Major events in one's life often play an important role in defining character, values, and beliefs. These same events serve to determine the mold of a person, essentially what they are made of. They act as a window to the soul; through this window, heroes are discovered. In the novel A Virtuous Woman by Kaye Gibbons, the character Ruby Pitt Woodrow functions as a classic hero who faces numerous hardships. Throughout her life, Ruby has …showed first 75 words of 810 total…

…showed last 75 words of 810 total…her passionate spirit. Her responses to her sheltered childhood, abusive marriage, and devastating effects of lung cancer clearly classify her as a classic hero. The attributes acquired as she evolves from a delicate girl into a feisty young woman enable her to handle life's challenges and hardships with a smile on her face. Those same qualities, possessed by very few individuals, allow Ruby to experience and overcome sorrow, yet still retain the ability to love.