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ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
Interactive MindmapsNotes
Revision TestsSample Exam Questions
How to use this presentation
bull The next slide is you master mind map Click on any of the coloured boxes that radiate out from the Heroes box bull This will take you to a subject mindmap Click on any of the notes radiating
from the centre to be taken to the appropriate set of notesbull When you come to the end of the set of notes you will automatically return
to the subject mindmapbull When you have finished with the subject mindmap click anywhere in the
red background of the slide or in the centre box of the slide This will take you back to the master mindmapbull When you have finished go back to the master mindmap and click on the
blue home icon to go to the end of the presentation
ldquoHeroesrdquo
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot
Background
Revision
Characters
Main characters
Other characters
FrancisNicole
Larry LaSalle
Plot
Full Plot Summary
Chapter 1
Chapter 17
Chapter 5
Chapter 9
Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16
Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12
Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8
Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4
Other Characters
Marie LaCroixMarie Lives in the same apartments as Francis and provides a link between Francis and NicoleMarie acts as a confidante for Francis as he reveals to her that he like NicoleTowards the end of the novel readers learn that Marie has continued to provide a link between the two as she has informed Nicole about Francisrsquo Silver Star for bravery
Other Characters
Sister Mathilde and Sister GertrudeSister Mathilde is a figure from Francisrsquo past who had an influence on him when he was at schoolFrancis visits her in Chapter 15 to ask for information about NicoleIt is significant that she reminds Francis that everyone has secrets Sister Gertrude was one of Francisrsquos teachersAs he prays in St Judersquos Church in Chapter 1 it is Sister Gerrudersquos words which come into his head
Other Characters
Uncle LouisUncle Louis cared for Francis after the death of his parentsIt is possible that Francis inherited his quiet personality from Uncle Louis who is described as lsquoa silent giant of a manrsquoAlthough he provided a home for Francis cooked his meals and gave him a weekly allowance he seldom spoke to him apart from asking about his day at school
Other Characters
Mr LaurierMr Laurier the owner of the drugstore is another figure from Francisrsquo past Francis enjoyed working in his store particularly stocking the candy cases It is a result of this job that Francis becomes closer to Nicole as she buys sweets ad talks to him about books Mr Laurierrsquos drugstore is a meeting point and an informal news centre for the people of FrenchtownHe comments significantly on the way young men are trained to kill People can keep up to date with the progress of the war as they read the newspapers or listen to his radio
Other Characters
Louis ArabelleLouise is Francisrsquo opponent in the final table tennis matchLouis lost the match ensuring that Francis won the championship
Other Characters
Norman Rocheleau Eddie Richards Erwin Eisenberg Blinky Chambers Jack Smith Sonny Orlandi Spooks Reilly Billy OrsquoBrien and Henry JohnsonAll of these were wartime comrade of Francis and with the exception of Norman Rocheleau were all members of his platoonThey are mentioned in Francisrsquo nightmare in Chapter 3 and all either dies or received injuries in the war When Francis considers what it means to be a hero in Chapter 17 these are the men he thinks about
Other Characters
Armand Telliere Joe LaFontaine George Richelieu The StranglerThese men are regulars at the St Jude Club where the war veterans meetThe Strangler is the bartended who keeps a scrapbook of Frenchtown heroes in which both Francis and Larry LaSalle figure
Francis - Family
bull Father (Lefty) ndash Mother - Raymond - Uncle Louis This is Francisrsquo family Raymond was his brother who died at birth and his mother died giving birth to Raymond Francis was six at the time His father died when he was a teenager and he goes to live with his Uncle Louis who obviously loved and cared for him but who was uncommunicative bull These characters showed us how Francis becomes an isolate a rather
rootless person without a close family that it is obvious he needs It is not surprising that he idolises Larry as a role model and that he wants to be close to Nicole and share his life with her He does not want to lose more people that he feels close to
Francis ndash Physical Injurybull Francis seems very open and matter of
fact about his injuries He mentions them in the very first sentence of the book bull His injury was caused by the act for
which he was awarded the silver star He threw himself on a grenade which saved the other members of his platoon bull At first his injuries isolate him from
