Heroic values

In a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, John Miller discusses the life and works of noted fantasy author David Gemmell. In laudatory praise, he describes the symbolism of his prose and the relevance of the enduring themes in fantasy literature to today’s world. It is obvious that Miller truly respects Gemmel and the genre. However his praise runs a bit thin when he begins to cite anecdotes illustrating how fantasy literature has inspired readers to acts of heroism.

Both of his examples represent classical physical confrontation: protecting an innocent victim from a mugging, and defending a woman from an attacker in a subway station. Both are praise-worthy, to be sure; but I feel that Miller does the genre a disservice by focusing on purely martial acts of courage. In today’s world, coming to the assistance of a mugging victim is not the kind of situation most people will find themselves in. Much more relevant is the quiet courage that we are faced with at certain key points throughout our lives. Quitting a well-paying corporate job to teach poor children in the inner city; confronting a loved one who’s been drinking all too much lately; standing up at a town council meeting and addressing the audience about a project vital to the community’s well-being. These are acts of courage at least as valid as fighting off muggers, and the kinds of opportunities that most people let slip by because of fear. Often, the only way to change things is by putting it all on the line. These are the same values displayed in heroic literature, translated into modern terms. If we can teach children this kind of courage, the world would be a better place indeed.