My Boy Jack: Journey's End

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Recommended: Characteristics of a tragic hero

To answer this question we must address what we are actually being asked. To do this we must evaluate what a hero really is, a true hero is a person, typically a man, who is admired for their courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. The question of nobility in a hero is greatly debated, in order to be a hero is it a crime to know you are and feel a sense of pride and maybe over confidence in your ability? ‘Let no man call me good. I am not blest. My single virtue is the end of crimes’ meaning, heroes are those who recognise they have done something to receive respect and authority but do not brag or call themselves good, furthermore in this essay I will be evaluating on whether both authors portray their characters, mainly Stanhope, as modest and just. I will be evaluating whether they are truly worthy of being named heroes. The question of a ‘flawed hero’ is a very interesting concept, we have to wonder whether the flaws make them a hero because they can be relatable to us, someone for us to look up to, someone to be like, or whether them being flawed takes away some shine from their heroism. Stanhope is looked up to and respected by all his men, whether his drinking problem is a flaw or not, whereas Jack is still on light footing, the respect his men have for him is limited.

Ostensibly Stanhope’s alcoholism is considered a flaw, an imperfection, by regiment ‘Never seen a boy put away the whisky like he does’ the alcoholism reduces him from a man of great power to a boy in the eyes of Hardy, we interpret this as Stanhope slightly losing respect for him as a boy is considered someone you have to look after, to care for, they are not leaders of a regiment, this could be interpreted as his flaw being more prominen...

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...is fear, not only does Stanhope show sensitivity he also opens allows us to experience his fear of being deserted himself ‘I’ll have you shot- for desertion’ Stanhope takes desertion very personally, the fact that he would be willing to to shoot someone for desertion could be interpreted that he is not scared of losing people, as long as it is on his terms, not theirs, so he does not have to feel rejection. Stanhope however showed that he does not care about what his men think of him as much as he cares about them ‘I feel the same’ . To us, a modern day audience we consider this to be an act of bravery, to admit your fear, whereas for him to admit his fear then portrayed him as cowardly, therefore he was putting his reputation on the line in order to make Hibbet understand that he is not just brave. This contrasts with Jack, who still has to win his mens approval

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