other people Then he seems to use them as an excuse for hiding his identity bull Are his injuries also a reflection of the
psychological scars he has
QuotationsP 1 ldquoThe war is over and I have no facerdquo
P3 ldquoAnyway this gives you an idea of what I look like when I walk down the street People glance at me in surprise and look away quickly or cross the street when they see me coming I donrsquot blame themrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis idolizes Nicole from the first time he sees her He wants to dedicate himself to her to serve and protect her bull He is insecure and unable to speak
to her This is why he tells Marie LaCroix that he likes her ndash telling Marie not to say anything to Nicole while hoping that Marie will say something to her
QuotationsP 9 ldquoThe pale purity of her face reminded me of the statue of St Thereserdquo
P10 ldquoI knelt there like a knight at her feet her sword having touched my shoulder I silently pledged her my love and loyalty foreverrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Nicole is more mature than Francis and seems to know that he likes her In a way she teases him a littlebull Francis seems jealous of the physical
intimacy between Nicole and Larry while they are dancingbull Only lsquobeatingrsquo Larry at table tennis
gives Francis the confidence to ask Nicole to the cinema
QuotationsP 32 ldquoldquoHello Francisrdquo That same strange teasing in her voice that Irsquod heard when shersquod warned me about falling off the banisterrdquo
P42 ldquoJealousy streaked through me as Larry LaSalle tossed her in the airrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull When he wins the table tennis Nicole casts Francis in the role of her lsquochampionrsquo bull Francis still doesnrsquot ask her out and so
Nicole starts coming to Laurierrsquos drug store where he works After she tells him that she likes movies as well as book he finally asks her out bull Her reply ldquothat would be nicerdquo is
perfect because their relationship is nice ndash sweet and tender and to a large extent innocent
QuotationsP 48 ldquoshe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
P 53 rdquoThe earth paused in its orbitldquoThat would be nicerdquoshe said at lastrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis blames himself for what happened to Nicole when he left her with Larry bull Her reaction when she sees him
afterwards drives him to consider suicide and when he decides against this to change the date on his birth certificate and join the army
QuotationsP 69 ldquo I stood there thinking of what I had seen in Nicolersquos eyes Itrsquos amazing that the heart makes no noise when it cracksrdquo
P 72 ldquoFinally I asked ldquoWhat can I dordquoldquoPoor Francisrdquo she said at last But no pity in her voicerdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis cannot let go of Nicole Even though he knows she will not be there he goes to look at her old apartment in Frenchtownbull Even when he sees her after Larry
has killed himself and he knows they will never meet again he has to ask if he can see her sometimesbull At the end he must accept that he
will not see her again
QuotationsP 94 ldquordquoCan I come again sometimesrdquo I ask hating myself for asking because I know the answer ldquoOh Francisrdquo she says the words weighted with sadness I close my eyes clinging to the moment wanting to make it last forever ldquo
Chapter One
Francis introduces himself and his injuries Most of the chapter is told in the present tense He explains he has returned to his hometown of Frenchtown He takes a room in Mrs Belanderrsquos and deliberately lies to her to hide his identity Francis goes to St Judersquos Church to light a candle for his parents and for Larry LaSalle who he tells us he intends to kill He also mentions Nicole Renard for the first time
Chapter Two
In flashback ndash using past tense ndash Francis tells us about Nicole Her family moved from Albany in New York and she joined Francisrsquo school when they were in the seventh grade Francis worshipped her from the instant he saw her He told Marie LaCroix her friend that he liked her and told her not to tell Nicole even though he hopes that she would
Chapter Three
Francis visits the apartment where Nicole used to live The fact that the Renard nameplate has been removed confirms she has gone In flashback he remembers being in the army and meeting another boy from Frenchtown called Norman Rocheleau in France who told him that the Renards had left and nobody knew where they went Back in his apartment he remembers the first time he killed German soldiers who looked just as young as he was ndash he tells us that he was fifteen when he joined up The day after this was the day the grenade blew his face off
Chapter Four
On the way to the Wreck Centre Francis meets Arthur Rivier Arthur doesnrsquot recognize him bit can see that he is a veteran and so takes him to the St Judersquos club Many veterans in there are men Francis knows but nobody recognizes him They are all talking about the future and their plans and it seems as if Francis doesnrsquot belong there at all
