--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But these words people threw around…" description: "\"“But these words people threw around - humans, monsters, heroes, villains - to Victor it was all just a matter of semantics. Someone could call themsel..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93e/v-e-schwab-4952_heroes_but-these-words-people-threw-around-huma_2662578.jpg" --- # But these words people threw around - humans, monsters… ![“But these words people threw around - humans, monsters, heroes, villains - to Victor it was all just a matter of semantics. Someone could call themselves a hero and still walk around killing dozens. Someone else could be labeled a villain for trying to stop them. Plenty of humans were monstrous…” quote by V.E. Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93e/v-e-schwab-4952_heroes_but-these-words-people-threw-around-huma_2662578.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93e/v-e-schwab-4952_heroes_but-these-words-people-threw-around-huma_2662578.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93e/v-e-schwab-4952_heroes_but-these-words-people-threw-around-huma_2662578.jpg) > ““But these words people threw around - humans, monsters, heroes, villains - to Victor it was all just a matter of semantics. Someone could call themselves a hero and still walk around killing dozens. Someone else could be labeled a villain for trying to stop them. Plenty of humans were monstrous, and plenty of monsters knew how to play at being human.”” [V.E. Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-e-schwab/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Labels like hero or villain are fluid; actions define morality more than titles. **In simple terms:** Heroes and villains blur. Key Takeaway Judge actions, not labels. Themes morality identity labels humanity monsters Mood thoughtful intriguing Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - literature - film - personal ethics Key Concepts ethical relativism character study Questions to Reflect On - What defines a hero for you? - Can villains act virtuously? A Different Perspective Simplifying complex characters can ignore nuance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Heroes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heroes/) [Heroes Villains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heroes-villains-855099/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Humans Monsters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans-monsters-636038/) [Labeled Villain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labeled-villain-2439225/) [Monster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monster/) [Monsters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monsters/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Villains](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/villains/) [Villains Victor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/villains-victor-636036/) [Words People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words-people/) ## Related quotes > [“If he'd had to judge based on the two of them, then ExtraOrdinaries were damaged, to say the least. But these words people threw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-schwab/if-he-d-had-to-judge-based-on-the-two-of-them-then-extraordinaries/) [Victoria Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-schwab/) > [“Someone could call themselves a hero and still walk around killing dozens. Someone else could be labeled a villain for trying to stop them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-e-schwab/someone-could-call-themselves-a-hero-and-still-walk-around-killing/) [V.E. Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-e-schwab/) > [It is much more fun to write about villains then heroes. The villains are the ones that think out the scheme, and the heroes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-j-machale-2/it-is-much-more-fun-to-write-about-villains-then-heroes-the-villains/) [D. J. MacHale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-j-machale-2/) > [Without will, without individuals, there are no heroes. But neither are there villains. And the absence of villains is as prostrating, as soul-destroying, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-himmelfarb/without-will-without-individuals-there-are-no-heroes-but-neither-are/) [Gertrude Himmelfarb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-himmelfarb/) > [We are the only Heroes and Villains standing in our plans in life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlixcollins/we-are-the-only-heroes-and-villains-standing-in-our-plans-in-life/) [CarlixCollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlixcollins/) > [Cinema is much more than heroes and villains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-kashyap/cinema-is-much-more-than-heroes-and-villains/) [Anurag Kashyap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-kashyap/) > [As a person navigating the waters of public scrutiny, you are often unable to hold on to personal heroes or villains. 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We're all villains excusing our actions by hiding behind a greater good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-bach/the-truth-is-that-there-are-no-heroes-we-re-all-villains-excusing-our/) [Rachel Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-bach/) > [Power changes everything till it is difficult to say who are the heroes and who the villains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/libba-bray/power-changes-everything-till-it-is-difficult-to-say-who-are-the/) [Libba Bray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/libba-bray/) > [We love a tale of heroes and villains and conflicts requiring a neat resolution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/we-love-a-tale-of-heroes-and-villains-and-conflicts-requiring-a-neat/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [History is moving pretty quickly these days, and the heroes and villains keep on changing parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-fleming/history-is-moving-pretty-quickly-these-days-and-the-heroes-and/) [Ian Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-fleming/) ## More by V.E. Schwab > [“That was the hardest part of being plunged into a world where magic is possible. It made you wonder if everything was.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-e-schwab/that-was-the-hardest-part-of-being-plunged-into-a-world-where-magic/) [V.E. Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-e-schwab/) > [“Growing up, his parents had written off his dreams as simply an effect of his reading too many novels, disappearing for hours - sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-e-schwab/growing-up-his-parents-had-written-off-his-dreams-as-simply-an-effect/) [V.E. Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-e-schwab/) > [“It was cowardice, he knew, but cowardice came so much easier than hope. And”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-e-schwab/it-was-cowardice-he-knew-but-cowardice-came-so-much-easier-than-hope/) [V.E. Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-e-schwab/) > [“It does nothing to dwell on what’s been taken from you,” he snarled. “Nothing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-e-schwab/it-does-nothing-to-dwell-on-what-s-been-taken-from-you-he-snarled/) [V.E. Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-e-schwab/) > [“This woman, who is a force of nature. Who bends the world instead of bending for it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-e-schwab/this-woman-who-is-a-force-of-nature-who-bends-the-world-instead-of/) [V.E. Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-e-schwab/) > [“Let them think what they want was a thought that visited him with far less frequency and force than They see you as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-e-schwab/let-them-think-what-they-want-was-a-thought-that-visited-him-with-far/) [V.E. Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-e-schwab/) > [“What she needs are stories. Stories are a way to preserve one's self. To be remembered. And to forget. Stories come in so many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-e-schwab/what-she-needs-are-stories-stories-are-a-way-to-preserve-one-s-self/) [V.E. Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-e-schwab/) > [“It was better not to care—Lila tried not to care—but sometimes, people got in. Like a knife against armor, they found the cracks, slid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-e-schwab/it-was-better-not-to-care-lila-tried-not-to-care-but-sometimes-people/) [V.E. Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-e-schwab/) > [“To clever plans,' said Kell, toasting his brother. 'And dashing princes.' 'To masked magicians,' said Rhy, swiping the wine. 'To mad ideas.' 'To the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-e-schwab/to-clever-plans-said-kell-toasting-his-brother-and-dashing-princes-to/) [V.E. Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-e-schwab/) > [“Rhy watched his brother move toward her as naturally as if the world had simply tipped. For Kell, apparently, it had”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-e-schwab/rhy-watched-his-brother-move-toward-her-as-naturally-as-if-the-world/) [V.E. Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-e-schwab/) > [“Names are important,” she said, twirling the cord. “Mine is Ojka, and I have orders to keep you out.” Beyond the doors, Kell let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-e-schwab/names-are-important-she-said-twirling-the-cord-mine-is-ojka-and-i/) [V.E. Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-e-schwab/) > [“He didn’t want to rule the world. He only wanted to save it. Athos”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-e-schwab/he-didn-t-want-to-rule-the-world-he-only-wanted-to-save-it-athos/) [V.E. Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-e-schwab/) > [“There were a hundred shades between a truth and lie, and she knew them all.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-e-schwab/there-were-a-hundred-shades-between-a-truth-and-lie-and-she-knew-them/) [V.E. Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-e-schwab/) > [“This is why I drink.” Lenos”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-e-schwab/this-is-why-i-drink-lenos/) [V.E. Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-e-schwab/) > [“People spoke of love as if it were an arrow. A thing that flew quick, and always found its mark.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-e-schwab/people-spoke-of-love-as-if-it-were-an-arrow-a-thing-that-flew-quick/) [V.E. Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-e-schwab/) [Explore all 95 V.E. Schwab quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-e-schwab/) ## More Heroes quotes > [We live in the greatest country in the world because of the veterans who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom and the security…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-husted/we-live-in-the-greatest-country-in-the-world-because-of-the-veterans/) [Jon Husted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-husted/) > [Teachers are heroes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-best/teachers-are-heroes/) [Charles Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-best/) > [A great JRPG captures that feeling of going on an unusual adventure, of bringing a ragtag group of heroes from famine to fortune or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-schreier/a-great-jrpg-captures-that-feeling-of-going-on-an-unusual-adventure/) [Jason Schreier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-schreier/) > [“Forgotten hero was never the real hero, real hero can not be forgotten.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/forgotten-hero-was-never-the-real-hero-real-hero-can-not-be-forgotten/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > ['Sex and The City' was made to correct the myth that if you were single at a certain age, you were a leper. Its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-patrick-king/sex-and-the-city-was-made-to-correct-the-myth-that-if-you-were-single/) [Michael Patrick King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-patrick-king/) > [I believe in a world where there are no heroes, and I've read and know humanity a lot. There are moments that I admire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orhan-pamuk/i-believe-in-a-world-where-there-are-no-heroes-and-i-ve-read-and-know/) [Orhan Pamuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orhan-pamuk/) > [I have a private theory, Sir, that there are no heroes and no monsters in this world. Only children should be allowed to use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-de-vigny/i-have-a-private-theory-sir-that-there-are-no-heroes-and-no-monsters/) [Alfred de Vigny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-de-vigny/) > [My hero is Jesus, he is the one who gives me hope in this dark world we are living in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cooper/my-hero-is-jesus-he-is-the-one-who-gives-me-hope-in-this-dark-world/) [John Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cooper/) > [“Hero love?” I was puzzled. “You know. 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But, of late, it has realised that there has to be space…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nawazuddin-siddiqui/bollywood-has-always-pampered-heroes-and-treated-actors-as-second/) [Nawazuddin Siddiqui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nawazuddin-siddiqui/) [Browse all 1,806 Heroes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heroes/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“But these words people threw around - humans, monsters, heroes, villains - to Victor it was all just a matter of semantics. Someone could call themselves a hero and still walk around killing dozens. Someone else could be labeled a villain for trying to stop them. Plenty of humans were monstrous, and plenty of monsters knew how to play at being human.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "V.E. 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