Heroes in 2020 - Kanna Pasunuri

     In class we spent time learning about heroes. Heroes throughout time have had different qualities. In Beowulf, written in the 6th century, we admired someone who was courages, brave, and strong. Who goes and slays monsters, risks his life, and protects people. During the Revolutionary War, George Washington was considered a hero. He risked his life fighting for a cause he believed in. He was courages, intelligent, and brave. In the 20th century Martin Luther King jr. was considered a hero. He stood up for equal rights of African Americans and perceived through struggles. He was brave, courages, intelligent, and perceiving despite all the set backs and backlash he received. Right after 9/11 we considered firefighters our heroes. They risked there lives to save people trapped in the debris from the towers. Many of them left where left with lung damage and other health problems that may have effected them later in life. The firefighters where considered brave, strong and courageous. 

Now in 2020 who do we consider a hero? 

    In 2020, we consider Doctors, Nurses, Store workers, Policeman, Scientists and Janitors our heroes. They risk there lives ever day trying to keep people safe. However these heroes are not fighting monsters or pulling people out of debris from collapsed buildings. But they are perhaps fighting against the most dangerous enemy of them all. They fight against an invisible enemy who hides in our body, phones, cars,  and other objects. This invisible enemy causes a lot of disruption to our environment and bodies. These frontline workers are fighting everyday against the invisible monster. But why do we consider these frontline workers heroes if they aren't physically as strong as Beowulf or as Courageous as firefighters?

    Even though they aren't physically as capable as Beowulf or as Courageous as firefighters they use there intelligence to fight against this new threat. They are still just as brave as Beowulf and just as Courageous as firefighters. A hero is someone who puts others in front of themselves. They may have other qualities on top of that but there first and most important quality is that they put others in front of themselves. Beowulf risked his life so that he could protect the people from the monster Grendel. George Washington risked his life so that he could free America from a Monarch. Martin Luther King jr. risked his life so that African Americans can have equal rights. Firefighters risked there lives during 9/11 so that they could save people. Throughout history a hero was always someone who risked there life for others. In 2020 we look to frontline workers as they are our heroes in these times. They are the ones protecting us against this invisible enemy who hides in plain site.