When you think of a typical hero, what comes to mind? What qualities does Phoenix share with the typical hero? What qualities does she have that make...

When I think of the way
society might describe a typical hero, I imagine someone who is physically strong and
courageous, someone who protects the helpless or innocent, someone who is young, andto be
honestsomeone who is a man. When I consider most superheroes, I think of men: Superman,
Spiderman, Batman, Captain America, Ironman, Wolverine, Hulk, Green Lantern, Thor, the Silver
Surfer, Aquaman, and so on. Only a handful of female superheroes come to mind.

Phoenix Jackson defies these expectations in many ways. Most obviously, she is a woman,
and not just thatshe is an old woman. She is physically quite weak. When
she is accosted by a big dog, "Over she went in the ditch, like a little puff of
milkweed." Such a description clearly shows how how small, slight, and relatively weak she
is, especially when she can't get up.

On the other hand, she is full of
courage because she is so determined to do all she can for her helpless and innocent grandson.
He swallowed lye a couple of years...