Great topic! Difficult to choose only 3! Though not necessarily iconic, Cork O‘Connor (protégée of old Anishinabbe Henry Meloux) typifies human justice through his bravery and tenacity. Hiawatha is a tragic hero, and though some may define Longfellow‘s characters as caricaturistic, other strong themes balance it out. The last is Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of Sûreté du Québec, in Louise Penny‘s series-humble and selfless w. strong convictions.