Five Inspiring Fictional Characters...

It is not uncommon to have role models, people who inspire you and make you want to be like them. This could be anyone, a family member, friend,  teacher, political leader or even a random stranger who did something that just strikes the right chord within you. These role models influence and change lives, they instil a sense of empowerment in people and make them believe that even they can do something meaningful and inspiring in their own lives, heroic things that they didn't think they could do. These role models can come from any walk of life and can inspire the masses through their qualities or actions. For examples of such people, look no further than the great Nelson Mandela, the man who inspired a nation, a man who inspired the people to ignore their racial differences and exist together.

Even though there are many real people, at times unsung, who have been sources of great inspiration to many people, in this article, I would like to focus on some fictional characters who have inspired me just as much as a real person would have. These characters can teach us important life lessons if we can decipher the message that they want to convey.

So without further ado, let's start off with...

5. Superman 

Memorable quote: "There's always a way."

Superman, the Man of Steel, the God among men, the Unstoppable Force. Here is a guy who is so powerful that nothing other than Kryptonite can stop him. He is an army unto himself, and a rather potent army at that. He can choose to rule over mankind and no one will be able to stop him. Slow him down, maybe, stop him completely? Not a chance. However, he is an inherently good person and resists the temptation of using his power for evil (we can thank Jonathan and Martha Kent for that). He dedicates his entire life to saving total strangers and shies away from the limelight by using a not-so-convincing alter-ego, Clark Kent.  

But the truly remarkable fact about Superman is that he never, ever uses his powers to their full limit for the fear of inadvertently hurting someone. Even while fighting criminals or super-villains, he takes care not to turn them into a gooey ball of flesh and powdered bones, (apart from one instance where he lets loose his powers to fight Darkseid, but hey, Darkseid is just as powerful!) he always finds a way to incapacitate them without killing them when killing would have been a hundred times easier. Just imagine having all of Superman's powers, imagine how difficult it would be to remain humble about it and not go strutting around, showing off, or how difficult it would be to resist the temptation to settle old scores or just use these powers for personal gain. 

Laser vision, super strength, ice breath and flight are Superman's abilities, but the conviction and mental strength it takes to do something good with these abilities and not abuse them is his real power. The fact that he uses all his abilities for good and not for evil is what truly makes him 'super'. That is the message that we should take from him.

4. Sherlock Holmes

Memorable quote: "It has long been an axiom of mine that it is the little things that are infinitely more important."

Sherlock Holmes has probably the greatest intellect in the world of fiction, and that's quite something! He has been telling us for over a century what MBA "Gurus" tell us today, think laterally! His love for logical reasoning, deduction (though far-fetched at times), data and actually implementing his ideas is what made him such a great detective. All these aspects are crucial in making Sherlock Holmes what he was. His brother Mycroft was equally or even a bit more intelligent, but his laziness and lack of drive was why Sherlock was better at what he did. His axioms, that little things are often the most important and when everything else is disproved, the only remaining solution, however improbable, has to be correct, are timeless and hold true even today.

There is great inspiration to be drawn from this character, not necessarily to solve crimes, but also in everyday life. Observing instead of just seeing things, making simple, logical decisions and deductions can go a long way in bettering your life. 

3. Jack Reacher

Memorable quote: "Hit first, hit hard."

Jack Reacher, a hulking 6 foot 5 man, graduating from the Military academy and a member of the 110th Special Investigations Unit, is a one man army. A born fighter and man of simple tastes and rules in life. A man who has trained himself to be aggressive when he is threatened rather than afraid. If you think about his, this is quite a good skill to have. Being afraid solves nothing, fear is a paralytic, anger and aggression are motivators. When faced with a problem, even one which appears to be insurmountable, never back down. Feeling fear is all right, but letting it take over you is absolutely unacceptable for Jack Reacher. His manner of thinking, of meting out justice and not waiting for red tape and bureaucracy is something that every person would like to see: the bad guy gets punished for his crimes, the end justifies the means. 

Though I would not advocate following his rules and ideologies to the letter, in principal, they are brilliant. Sometimes, you have to take life by the scruff of its neck and make things happen instead of waiting for something to happen! And when faced with problems, take them head on!!

2. Uzumaki Naruto

Memorable quote: "Give up on me giving up."

Now it's time for the heavyweights. Number 2 and 1 are so close that it's almost a tie between them, so it was a coin toss.

Naruto is the embodiment of determination and hard work. That is not to say that he doesn't have talent. He is extraordinarily talented, he just cannot harness that talent in the beginning. He loses his parents when he is an infant and has no one to call his own. Fighting against the odds, he wins over the respect and love of the people in his village one by one and makes them acknowledge him. This journey from obscurity to being one of the most important people in his village is anything but smooth. He faces many challenges, some of them are common-place, like girl troubles, while some are   extremely difficult. But throughout this epic journey (which has not finished yet), his commitment to his goal (becoming the Hokage, the village's most respected Ninja) remains unwavering. He is loyal to his friends and a fearsome warrior for his enemies. He can master techniques through sheer brute force and hard work.

He is an example of how never giving up and trying hard are virtues. 

1. Rocky Balboa

Memorable quote: "It ain't over till its over."

This is as good as it gets, Robert "Rocky" Balboa Sr. The Italian Stallion, the Philadelphia Southpaw! A character who has gone through the ups-and-downs, who has seen it and done it all in the boxing ring, who has a bull-dog like fighting spirit, need I go on! It would have really been spectacular if it had been based on a true story, but hey, no one's complaining. A boxing ring is one of the best metaphors for life, and Rocky's story in the ring is how one should live life. Taking the hits, never going down, keeping getting back up no matter how bad the punishment, hitting back as long as there is breath in your body; all these are the things that people have to do in life too. It sends chills down my spine every time I watch 'Rocky Balboa' the latest film, which according to me, is the best of the lot. But I am glad that Sylvester Stallone ended up portraying the character and I am even more glad that he gave Rocky such a fitting ending. 



This article is my way of paying tribute to the men who created these characters who have influenced my life so much.