Is Dorothy Gale a Hero?
Put simply, a hero is someone who puts someone else's needs before their own. They are selfless, determined, brave, and innovative. They are also very human.
Dorothy Gale is a hero in my perspective because she exhibits all of these heroic aspects and more. First of all, Dorothy is selfless and we can see that when she decides to attack the Witch of the West in order to prevent the death of Lion. Once the Wicked Witch of the West has captured Lion and Dorothy, she threatens to kill Lion if Dorothy doesn't hand over her slippers. In order to save Lion, Dorothy throws a bucket of water at the Witch expecting to pay the consequences. She put herself at risk in order to save Lion. |
Dorothy is also very determined. She shows us this side of her personality when she continues to find a way home even after she realizes that Oz has no magical powers at all. Throughout the whole entire story, Dorothy becomes more and more determined to return to Kansas and Aunt Em.
It is odd to characterize Dorothy as brave, but she is. Even though she is just a young girl, she has all the courage that one would need in order to become a hero. We discover this when the readers first meet Lion. Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Toto were attacked by Lion and instead of running away, Dorothy smacks Lion upside the head. She did not cower at the sight of a huge, ferocious lion. Instead, she reacted to save her friends. |
Most importantly, I think Dorothy is extremely innovative. In the most troubling situations she seems to have found a way to get out of them. For example, when she is journeying back to the Emerald City, she loses her way. She didn't have much of anything with her and neither did her friends. On the spot, she creates a plan in order to find Emerald City.
Lastly, what makes Dorothy Gale one of the most interesting heroes is that she is just an ordinary human. She isn't a demigod, or a superhero, or a wizard. She is just an orphan girl who lives on a farm. She is relatable and easy to look up to because of this. She makes the readers think that anyone can be a hero. |