Many non-Western literary texts of the 20th century have a hero that everyone looks up to. These heroes tend to show extreme courage and bravery and are ready to sacrifice their lives for the sake of someone other than themselves. A typical hero is selfless and never compromises his principles or beliefs, even if that sometimes means being alone. There is Hassan in The Kite Runner who is loyal, selfless and full of integrity to the point of self-sacrifice; the Child Bride, who fights to the end to survive her ordeal; and Tita in Like Water For Chocolate, who must sacrifice her own happiness for the sake of family traditions. However, there are many characters in these stories who aren't given as much credit or attention by the audience. They are the unsung heroes, the “people who make a substantial but unacknowledged contribution and whose courage is unknown or unrecognized” (dictionary.com). While these characters may justify our disapproval or dismay early on, they are able to overcome adversity or rejection and reveal integrity and unexpected depth of character. The hero of Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner is Hassan, a boy who demonstrates sincere but unacknowledged love. and respect for his friend Amir, whose unthinkable betrayal he manages to forgive. In her letter to Amir she writes: “And I dreamed that one day you would return to Kabul to revisit the land of our childhood. If you do, you will find a faithful old friend waiting for you. (Khaled Hosseni, 218). These words show that Hassan has no resentment towards Amir. Amir, on the other hand, starts out as a weak and unlikable character. He is not ready to sacrifice himself for Hassan when he urgently needs help, even though he knows his friend would... half of paper... he is by no means a perfect hero but he earns our admiration through his countless displays of restraint and self-sacrifice. As we can see, there are many examples of non-typical heroism in non-Western texts of the 20th century. These characters are often ordinary people with complicated lives. They went through some difficulties and overcame them; they emerge ready to follow a more positive direction, thus earning our respect and admiration. As readers, we can more easily identify with these characters than with typical heroes whose standards we cannot reach. We all encounter challenges at some point in our lives and are not always able to handle them gracefully. It is those who do not succumb to defeat who are the objects of our admiration. These people symbolize the depth of human capabilities and, perhaps, leave a shadow of hope and faith in a better society.