The archetype of a hero exists in a person's subconscious from all the stories, myths and fictional characters that we hear growing up. A good example of this is in Homer's The Odyssey. The main character, Odysseus, defines his heroism most accurately when he describes himself as "formidable for guile in peace and war."

Of course, there are many characteristics based on a person's own opinion that could define a hero. One might say that a hero is one who loved their country enough to die for it, or people he/she never knew. Others define a hero as someone they can look up to as a mentor or a role model, or a person who base all their decisions on moral or religious beliefs. And then there are people who think that Superman is real, and a hero has to have merchandise and action figures in order...