Chapter Five
Francis introduces the story of the Wreck Centre He tells us how a bride was killed by her ex at a wedding reception there and so the place was closed down When it reopened Larry LaSalle came to run it He organized all of the children using it and ran art craft and sporting activities for them
Chapter Six
Francis returns to the St Judersquos Club to ask if anyone has seen Larry LaSalle The bartender nicknamed the Strangler because he used to be a wrestler has kept a scrap book of all the men in Frenchtown who served in the war It turns out that Larry LaSalle won a silver star ndash like Francis ndash for knocking out a machine gun nest Nobody has seen himArthur recognizes Francisrsquo voice but promises Francis to keep his identity secret
Chapter Seven
Flashback Larry tells Francis he should take up table tennis and he trains Francis to a good level of skill Francis wins a table tennis tournament which Larry stages The other kids want Francis to play Larry and Larry plays so skillfuly that although it looks as if he is trying his best he actually lets Francis win Nicole makes it very clear that she likes Francis when he wins and calls him her champion The day after the tournament Japan attacks the US naval base at Pearl Harbour
Chapter Eight
In a very short chapter Francis meets Arthur in an alleyway at night Arthur is very upset because nobody in the St Judersquos Club ever really talks about the war only about the future He tells Francis how scared he was all the time and says ldquowe werenrsquot heroes we were only thererdquo
Chapter Nine
Flashback Larry joins the army Nicole starts coming round to see Francis in Laurierrsquos Drug Store where he works They talk and when Nicole says that she likes movies as well as books he asks her to go to the cinema with himOne afternoon they see on a newsreel that Larry LaSalle has become a hero for knocking out an enemy machine gun nest
Chapter Ten
Francis tells us of the way a little boy was scared of his appearance in London when he was having surgery He tells us that he doesnrsquot care now so long as he carries out his self imposed mission to kill Larry He burns the card with the address of Dr Abrams of Kansas City who promised to operate on him again and do more plastic surgery Then he thinks back to the day that Larry came home before
Chapter Eleven
Flashback Larry has leave and comes home to Frenchtown There is a big civic reception for him then a party in the Wreck Centre Eventually just Francis Larry and Nicole remain Larry insists that Francis goes and leaves him and Nicole to have one more dance to the song ldquoDancing in the Darkrdquo Nicole doesnrsquot want Francis to go but he eventually does He waits in the porch and listens while Larry rapes Nicole
Chapter Twelve
FlashbackLarry left town suddenly Francis tries to find Nicole and when he does she says that she knows he was there and asks why he didnrsquot do anything Francis has no answer Later in the week Francis goes to church and considers jumping from the tower and committing suicide He decides not to because it would be a sin and decides to seek a noble death by joining the army He altered his birth certificate and joined up the next day
Chapter Thirteen
Francis learns that Larry has returned to town when he overhears Mrs Belander talking about it to a neighbour He learns that he seems to be injured because he walks slowly as if his legs hurt and he also learns where Larry is staying
Chapter Fourteen
Francis goes to see Larry LaSalle Larry seems pleased to see him He tells Francis that he has lsquojungle feverrsquo Itrsquos a wasting disease that is gradually killing him He calls Francis a hero Francis explains that he only fell on the grenade because he wanted to die he didnrsquot care about saving his platoon When he asks why Francis tells him he knew about what Larry did to Nicole Larry doesnrsquot deny it and in fact she wasnrsquot the only one When Francis takes out his gun so does Larry but makes it clear he will not hurt Francis In the end Francis leaves and he hears the sound of Larry shooting himself
Chapter Fifteen
Francis finds out where Nicole lives from Sister Mathilde his old teacher
Chapter Sixteen
Francis goes to see Nicole who is studying in a convent She knows that Larry is dead She apologises to Francis for what she said to him after what happened She realized it wasnrsquot his fault and went to his Unclersquos house to talk to him but hersquod already joined up They talk and Nicole says that she thinks she is getting better Francis aasks if there is any chance of them staying in touch but even though she doesnrsquot say no there isnrsquot Nicole suggests he should become a writer At the end of the chapter he leaves
Chapter Seventeen
The book ends with Francis sitting at the railway station leaving Frenchtown thinking about what he could do now and thinking about the kids who went away to war who were the real heroes
Background
Pearl Harbour
