defeating a person rather than someone who is skilled in something that does not include physically fighting.
Brecht’s statement is meant to say that without heroes, humans have no one to learn from, and without being able to benefit from others, we have no way to acquire knowledge. Learning from others' experiences is what helps us improve ourselves, which is why we continue to be even more successful than those of the past. By having heroes to look up to, we give ourselves role models, and have something to set our goals against.
