What Makes Rocky a Hero?
Rocky Balboa is a dim, but good-hearted average guy. For a living,
Rocky retrieves money for a loan shark and has barely enough to scrape by, but from this
he becomes a hero. Rocky looks out for others, cares for his loved ones, accepts defeat
and fights against all odds to become something much greater than what he was.
Rocky is a hero because he fights for the average, hard working lower
class that makes up his neighborhood. Rocky is always looking out for others as is shown
in the scene where Rocky sees a young girl named Marie smoking and hanging around
with scum in front of a liquor store late at night. Rocky looks after her and takes Marie
home and in return he gets, “screw you creepo!”
Rocky also exemplifies a hero with his love and affection for Adrian and his
friend Paulie whom he helps out by wearing his meat packaging plant ad on the back of
his robe in the fight against Apollo Creed. A scene which reflects Rocky’s
unselfishness and character is when after the fight he cries out for Adrian as she is the
only thing that matters to him.
Another true sign of a hero is the capacity to accept defeat and show
unselfishness. The night before the fight Rocky tells Adrian that he doesn’t expect to beat
Creed, but all he wants is to last all 15 rounds, which shows his unwavering courage and
heart.
Rocky endures hardship from the beginning, but triumphs in the end with the
love of his life and the dignity to come out even against the defending world champ.