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Who is the greatest hero in fiction?

April 19, 2017 by Nathan Bransford 13 Comments

Harry Potter. Alice. James Bond. Frodo Baggins.

There are so many great heroes in literature, fictional characters who inspire us, beguile us, and make us wonder how we’d fare in a fictional realm where everything hinges on our character and courage.

Who’s the greatest of them all?

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Art: Cover of Fantastic Adventures, January 1951

Filed Under: Books Tagged With: You Tell Me

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sasha A. Palmer says

    April 19, 2017 at 4:18 pm

    The first book that came to mind was "To Kill a Mockingbird." Atticus Finch, of course; but Boo Radley's pretty great as well.

    Reply
  2. abc says

    April 19, 2017 at 6:13 pm

    My favorite (probably not the greatest but who came to mind quickly) is Lyra from the His Dark Materials trilogy.

    Reply
  3. Janiss Garza says

    April 19, 2017 at 6:41 pm

    I'm a fan of 20th century literature and there are loads of great ones there. My own personal favorite is Larry Darrell from The Razor's Edge. Also Randle McMurphy from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (although I also am partial towards Chief Broom).

    Reply
  4. MK says

    April 19, 2017 at 7:10 pm

    Just literature or all of fiction?

    Just literature: Harry Potter.

    All of fiction: Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

    Reply
  5. JOHN T. SHEA says

    April 20, 2017 at 5:15 am

    Felix The Cat!

    Reply
  6. Laura says

    April 20, 2017 at 10:38 am

    I could probably be here all day writing a list and explaining at length why I think each qualifies, but for brevity's sake the first name that came to mind is Sydney Carton.

    Reply
  7. Marilynn Byerly says

    April 20, 2017 at 8:18 pm

    It's rarely ever the lead character. Samwise is probably my pick for the bravest because he not only carries Frodo, he also carries The Ring without whining and would have cheerfully tossed it into the fire. He also had more to lose than Frodo because he left Rosie behind, and he went anyway out of loyalty to Frodo. Go, Sam!

    Reply
  8. Bob Douglas says

    April 20, 2017 at 9:19 pm

    Jim Hawkins from Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island.

    Reply
  9. JOHN T. SHEA says

    April 20, 2017 at 11:27 pm

    I like Jim Hawkins too, to the point of naming my WIP's protagonist Jimmy in his honor. But I must point out two things he and all the other nominees for greatest fictional hero lack. None of them are cats, and none of them have magical bags of tricks. Felix alone passes both tests. I rest my case!

    Reply
  10. Anonymous says

    April 21, 2017 at 1:34 am

    I love all things Sherlock Holmes….but really, it's got to be John Watson for putting up with him!

    Reply
  11. J. S. Pan says

    April 21, 2017 at 4:55 am

    Superman.

    Reply
  12. Anonymous says

    April 21, 2017 at 4:01 pm

    All of fiction? Then Jimmy Chitwood. "I'll make it," still gives me goosebumps all these years later.

    Reply
  13. Madara says

    April 21, 2017 at 4:15 pm

    I think you have to go back to the original hero, Odysseus, from Homer's Odyssey.

    Reply

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