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Frederick Douglass: What Makes A Hero?

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A man named Christopher Reeve once said, “I think a hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles”. As Reeve said, any ordinary person can become a hero when they withstand both the mental and physical challenges of life. Unlike what most believe, heroes aren’t always the people you read about in comics who wear capes and have unrealistic superpowers, but are those who go beyond the ordinary and become the extraordinary. Heroism can be found in your average person who is willing to do what’s right when others won’t and are those who stay devoted to the task at hand, however they don’t give up when things get tough. Going beyond the call of duty and what’s expected, to do what’s …show more content…

Frederick Douglass was a black man who not only risked his life to escape slavery, but spoke out during anti-slavery meetings. Douglass, instead of letting his fears of getting caught cause him to give up, stayed strong and ran from the chains of slavery. When safely in New York, a free state, he was asked to speak and take part in the “Liberator” meetings, an anti-slavery group. After he was urged to speak, he agreed reluctantly because he still felt like “a slave and the idea of speaking to white people weighed” him down (Douglass Narrative). As written above, Frederick Douglass did not let his fear of speaking or fear of getting caught let him give up, but instead kept moving forward and faced the challenges head-on. Another man who never gave up on something important was Ang Lee. He was a man who was going through a very tough time, yet still didn’t give up on his dreams of screenwriting. Before Lee was an award-winning film director, screenwriter, and producer, he had just sent in some scripts and was in a very rough spot when he said, “That was the lowest point in my life. We’d just had our second son, and when I went to collect them from the hospital, I went to the bank to try and get some money to buy some diapers. The screen showed I had $26 left”. Lee kept fighting to get money for his family and also never gave up on his dreams. Both of these men never gave up when challenges were thrown into their path of success and in the end, did great things including becomes true

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As humans, we tend to idolize people from all over the world for their remarkable qualities, bravery, actions, skills, leadership or ways of life. These people are often referred to as heroes, whether it is a leader, Superman, or a local community hero, they all share something in common, and it’s not a cape. What makes each of these people heroes? Their extraordinary character traits set them apart from their less noteworthy peers. While there is a myriad of traits that heroes possess, the most significant ones are their bravery, their willingness to ask for help, and their strength to always do what is honorable.

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50 years later, a man who narrowly escaped his slavery would face the same challenge of establishing his free life in New York. He had endured cruel masters during his slave life, and traveled far to begin his free life without a job nor an education, his name was Frederick Douglass. Both of these men had weathered different slave conditions, Frederick experiencing

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Frederick Douglass “was an extraordinary man. He was cut out for a hero.” - N. P. Rogers. Frederick experienced a tough life but kept fighting for his rights and standing up for himself. “Facing Frederick The Life Of Frederick Douglass.” was a biography of Frederick Douglass by Tonya Bolden.

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Abolitionism was a well-known movement around the time of the Civil War and its aim was to put an end to slavery. The people of the early nineteenth century viewed the elimination of slavery in numerous ways. Some fought against the end of slavery, some appeared to mildly support the cause and yet others wholeheartedly supported the ending of slavery until their dying day. Charles Finney was a religious leader who promoted social reforms such as the abolition of slavery. He also fought for equality in education for women as well as for African Americans.

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American actor Christopher Reeve once quoted, "A hero is an ordinary individual who finds strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles" (Brainy Quote). Not only did he play a hero as Superman, he truly became one in his personal life. After becoming a quadriplegic Reeve became a spokesperson for people with spinal cord injuries. A hero is a person one admires because of the qualities and selfless actions they exemplify to overcome adversity and inspire others. Heroism is apparent in literature, history, and in our own life.

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What is courage? Many ask this question, but get various answers. Webster Dictionary states that courage is the mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty. Douglass is one of many people that are a living definition for this word. Douglas showed courage in many ways like by asking Mrs. Auld to teach him how to read, stealing Master Thomas’s notebook to help him learn how to write, and writing in his journal about the hardships of his life.

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Douglass is known for his ability to speak and his inspire a crowed, but he wasn’t always confident talking in front of an audience. In 1841 at the church of Rev. “Thomas James, who asked Douglass to speak about his experiences as a slave. At first, Douglass was nervous and shy, but as he went on, he became more sure of himself and his speaking skills (Frederick Douglass--Abolitionist Leader).” In thousands of speeches and editorials, a powerful indictment against slavery and racism, provided a voice of hope for his people. For sixteen years he edited an achieved international fame as an inspiring and persuasive speaker and writer.

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Many slaves fear even the idea of escaping because of the possible consequences that come along with it. Therefore, the escape of Frederick Douglass is relatively substantial. Douglass says he feels “like the one who escaped a den of hungry lions.” He feels fortunate to have accomplished something that not many have been able to. Unfortunately, his happiness is short lived.

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Frederick Douglass was born into slavery as the son of a white slave master father and a black slave mother in Maryland in 1818. He escaped from slavery in 1838 because of his literacy. It was only due to his ability to read, write, and think critically that Frederick Douglass was able to find his way form enslavement to freedom. Life before learning how to read and write for Douglass was bad because he wasn’t given enough to eat. “I was seldom whipped by my old master, and suffered little from anything else than hunger and cold” (Douglass 8).

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Fredrick Douglass, a now-known household name, who is known for his many trials and triumphs, writes the story of his life. In his narrative, The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, he retells the stories of his poor childhood, the transition into being a slave, and how his determination led him to become a free man. Douglass fits years and so much pain into an eleven-chapter book and does it so profoundly that the reader has no choice but to consider what Douglas encountered and the pain he endured. Throughout the book, Douglass emphasizes how knowledge was what he used to set him free, how slavery and slaveholders used slaves’ unawareness to perpetuate them, and the effect of slavery as a system. Being aware of the fact

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A new nation was born, filled with aspirations and dreams to become a force of liberty in the world, as she knew she was destined to be; yet, she had a major blight within her conscience and the very fabric of her society. This nation was the United States of America—a nation founded upon the inhumane act of slavery. However, there was a man, a great man who rose above every obstacle and became the voice of freedom, liberty and emancipation. This man was Frederick Douglass. And as Gabriel Burns Stepto states, “Frederick Douglass was very likely the greatest African American intellectual leader of the nineteenth century and is one of the pivotal personalities of American history” (Slepto 149).

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The legendary abolitionist and orator Frederick Douglass was one of the most important social reformers of the nineteenth century. Being born into slavery on a Maryland Eastern Shore plantation to his mother, Harriet Bailey, and a white man, most likely Douglass’s first master was the starting point of his rise against the enslavement of African-Americans. Nearly 200 years after Douglass’s birth and 122 years after his death, The social activist’s name and accomplishments continue to inspire the progression of African-American youth in modern society. Through his ability to overcome obstacles, his strive for a better life through education, and his success despite humble beginnings, Frederick Douglass’s aspirations stretched his influence through

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984 Words | 4 Pages

A hero, “A mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability.” This is what Merriam Webster’s Dictionary says about heroes. But it is not true. A hero can be anyone, bulky and scrawny, short or tall, swift or sluggish.

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Louis was surrounded by sharks and had no food. He often had to punch the sharks so he would stay alive. To gain confidence and allow himself to keep going, he would often think to himself that “I’ve worked so hard to be where I am now, I can not give up…” (Hillenbrand 191). Louis was determined to never give up and to keep fighting.

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Lee’s favorite quote he wrote said, ‘if you love life, don’t waste time, for time is what life is made up of.’ While Lee was still alive, he also often liked to express the thought to live life to its fullest, because you only get one. That went a long way in his life, showing what courageous things he has done throughout his

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