The regular, secret hero
March 29, 2011 9:24 PM Subscribe
Looking for stories/media featuring mundane heroes who enjoy doing secret good deeds, particularly on a local or personal scale. NOT super-heroes (no "secret identities").
I'm thinking of regular people like the titular role of Amélie, though not necessarily in personality, of course.
Bonus points:
* International
* Books/short stories, but TV/film good too
* Folk stories (legends, myths)
* Must be main or close secondary character
I'm casting the net pretty wide because I'm guessing this type of character isn't common...
I'm thinking of regular people like the titular role of Amélie, though not necessarily in personality, of course.
Bonus points:
* International
* Books/short stories, but TV/film good too
* Folk stories (legends, myths)
* Must be main or close secondary character
I'm casting the net pretty wide because I'm guessing this type of character isn't common...
Ten-year-old Encyclopedia Brown secretly helps the police solve crimes in his homedown of Idaville.
posted by Georgina at 9:43 PM on March 29, 2011
posted by Georgina at 9:43 PM on March 29, 2011
This recent MetaFilter post fits: The Hero of Canton, the man they called Mr. B. Virdot.
posted by amyms at 11:09 PM on March 29, 2011
posted by amyms at 11:09 PM on March 29, 2011
I will recommend "I Am The Messenger" by Marcus Zusak. A 19-year-old slacker accidentally foils a bank robbery, and starts getting cards giving him missions. Nothing superheroic going on; just a guy with a weird mission.
Zusak got a lot of acclaim for "The Book Thief," which is a great book, but for my money "I Am The Messenger" is the better one.
posted by Jeanne at 3:48 AM on March 30, 2011
Zusak got a lot of acclaim for "The Book Thief," which is a great book, but for my money "I Am The Messenger" is the better one.
posted by Jeanne at 3:48 AM on March 30, 2011
You're probably not looking for anecdotes, but I have a "prankster" friend, and one of his favorite pranks is to pay for the meal of complete strangers behind him at fast food drive-thrus.
posted by luvcraft at 8:33 AM on March 30, 2011
posted by luvcraft at 8:33 AM on March 30, 2011
Not sure it it fits the bill, but there was an excellent episode of MASH (Death Takes a Holiday) where Charles carries on his family tradition of helping the needy anonymously.
posted by coolguymichael at 11:20 AM on March 30, 2011
posted by coolguymichael at 11:20 AM on March 30, 2011
I asked a question somewhat similar to this a few years ago.
posted by Sticherbeast at 11:44 AM on March 30, 2011
posted by Sticherbeast at 11:44 AM on March 30, 2011
Response by poster: Thanks for the suggestions, though as I thought, this is a pretty tough topic.
Sticherbeast: I find that question to be quite unrelated because being a secret, mundane hero to me means that such actions make absolutely no impact upon one's public reputation.
I'll add one find here, a book for youths:
Sunita's Secret http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sunitas-Secret-Narinder-Dhami/dp/0440866294
posted by Ky at 6:14 PM on March 30, 2011
Sticherbeast: I find that question to be quite unrelated because being a secret, mundane hero to me means that such actions make absolutely no impact upon one's public reputation.
I'll add one find here, a book for youths:
Sunita's Secret http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sunitas-Secret-Narinder-Dhami/dp/0440866294
posted by Ky at 6:14 PM on March 30, 2011
D'oh! And of course that was the example you gave in the question. Sorry.
posted by quaisi at 2:35 AM on March 31, 2011
posted by quaisi at 2:35 AM on March 31, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by meta87 at 9:39 PM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]