Legends of the Fall is an epic story that allows the reader to look at the notion of heroism from an unusual and uncommon angle. The novella, written by Jim Harrison, creates an incredibly exciting, dramatic, but very sensual drama about the bright and multifaceted life of a family. In this family, the idyll is accompanied by tragedies, and the search for happiness and joy is mingled with bitter regrets about the wrong choices once made as well as the committed acts of stupidity.
In addition to the intellectual and emotional overtones, the author was able to vividly convey the beauty of the wild nature of the U.S., the horrors of the First World War, and the atmosphere of the beginning of the 20th century America. It should be stated that the book Legends of the Fall allows the reader to make a personal assessment of what the notion of heroism implies and how it can be uncovered in daily occurrence.
Background
Legends of the Fall is the final part of the book written by Harrison. The tale is filled with the deep philosophical meaning of the importance of the choices made in human life. Legends of the Fall tells the readers about the fate of the Ludlow family, consisting of a father and his three sons (Harrison 220). The three brothers had been inseparable since childhood, but the fate of each of them was completely different. The short tale, told by the old Indian is written in the form of a narrative, it has no dialogue, but the unusual narration reveals and portrays each character in a masterful way.
What is Heroism?
It should be noted that the courage and heroism of the characters are expressed in their decisions, the trueness of which has been tested in the course of life and by various circumstances. The brothers described in the book are very different; Samuel was calm since childhood, but he met his death during the First World War after he decided to be brave and show his courage at the War. The middle brother Tristan had heroism in his blood since he was born, but his heroic qualities have changed their nature during the course of his life.
Initially, he was eager for performing feats, and then he became furious when his brother was killed, and the heroic intentions gained a cruel core; however, later his pulsating heroism got a new embodiment revealed in his acceptance of the reality and the life turning mistakes that he made (Harrison 250). The third brother Alfred, who later became a US Senator, conveyed heroism from a different perspective as well. Despite all the adverse of life, he gained his recognition through hard work and dedication. Thus, the epic Legends of the Fall depicts the way the twists and turns of fate play a man and how they allow different sides of the personality to reveal the human’s essence.
Further, the Ludlow brothers went through the horrors of World War I, through the lost years that followed the War, through love and loss, betrayal, and hope (Harrison 250). This story is the combination of a beautiful love story, and of tragedy and war. Heroism in this book is related to the value of family and social relationships and the meaning of life in general. Every man from the Ludlow family has revealed the concept of heroism through his own understanding of human honor, without which the human conscience is unthinkable. For instance, the father of the family believed that it was his responsibility to give up his accustomed way of life to be able to bring his sons up and Tristan believed that he has to take his destiny humbly even though he could have a different life (Harrison 243).
Moreover, throughout the tale, the notion of heroism is intertwined with feelings of regret. Each of the characters, in his or her own way, feels this interweaving. For instance, Tristan has made many mistakes; he left the love of his life because of his moral principles, but years later, he wants to correct his wrong choices. Susannah, being afraid of loneliness, regrets her decisions as well (Harrison 264).
Her husband, who was not able to bear the unrequited love, also realizes that he will never find any mutual feelings in Susannah’s heart. Each of the heroes is heroic in his or her destiny, living each day with the awareness of their mistakes. It should be noted that Tristan once said to Susannah that, notwithstanding the challenges and injustices of fate, people should always take them with dignity and humility (Harrison 259). It goes without saying that only strong and sincere people can discern such core postulates of life.
The notion of heroism is converted during the tale. For instance, Tristan, being ambitious and resolutely fearless, avenges the death of his brother during the First World War; however, it is the heroism in the traditional sense of the term. The fact that a person can prove him or herself bravely once during a military conflict does not mean that he or she will be able to continue to demonstrate and live with courage, fortitude, and humility every day. Despite the fact that the main character could choose a life path that would bring him joy, he renounced this opportunity because of the family name or search for the meaning of life and so on (Harrison 259). Consequently, he realized what living humbly meant.
Conclusion
The suffering and torment of the protagonists, who could not change the past, and who often returned to the time when they were still able to make the right choices, force them to accept reality as it is, and therein lies the real heroism that is expressed every day. The heroism in the representation of the author implies that a person cannot live a lie, because people deceive themselves in the first place. During wars, people are able to make heroic, self-sacrificing actions, which may be called feats.
However, the novella by Harrison makes the reader reconsider what true heroism is: a one-minute feat or the intentions to overcome the thorns of life every day. The brothers described in the book are so different and profound that there is something positive and negative in each of them, and every reader can perceive something in common with them. The book throws the reader from one emotionally challenging state to another, making the experience of the characters personal to the readers and making them look at the adverse moments differently.
It is important to notice that the nature in which the three men were raised was chosen for a reason. Big cities and urban entertainment spoil people, and the brothers did not know why money was valued so much by other people and how villainy or treachery are intertwined with people’s lives. They were always eager to fight and defend each other, and each of them aspired to a decent life, but the book showed that almost no man could resist strong feelings; thus, people can either escape or accept them. This is a different form of heroism that was described by the author, which implies accepting the injustices of fate and taking life as it is.
Works Cited
Harrison, Jim. Legends of the Fall, New York: Dell, 1994. Print.