What's in a hero? Throughout this semester, we have studied a variety of heroes from classic Western Literature.  Consider the likes of Laura (from "The Garden Party"), Romeo, Juliet, Odysseus, Penelope and George (from Of Mice and Men).  Consider the poem we've read by Robert Service.  You will be writing a research paper using one of these following questions: What makes a hero?  Consider a modern "hero" and compare him or her to the classic definition of a hero.  Does Western literature adequately represent women?  Are any of these women "heroic"?  Compare Greek mythology to Hindi mythology, for example.  Find someone who you think has been inflated to the status of a hero, and write an explanation for why this person should not be considered heroic.  Find an "unsung" hero and gather evidence as to why this person should be elevated to a higher esteem in the eyes of the public.   Research several other cultures and compare heroic qualities of each.  Make an argument for a culture we should study in school that has better role models. Find a culture that celebrates women as heroes as much as (or more than) the male figures.