Introduction
Hero Boy, the unnamed protagonist, from the Polar Express book and movie, has graced TV screens across the UK each Christmas for more than a decade. His story of regaining faith in the spirit of Christmas, showing courage in the face of adversity and the importance of friendship make us fall in love with him year after year.
Losing Faith in Christmas
At the start of the story, we see signs that Hero Boy is starting to lose his faith in Santa Claus, and even worse, in the spirit of Christmas itself. He reads that the North Pole is devoid of life, looks at a photo of a young girl tugging on a mall Santa's beard and reads a newspaper heading about striking Santas. It seems that he is about ready to give up on the joy of Christmas.
The Polar Express Arrives
After being woken up at 5 minutes to midnight by the sudden and unexpected arrival of a steam train right outside his house. He runs outside and is greeted by the conductor, a charming and straightforward character who invites him aboard. After initially declining, he shows his first sign of bravery and runs after the now-departing train, making it aboard in the nick of time.
Meeting New Characters
On board the Polar Express, he meets a host of other interesting characters, including Hero Girl whom he quickly befriends; Billy, a lonely boy who struggles to make new friends, Know-it-all who has to show off how smart he is; a strange and mysterious hobo; and many others,
Challenges Along the Journey
He has to navigate a series of challenges as we watch him overcome his fears and doubts while trying to make it all the way to the North Pole.
The Message of Hero Boy’s Journey
The hero boy's adventures on The Polar Express demonstrate that it's never too late to believe in something magical. He teaches us that we can achieve anything if we are willing to take risks and trust in our own courage and strength. His story serves as a reminder that no matter how hard things may seem, there is always hope for something better.
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