Book 3 Project

Literary Hero
 

In Nicholas Sparks book Safe Haven, the protagonist of the story is not the Hero. This is because the story is about a girl in her late twenties who moves to the small town of Southport, North Carolinian in attempts to leave her past, behind her running away from an abusive husband, starting from scratch. Kate tries her best to keep to herself and cruse by unnoticed. She is the protagonist but because her main goal is to just go by unnoticed, not fight her previous life, but instead just escape it, she is not the hero of the story the hero needs to stand up for something. Because of this the hero in Safe Haven is actually a supporting character - Alex.

 To be more specific Alex is a modern-slightly-epic Hero.  Alex is a modern hero because he is fighting the mental battle, of his past. His wife died several years ago, he’s left to juggle raising kids, and owning a store at the same time. He goes through the struggle of keeping his kids happy and preoccupied always worrying about them. On top of all of this he worries about Katie. He notices that “ as she was debating what to buy . . . the fingers of her right hand twisting around her left ring finger, toying with a ring that wasn’t  there. The gesture triggered something both familiar and long forgotten.” (Sparks 48). This on moment shows his heroism, because besides all of his struggles and all of the people that come through the store, the one girl that wants to go unnoticed he notices her, he recognizes that she has had a troubling relationship in the past and amongst all of this he wants to care for her an notice her.  He is a modern hero because he selflessly cares for others, being there for them never letting his past or own problems get in the way.

Alex however is an Epic hero because he cares for Katie and his kids. He is unselfish and brave saving Katie from her past, allowing her- instead of running from it- to become aware and accepting of it. Becoming a comforter for her promising to always be there for her telling her “I’m not perfect either, so maybe it’s best if we take all of this one day at a time. And when you’re ready, if you’re ever ready, I’ll be waiting.” (130). This action may not be considered heroic when compared to actually hero’s like Odysseus.  But to Kate being there for her at all times, waiting for her even when she may never come is exactly, what Kate needs. This one gesture is saving Kate from her past allowing her truly start anew. Because of all of this Alex is a Hero.