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Jaii Fason
4/12/2015
U.S. History
Prompt 2
“Ordinary Courage”
Being a hero should not have boundaries or limitations. The class or title of a person does
not determine whether they can be a hero or not. What qualify a person to be a hero are their
noble qualities, outstanding achievements, courage, and admirability. Joseph Plumb Martin
should be considered a hero because he showed signs of sacrifice, selflessness, and bravery.
Often times “ordinary people” are people that must do the most courageous acts. These
courageous acts are not done for fame or credit, but are done because they genuinely care.
Ordinary Courage even suggests in the title that the normal man can also be a courageous hero.
Joseph Martin joined the army at fifteen years old, and he survived through what many could
not. In this essay, the author will explain why Joseph Plumb Martin should be considered, as well
as many like him, to be a hero because of his selfless, courageous, and admirable acts. The
researcher is not suggesting that extraordinary people like George Washington can’t be heroes,
but is only suggesting that both extraordinary and ordinary people, such as Joseph Martin can
both be considered heroes.
Joseph Martin shows acts of selflessness early in his lifetime. The author observes this in
chapter two when Joseph is quoted saying, “I felt more anxious than ever, if possible, to be
called a defender of my country”[CITATION Jam13 \p 11 \l 1033 ]. Arguably the most important
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trait of a hero can be their selflessness. Serving the country did not directly benefit Joseph,
however at age fifteen he committed to putting his life on the line to help his country. The
Revolutionary War took the lives of many people, and it takes a hero, whether ordinary or
extraordinary, to sacrifice their own life for a country. Ordinary people can be involved in
extraordinary acts to show a great deal of selflessness. Joseph Martin and other heroes of the
Revolutionary War had to serve with a lack of decent pay, living without decent clothing and
shelter, long periods away from home, constant threats of death, and fought with little seen
support from their country. Joseph Martin showed feelings of being underappreciated and still
served his country with humility. Instead of giving up in these times, such as 1977 where he said
“In the cold winter of November without provisions, without clothing, not a scrap of shoes or
