Frida Kahlo

To be a hero can be interpreted many ways by different people. Frida Kahlo can be considered heroic for several reasons. Frida Kahlo was a Mexican painter who was born in 1907. She inspired people of many different backgrounds and challenges. She faced extreme physical and mental obstacles herself. Some people may argue that, as an artist, Frida Kahlo was only painting for the money, especially because a lot of her work has been put on display. Even though some believe this, Frida Kahlo should be considered a hero because she demonstrates the qualities of caring, courage and patience.

Caring, courage, and patience all support the statement that Frida Kahlo is a hero. Caring was especially important in her life. Kahlo felt bad for poorer people living in poverty and terrible conditions. The sight of wealthy men around the room aggravated her. “In a later letter she told the doctor, 'High society here turns me off and I feel a bit of rage against all these rich guys here, since I have seen thousands of people in the most terrible misery'…”(Frazier 47). Kahlo felt sympathy for the misfortunate events that others have gone through, and was somewhat empathetic because of her own misfortune, which show her as caring. She also stayed politically active and continued painting while in hospitals. “She continued to paint and support political causes despite having limited mobility” (Frida Kahlo Biography 1). Kahlo, even with her recent injuries, continued supporting political causes and expressing her inspirational life stories in art. Kahlo was sympathetic and empathetic towards the misfortunate people she saw and continued practicing her political beliefs as well as painting her thoughts. This depicts a sense of caring within her and further states why she is heroic.

While Frida Kahlo was caring, she was also very courageous. Kahlo’s paintings shared the stories of her life, giving others who have gone through similar experiences the opportunity to feel empathetic. “Kahlo shared her physical challenges through her art…” (Frida Kahlo Biography 1). She showed her paintings, the life obstacles that she put into pictures, to the world, and demonstrated courage in that process. Kahlo’s troubles included a devastating miscarriage caused by her injuries, but she worked hard to get happier by painting. Frida had a miscarriage because of her previous injuries and fell into depression, but she pulled herself out of it by painting (Frazier 49). She had the courage to go on with the pregnancy, knowing her previous injuries might prevent that, and when it didn’t work out, she gained the courage to paint about that personal moment. Kahlo’s miscarriage and paintings revealing her personal life represent her courage and willingness to spread the awareness that the things she went through really happen.

To add onto Frida Kahlo’s demonstration of caring and courage, she also conveys a great amount of patience. Kahlo faced a lot of physical challenges throughout her life and it caused a great sadness within her, which would always be temporarily cured when she started to paint. “For the rest of her life, Frida would suffer the pain of her injuries and of more than 30 operations” (Frazier 36). Kahlo had to spend a big fraction of her life laying in a hospital bed, patiently waiting to heal and continue painting. The origin of Frida’s paintings projecting her life stories came from a bus accident that changed her life. Frida Kahlo originally started painting after her severe injuries from a bus accident that changed her life (Frida Kahlo Biography 1). Kahlo’s severe injuries resulted in a really long time for healing and staying in a hospital, painting while she waited. The remarkable patience Kahlo showed over the course of her whole life really extended her heroism.

Frida Kahlo is a hero who represents the qualities of caring, courage, and patience. She cared for poor and misfortunate people and for her political activity and paintings while in her hospital bed. Her courage shown was also impressive when she shared her life stories through art and her experiences that some average people can relate to. Kahlo’s patience was outstanding while staying in hospitals for a lot of her life. In conclusion, Frida Kahlo has earned her right to be called a hero and demonstrates that right through effort and sacrifice.