The path of change is not always easy and well-traveled
Awareness: Step 1 in Heroism 101
No matter what we decide a hero is or is not, at least one thing remains true for all definitions, and that is an awareness outside of the self. No one ever did great things without thinking about how he would affect other people by his actions. Walker illustrates this in The Color Purple with her main characters; each one becomes a hero in some way, but it is always because they have a different perspective, a bigger picture in mind, from the norm around them - they walk "not the safely marked general highways of the day," but rather the dark and treacherous gravel paths through the wilderness of their world (Campbell 6).
Nellie, although the younger sibling, becomes a role-model and hero for Celie by constantly urging her to learn and think, which she knows is the path to truth and enlightenment (and ultimately, then, change). Nellie admits that growing up in the small bubble of her existence, she "hadn't realized [she] was so ignorant…But one thing I do thank her for, for teaching me to learn for myself, by reading and studying and writing a clear hand. And for keeping alive in me somehow the desire to know" (Walker 132). When Nellie is shown the loving and kindness of Corrine and Samuel, she no longer believes that her abusive family situation is the norm, but rather sees that there are options out there. Nellie must in turn show Celie, who at first accepts ignorance and abuse from all sides.
Sofia becomes a role-model for Celie, too, by demonstrating the independence a woman can have, if only she is willing to fight for it. Harpo and Sofia have a happy marriage for years, until Harpo is poisoned with the idea that his marriage can't be good unless his wife is under his foot. Celie, who also grew up believing this lie, knows on a deeper level that Harpo and Sofia had it right in the beginning, but out of jealousy she tries to force the lie onto the couple. Sofia, however, confronts Celie and forces her to admit that the servile wife should not and does not have to be the status quo. Even though Celie still lacks the will to fight against this lie's power in her own life at this point, she has at least seen the alternative, and this awareness will continue to tug at her consciousness.
Shug Avery also shows Celie an alternative lifestyle for a woman that is independent and wild. With this relationship, though, Celie also became a hero for Shug Avery by showing her compassion and care when every other woman shunned her for her promiscuity. Celie also opened up Shug's eyes to the sad situation of many women's lives at that time by telling her about Albert's true nature, that "He beat [her] when [Shug] not here…For being [herself] and not [Shug]" (Walker 74-75). Once Shug is aware of this sad fact, she becomes a hero herself by not leaving until she's sure Albert won't beat Celie anymore; she's learned to care for someone other than herself.
By seeing these and other women fight to change their surroundings, Celie eventually learns to fight for herself. Had she never seen that a better life was even possible, however, she never would have been motivated to change. Our heroes in life are those people who have a new idea, a picture of how things could be better than they presently are, an awareness of something greater than their present situation, and they work for change. The most important thing we can learn in college or elsewhere is to think for ourselves, to engender this desire to know, because by becoming aware of our surroundings we can find a way to change them for the better and become the hero of our own life.