Comments on Dawn's Rise: What Makes A Hero

I was going to say that there were a couple of thi...

2009-10-20T03:59:11.710-07:00

I was going to say that there were a couple of things in the post that I didn't agree with, but most of them seem to be covered in the comments section. And, they were just exceptions to the rule anyway.

I didn't get here soon enough. :) I'm writ...

2009-10-18T06:44:00.552-07:00

I didn't get here soon enough. :) I'm writing about a hero for my nanowrimo project. I really liked the way you laid out the transformation process.

MG - Not all novelists follow the hero's journ...

2009-10-17T10:43:15.206-07:00

MG - Not all novelists follow the hero's journey, which could be good or bad. I prefer it. All of my most beloved heros have gone through every step. It doesn't feel complete without it.

Tina: It's possible to have multiple heroes an...

2009-10-17T09:13:00.107-07:00

Tina: It's possible to have multiple heroes and multiple main characters/hero's journies in one book. In this case, I would say Frodo is the main Main Character. He does have the most to lose...a fate worse than death...and he learns the most.

MG: I just finished a YA book that had no Denouement. It just sort of ended with no resolution. Very disappointing. I'd have to read those novels to see what you mean, but pretty much all heroes have to come to terms with an internal struggle. I also wonder if you have to separate "hero to the main character" and "hero to the reader." Whom does the reader root for? That's the real hero.

I'm thinking of a couple middle-grade novels I...

2009-10-17T08:38:18.887-07:00

I'm thinking of a couple middle-grade novels I've read recently where the heros are not the main character. These are character-driven novels, not action-driven, where the hero's role is as a catalyst for a decision the MC must make. IOW, the MC is not defeating anything outside of her/himself, but coming to terms with an internal struggle. The hero's action brings that struggle into focus. It's like a hero with a small "h," not a capital "H."

I did an assignment of the Hero's Journey usin...

2009-10-16T17:49:34.082-07:00

I did an assignment of the Hero's Journey using The Lord of the Rings. I really could not decide who was the main character, so instead I chose to do the assignment twice. Once using Frodo and the other using Aragorn. I'm curious. Would you have done the same?

HA! I can't believe I MISSED THAT.

2009-10-16T16:37:52.245-07:00

HA! I can't believe I MISSED THAT.

We have a winner! Ding ding ding ding! I thought ...

2009-10-16T14:46:39.393-07:00

We have a winner! Ding ding ding ding!

I thought that was pretty obvious from the fact in the previous section, I talk about writing a heroine for NaNoWriMo. I have no idea why I seem more interested in writing books about Heroines. I'm not an effeminate kind of guy, I don't think. I do guy stuff like sports, drinking with buddies, etc. I'm not into girlie stuff, and I hope I write heroines that guys would find interesting.
And "go with what you know" is patent tripe. By writing, I think an author should extend what they know, learn new things about themselves and the world. Gender knowledge didn't stop JK Rowling from writing her main character as a Hero.

As far as therapy, well, therapy is all about finding oneself and transforming into a better adjusted person. While a hero must transform, it's not a selfish transformation. He may not be a better person afterwards. He may be broken in some way. But the world is a better place for his efforts. Transformation, risk taking, and being the main character are not sufficient to define a hero, but they are (more or less...thanks Chad!) necessary.

Jordan--send me an email and we can discuss your prize. Congrats!

Um, is it "Men should write about Heroes, wom...

2009-10-16T13:32:07.086-07:00

Um, is it "Men should write about Heroes, women should write about Heroines. Go with what you know."? (This is Jordan McCollum, BTW).

Um, also: therapy, eh? ;)

I haven't read the book so I can't comment...

2009-10-16T13:25:59.675-07:00

I haven't read the book so I can't comment. But I don't think that these so-called rules can't have successful exceptions. By having exceptions, they don't become invalidated. If I went into the different permutations of heroes, anti-heroes, and villains, this post could fill a book. In general, the hero is the main character, not some random other character who rushes in to save the day. The point of the post isn't who main character is, it's who the hero is.

So no one has spotted the blatantly obvious piece of bad advice?? It's in there....

Who said anything about the movie? Read the book....

2009-10-16T12:14:32.776-07:00

Who said anything about the movie? Read the book.

Anyone who references Harold and Kumar instantly r...

2009-10-16T11:37:48.351-07:00

Anyone who references Harold and Kumar instantly rises a notch in my estimation :)

"A True Hero must, by risking death and everything he holds dear, defeat the villain or oppositional force that is threatening someone else"

YES, such a key factor. A reader may cheer for a main character who overcomes their own personal demon - but it's when the character does it to save/help someone else (be it one person, community, or world) that they reach the status of hero.

Interesting. The character only appears in 16 minu...

2009-10-16T10:29:35.486-07:00

Interesting. The character only appears in 16 minutes of a 118 minute movie, yet you grant him Main Character status? If anything, he has the Mentor role, the Obi Wan Kenobi for Clarisse. The story isn't about him, it's about rescuing a girl from another madman. The story is told through Clarisse's viewpoint which also gives her Main Character status.

Off the top, I would disagree that the hero has to...

2009-10-16T10:15:29.722-07:00

Off the top, I would disagree that the hero has to be the main character. In Silence of the Lambs, Clarisse Starling is the hero, but there is no doubting that the story is all about the main character of Hannibal Lecter, who is anything but a hero.

In writing, all rules are made to be broken if the writer is talented enough to exploit them.

Great post!