10 Deeply Unusual And Unconventional Literary Heroes

Between the cannibals and drunks, these guys aren't your typical heroes. Yet they still rise to the challenge.

By Robert Grimminck /

There is a long history of heroes in literature, all of them different in their own way. Starting off with Beowulf, he was strong, agile and brave. On the other end of the spectrum there was Sherlock Holmes, who was smart and logical. Or there's Katniss Everdeen, who's humble, smart and brave. The list could go on and almost all the characters have traits like confidence, dignity, intelligence and physical strength. These are the attributes that have been associated with heroism for centuries. Then there are the other guys. There are some people who were never meant to be heroes but then fate throws them into it and it's up to them to fight for their lives and solve the mystery or save the day. They have to overcome any problems or shortcomings and face a problem that can be too big for an average person. And these characters are not average people, they are a group of misfits, weirdos and people with conditions that limit their everyday life. Yet they are as heroic as anyone you will ever find in other literature. These literary characters all manage to deal with their shortcomings and some even use it to their advantage in order to help them solve the problem that they face. Their flaws also make for some interesting reading and great books. Here are 10 Unusual Literary Heroes.