Dancing in the Dark
Fred Astaire
Inspiration for book
Pearl Harbour
bull The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United Statesnaval base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii on the morning of December 7 1941 (December 8 in Japan) The attack led to the United States entry into World War IIbull Click for more detail - bull httpenwikipediaorgwikiAttack_on_Pearl_Harbor
Dancing in the Dark - Lyrics
bull Dancing in the dark til the tune endsWere dancing in the dark and it soon endsWere waltzing in the wonder of why were hereTime hurries by were here and were gone
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark
What - though love is oldWhat - though song is oldThrough them we can be young
bull Hear this heart of mineWailin all the timeDear one tell me that were one
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark dancing in the darkDancing in the dark
How to use this presentation
bull The next slide is you master mind map Click on any of the coloured boxes that radiate out from the Heroes box bull This will take you to a subject mindmap Click on any of the notes radiating
from the centre to be taken to the appropriate set of notesbull When you come to the end of the set of notes you will automatically return
to the subject mindmapbull When you have finished with the subject mindmap click anywhere in the
red background of the slide or in the centre box of the slide This will take you back to the master mindmapbull When you have finished go back to the master mindmap and click on the
blue home icon to go to the end of the presentation
ldquoHeroesrdquo
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot
Background
Revision
Characters
Main characters
Other characters
FrancisNicole
Larry LaSalle
Plot
Full Plot Summary
Chapter 1
Chapter 17
Chapter 5
Chapter 9
Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16
Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12
Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8
Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4
Other Characters
Marie LaCroixMarie Lives in the same apartments as Francis and provides a link between Francis and NicoleMarie acts as a confidante for Francis as he reveals to her that he like NicoleTowards the end of the novel readers learn that Marie has continued to provide a link between the two as she has informed Nicole about Francisrsquo Silver Star for bravery
Other Characters
Sister Mathilde and Sister GertrudeSister Mathilde is a figure from Francisrsquo past who had an influence on him when he was at schoolFrancis visits her in Chapter 15 to ask for information about NicoleIt is significant that she reminds Francis that everyone has secrets Sister Gertrude was one of Francisrsquos teachersAs he prays in St Judersquos Church in Chapter 1 it is Sister Gerrudersquos words which come into his head
Other Characters
Uncle LouisUncle Louis cared for Francis after the death of his parentsIt is possible that Francis inherited his quiet personality from Uncle Louis who is described as lsquoa silent giant of a manrsquoAlthough he provided a home for Francis cooked his meals and gave him a weekly allowance he seldom spoke to him apart from asking about his day at school
Other Characters
Mr LaurierMr Laurier the owner of the drugstore is another figure from Francisrsquo past Francis enjoyed working in his store particularly stocking the candy cases It is a result of this job that Francis becomes closer to Nicole as she buys sweets ad talks to him about books Mr Laurierrsquos drugstore is a meeting point and an informal news centre for the people of FrenchtownHe comments significantly on the way young men are trained to kill People can keep up to date with the progress of the war as they read the newspapers or listen to his radio
Other Characters
Louis ArabelleLouise is Francisrsquo opponent in the final table tennis matchLouis lost the match ensuring that Francis won the championship
Other Characters
Norman Rocheleau Eddie Richards Erwin Eisenberg Blinky Chambers Jack Smith Sonny Orlandi Spooks Reilly Billy OrsquoBrien and Henry JohnsonAll of these were wartime comrade of Francis and with the exception of Norman Rocheleau were all members of his platoonThey are mentioned in Francisrsquo nightmare in Chapter 3 and all either dies or received injuries in the war When Francis considers what it means to be a hero in Chapter 17 these are the men he thinks about
Other Characters
Armand Telliere Joe LaFontaine George Richelieu The StranglerThese men are regulars at the St Jude Club where the war veterans meetThe Strangler is the bartended who keeps a scrapbook of Frenchtown heroes in which both Francis and Larry LaSalle figure
Francis - Family
bull Father (Lefty) ndash Mother - Raymond - Uncle Louis This is Francisrsquo family Raymond was his brother who died at birth and his mother died giving birth to Raymond Francis was six at the time His father died when he was a teenager and he goes to live with his Uncle Louis who obviously loved and cared for him but who was uncommunicative bull These characters showed us how Francis becomes an isolate a rather
