MY

MY HERO
HERO
 Overview of the poem
• The poem is for both children and adults
• With pride, the persona first recounts how
heroic the father is. ‘Dad’ is unafraid of anything
including mythical monsters. Therefore, dad is
the persona’s ‘Number One’ hero.
• However, the rhetorical question in the last two
lines of the poem shows the persona’s curiosity
and puzzlement because the heroic father is
afraid of a spider. In fact, the persona’s mother
has to remove the spider.
 Meaning of Verses
My Dad’s as brave as a dad can be,
I rate him Number One,

He’s not afraid of the dead of night,

Or anything under the sun.
 Meaning of Verses
He’s not afraid of a late-night film,
Full of horrors on the telly,

And is he afraid of skeletons?

Not Dad, not on your Nelly!
 Meaning of Verses
He’s not afraid of meeting ghosts,
He’d even smile and greet ‘em,

And things that scared most dads the most,

My dad could just defeat ‘em.

 Meaning of Verses

He’s not afraid of vampires,

Or a wolf-man come to get him,
If Frankenstein monster knocked on our door,
He wouldn’t let that upset him.
 Meaning of Verses
My dad’s as brave as a dad can be,
And he’s always ready to prove it.

So why, when a spider’s in the bath,

Does Mum have to come and remove it?

Elements of the poem
Setting
Persona
 Theme : Children cannot
be fooled

• In modern times, children are exposed to a lot of

information and technological advances, so they
are sometimes able to make intelligent
judgments. Thus, they are not so easily fooled.

• The persona is able to question why it is ‘Mum’

who has to remove the spider in the bathtub
even though ‘dad’s as brave as a dad can be.
 Theme: Parents must be
honest and realistic with their
children

• Some parents are afraid of being exposed as

weak and vulnerable in front of their children. As
such, they may lie, pretend or fantasise to
protect their own ego. However, not all children
are so gullible. Children can see through the
web of lies and pretence.
 Theme: Heroes in fact and
fantasy

• A hero is a person admired for his noble

qualities, bravery and good deeds.

• While many heroes exist in fantasy like

Superman and Batman, there are also everyday
heroes like one’s mother or father, nurses,
social workers or firemen.

• Sometimes people pretend to be heroes in

fantasies (like the dad in the poem). However,
the fun of fantasy does not last.
 Theme: It is best not to
pretend

• It is not wise to pretend and boast of qualities

that we have (or do not have), or of things we
can (or cannot do).

• When the truth is revealed, it can be

embarrassing and shameful for the person who
pretends or boasts.
 Theme: Do not be afraid to
reveal your weaknesses

• We are all human and no one is perfect. Thus,

we must not be afraid to admit our faults or
weaknesses.

• People will respect us more for our honesty and

our attempts to improve.
 Theme: Heroes can be found
in everyday life

• Not everyone is a famous or international hero

like Mother Theresa, who gave her life for
humanity.

• We can be heroes in our daily lives when we

carry our duties diligently, honestly and with
perseverance. Thus, even simple people can be
heroes when they show compassion, courage
and endurance in the face of challenge.