How Does One Define a “Hero”?

A hero can be defined in many different ways. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary definition is “a person who is admired for great or brave acts or fine qualities”. Society views a hero as a person that does things that a normal person wouldn’t usually do, or has qualities that make them highly regarded. Heroes have affected society for as long as humanity has been around, because nearly everyone has their own definition as to what, or who, a hero is.

Elie Wiesel, the author of the novel, Night, spoke about what he defined as what a hero should do. Night detailed Wiesel’s hardships during the Holocaust, where he and his family were persecuted and sent to concentration camps. This quote comes from his acceptance speech when he received his Nobel Prize in 1986. “Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere. When human lives are endangered, when human dignity is in jeopardy, national borders and sensitivities become irrelevant. Wherever men and women are persecuted because of their race, religion, or p...