PBS’ “The Great American Read” is an eight-part series that explores America’s 100 best-loved novels. This episode highlights books that feature heroic characters and explores why we love them. Books such as 1984, Charlotte’s Web, Don Quixote, The Hunger Games, and The Invisible Man are examined. Literary experts, authors and everyday book lovers discuss why our favorite heroes are complex and relatable, from the everyday hero to the tragic and unlikely or anti-hero:

-“A hero is who we all wish we were if we didn’t have our own personal limitations.”

-“I think when we hear heroes or see them or read about them, we think about qualities we wish we had. Courage, strength, fortitude, bravery.”

-“Reading about everyday heroes gives us hope and lets you know that you’re not alone in the good fight.”

-“I think we aspire to everyday heroes because we wish to be them… In moments of great tragedy we see people drawn to firefighters or emergency workers or the people who went beyond their job. They rushed in where angels fear to tread.”

-“The hero lifts us. It redeems what we try to do. The hero provides us an archetype that gives us a direction. ‘Let’s go this way. And we’ll be okay.’”

-“We’d like to believe there’s like a hero gene in all of us.”

Possible Preaching Angles: Scripture highlights the stories of ordinary men and women who became heroes as they trusted in God. In reading their stories we are encouraged to identify with them and to be bold for God.

PBS, “The Great American Read: Heroes” (9-28-18)