My Hero Gimpel the Fool

Ralph Waldo Emerson stated that, “A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is brave five minutes longer.” This applies to the protagonist in the short story, Gimpel the Fool by Isaac Bashevis Singer. Gimpel is a simple man that does not have supernatural powers but is still a hero. He is one of the most courageous men to exist and he enjoys his “extra five minutes of bravery” that set him apart from his fellow citizens of Frampol because he portrays qualities such as moral values, sacrifice, and courage even though superficially he is thought to be a fool.
Gimpel’s positive ethics are seen significantly through his faith in humanity, and his resistance to temptation. Although Gimpel is fooled numerous times by everyone in his town, he continues to believe their every word. This leads the reader to assume that he is gullible, but instead it shows the absolute faith he maintained in his companions. The townspeople kept on sending Gimpel to do absurd tasks and he would ...