“A man cannot become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall.” Often in written literature heroic characters are portrayed as having extreme characteristics. These behaviors are often brought up by an event causing a severe emotional response. In the real world heroic individuals often have a dramatic downfall, this also holds true for literature characters; where heroic protagonist’s excessive fortitude, bravery and the adversity caused by their actions ultimately leads to his/her own downfall. Furthermore the hero’s downfall is a flaw in his/her free will, but his misfortune is not wholly deserved. Usually this kind of death is seen as a waste of human potential. His death usually is not a pure loss, because it results in greater knowledge and awareness. This is most true for the Heroic Iron Giant in the novel The Iron Giant by Ted Hughes and Brad Bird where they convince the viewers that heroes are not forgot. Although the main plot of the story covered the heroic act of the giant saving the village; it is also important to be noted that how heroic action don’t always ends with a honorable reward but often attracts a fatal attraction which could cause the hero he/she suffering or put them in situations were he has make crucial decisions like sacrificing his own life for the sake of the world. Furthermore the novel also explore the heroic act of the antagonist Mansley who tried to kill the giant in spite of his arrest or possible death in order to save the world.
The generic heroic character that we are introduced to has distinct characteristics, which often include nobility, bravery, and fortitude. Although nobility can be highly debated both the antagonist and protagonist are both brave and seem to be very
courageous during stressful situations. The presence of both these characteristics are seen through out the novel where the antagonist: Mansley orders the attack on the Iron Giant, which in turn results in the giant saving the village....