rootless person without a close family that it is obvious he needs It is not surprising that he idolises Larry as a role model and that he wants to be close to Nicole and share his life with her He does not want to lose more people that he feels close to
Francis ndash Physical Injurybull Francis seems very open and matter of
fact about his injuries He mentions them in the very first sentence of the book bull His injury was caused by the act for
which he was awarded the silver star He threw himself on a grenade which saved the other members of his platoon bull At first his injuries isolate him from
other people Then he seems to use them as an excuse for hiding his identity bull Are his injuries also a reflection of the
psychological scars he has
QuotationsP 1 ldquoThe war is over and I have no facerdquo
P3 ldquoAnyway this gives you an idea of what I look like when I walk down the street People glance at me in surprise and look away quickly or cross the street when they see me coming I donrsquot blame themrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis idolizes Nicole from the first time he sees her He wants to dedicate himself to her to serve and protect her bull He is insecure and unable to speak
to her This is why he tells Marie LaCroix that he likes her ndash telling Marie not to say anything to Nicole while hoping that Marie will say something to her
QuotationsP 9 ldquoThe pale purity of her face reminded me of the statue of St Thereserdquo
P10 ldquoI knelt there like a knight at her feet her sword having touched my shoulder I silently pledged her my love and loyalty foreverrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Nicole is more mature than Francis and seems to know that he likes her In a way she teases him a littlebull Francis seems jealous of the physical
intimacy between Nicole and Larry while they are dancingbull Only lsquobeatingrsquo Larry at table tennis
gives Francis the confidence to ask Nicole to the cinema
QuotationsP 32 ldquoldquoHello Francisrdquo That same strange teasing in her voice that Irsquod heard when shersquod warned me about falling off the banisterrdquo
P42 ldquoJealousy streaked through me as Larry LaSalle tossed her in the airrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull When he wins the table tennis Nicole casts Francis in the role of her lsquochampionrsquo bull Francis still doesnrsquot ask her out and so
Nicole starts coming to Laurierrsquos drug store where he works After she tells him that she likes movies as well as book he finally asks her out bull Her reply ldquothat would be nicerdquo is
perfect because their relationship is nice ndash sweet and tender and to a large extent innocent
QuotationsP 48 ldquoshe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
P 53 rdquoThe earth paused in its orbitldquoThat would be nicerdquoshe said at lastrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis blames himself for what happened to Nicole when he left her with Larry bull Her reaction when she sees him
afterwards drives him to consider suicide and when he decides against this to change the date on his birth certificate and join the army
QuotationsP 69 ldquo I stood there thinking of what I had seen in Nicolersquos eyes Itrsquos amazing that the heart makes no noise when it cracksrdquo
P 72 ldquoFinally I asked ldquoWhat can I dordquoldquoPoor Francisrdquo she said at last But no pity in her voicerdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis cannot let go of Nicole Even though he knows she will not be there he goes to look at her old apartment in Frenchtownbull Even when he sees her after Larry
has killed himself and he knows they will never meet again he has to ask if he can see her sometimesbull At the end he must accept that he
will not see her again
QuotationsP 94 ldquordquoCan I come again sometimesrdquo I ask hating myself for asking because I know the answer ldquoOh Francisrdquo she says the words weighted with sadness I close my eyes clinging to the moment wanting to make it last forever ldquo
Chapter One
Francis introduces himself and his injuries Most of the chapter is told in the present tense He explains he has returned to his hometown of Frenchtown He takes a room in Mrs Belanderrsquos and deliberately lies to her to hide his identity Francis goes to St Judersquos Church to light a candle for his parents and for Larry LaSalle who he tells us he intends to kill He also mentions Nicole Renard for the first time
Chapter Two
In flashback ndash using past tense ndash Francis tells us about Nicole Her family moved from Albany in New York and she joined Francisrsquo school when they were in the seventh grade Francis worshipped her from the instant he saw her He told Marie LaCroix her friend that he liked her and told her not to tell Nicole even though he hopes that she would
Chapter Three
