Is Yamina A Hero

Are there any heroes in the novel? Generally, we think of heroes as people who are selfless, brave, moral, and have achieved something great. While there are numerous incidences in which some of the characters in the novel, namely Boualem, Imam Rabah, and Yamina, act heroically, I do not think that any of the characters in the novel can be identified as a hero as they each lack some of the characteristics of a hero. To support my argument, I will examine the actions of the various characters and show how they come short of being a hero. To begin with, I singled out Boualem, Imam Rabah, and Yamina, as they each have admirable qualities and stand up to Said and his gang in different ways. While there are other minor characters who indirectly

She should be commended for standing up to her brother Said and defending herself when he became abusive. She is also very brave for defying him by secretly meeting up with Boualem. While these are all praiseworthy actions, they are done in self-interest. In other words, to be considered a hero, a person usually has to do something for others. Furthermore, in both the film and novel, but even more so in the film, Yamina is seen as a relatively weak character. The film begins and ends with her writing in her journal, describing the dire situation to her estranged sweetheart, Boualem. Her voice is filled with fear and sorrow. In the novel, we are first introduced to Yamina when she is by her window, peeking out to see what Boualem was doing to the loudspeaker. In both these portrayals, Yamina is not someone I can easily identify as heroic. As these character analyses demonstrate, it is difficult to identify any person as a hero because they each lack one of the requirements which I feel is essential to being considered one. At the same time however, I can also understand that under the circumstances that these characters are facing, it is not easy to be