A Hero and Some Other Folks

"A Hero and Some Other Folks" by William A. (William Alfred) Quayle is a set of writings that looks at the idea of what makes a hero, by contrasting characters from the past and books, like Jean Valjean. The book thinks about how these characters' choices show what they think is right and wrong, and what society values. Quayle shows how the idea of a hero has changed over time, from old stories to more recent ones, asking what qualities truly make someone a hero. By looking at Valjean's change from a criminal to someone who helps others, Quayle highlights how heroes in modern stories can find redemption. This study looks not only at heroism but also at morality, society, and how people can be saved, setting the scene for more thoughts in the book's essays.