ROBERT SIEGEL, host:
We've also asked you to nominate fictional characters and to write personal essays on why he or she or it inspires you. We've received well over 300 submissions, and we'll post the best essays in our In Character blog.
Here's one example, it's from Mike McCabe(ph) of Richmond, Virginia, who has nominated Jack Bauer, the character played by Kiefer Sutherland in the Fox TV series "24."
Mr. McCabe writes this: If someone were to ask me what I think of when someone says America, I would say red meat, power tools and Jack Bauer. Jack Bauer has struck a chord with die-hard patriots in our country along with people who love explosions and firefights. I fit into both of these categories. Jack, says McCabe, is the quintessence of what every starry-eyed, small town boy dreamt of as a child: a real-life superhero.
Of course, Jack Bauer is a work of fiction. We'll hear about him later in the series. If you'd like to tell us about your favorite American fictional character, go to npr.org/incharacter.