Francis visits the apartment where Nicole used to live The fact that the Renard nameplate has been removed confirms she has gone In flashback he remembers being in the army and meeting another boy from Frenchtown called Norman Rocheleau in France who told him that the Renards had left and nobody knew where they went Back in his apartment he remembers the first time he killed German soldiers who looked just as young as he was ndash he tells us that he was fifteen when he joined up The day after this was the day the grenade blew his face off
Chapter Four
On the way to the Wreck Centre Francis meets Arthur Rivier Arthur doesnrsquot recognize him bit can see that he is a veteran and so takes him to the St Judersquos club Many veterans in there are men Francis knows but nobody recognizes him They are all talking about the future and their plans and it seems as if Francis doesnrsquot belong there at all
Chapter Five
Francis introduces the story of the Wreck Centre He tells us how a bride was killed by her ex at a wedding reception there and so the place was closed down When it reopened Larry LaSalle came to run it He organized all of the children using it and ran art craft and sporting activities for them
Chapter Six
Francis returns to the St Judersquos Club to ask if anyone has seen Larry LaSalle The bartender nicknamed the Strangler because he used to be a wrestler has kept a scrap book of all the men in Frenchtown who served in the war It turns out that Larry LaSalle won a silver star ndash like Francis ndash for knocking out a machine gun nest Nobody has seen himArthur recognizes Francisrsquo voice but promises Francis to keep his identity secret
Chapter Seven
Flashback Larry tells Francis he should take up table tennis and he trains Francis to a good level of skill Francis wins a table tennis tournament which Larry stages The other kids want Francis to play Larry and Larry plays so skillfuly that although it looks as if he is trying his best he actually lets Francis win Nicole makes it very clear that she likes Francis when he wins and calls him her champion The day after the tournament Japan attacks the US naval base at Pearl Harbour
Chapter Eight
In a very short chapter Francis meets Arthur in an alleyway at night Arthur is very upset because nobody in the St Judersquos Club ever really talks about the war only about the future He tells Francis how scared he was all the time and says ldquowe werenrsquot heroes we were only thererdquo
Chapter Nine
Flashback Larry joins the army Nicole starts coming round to see Francis in Laurierrsquos Drug Store where he works They talk and when Nicole says that she likes movies as well as books he asks her to go to the cinema with himOne afternoon they see on a newsreel that Larry LaSalle has become a hero for knocking out an enemy machine gun nest
Chapter Ten
Francis tells us of the way a little boy was scared of his appearance in London when he was having surgery He tells us that he doesnrsquot care now so long as he carries out his self imposed mission to kill Larry He burns the card with the address of Dr Abrams of Kansas City who promised to operate on him again and do more plastic surgery Then he thinks back to the day that Larry came home before
Chapter Eleven
Flashback Larry has leave and comes home to Frenchtown There is a big civic reception for him then a party in the Wreck Centre Eventually just Francis Larry and Nicole remain Larry insists that Francis goes and leaves him and Nicole to have one more dance to the song ldquoDancing in the Darkrdquo Nicole doesnrsquot want Francis to go but he eventually does He waits in the porch and listens while Larry rapes Nicole
Chapter Twelve
FlashbackLarry left town suddenly Francis tries to find Nicole and when he does she says that she knows he was there and asks why he didnrsquot do anything Francis has no answer Later in the week Francis goes to church and considers jumping from the tower and committing suicide He decides not to because it would be a sin and decides to seek a noble death by joining the army He altered his birth certificate and joined up the next day
Chapter Thirteen
Francis learns that Larry has returned to town when he overhears Mrs Belander talking about it to a neighbour He learns that he seems to be injured because he walks slowly as if his legs hurt and he also learns where Larry is staying
Chapter Fourteen
Francis goes to see Larry LaSalle Larry seems pleased to see him He tells Francis that he has lsquojungle feverrsquo Itrsquos a wasting disease that is gradually killing him He calls Francis a hero Francis explains that he only fell on the grenade because he wanted to die he didnrsquot care about saving his platoon When he asks why Francis tells him he knew about what Larry did to Nicole Larry doesnrsquot deny it and in fact she wasnrsquot the only one When Francis takes out his gun so does Larry but makes it clear he will not hurt Francis In the end Francis leaves and he hears the sound of Larry shooting himself
Chapter Fifteen
Francis finds out where Nicole lives from Sister Mathilde his old teacher
Chapter Sixteen
Francis goes to see Nicole who is studying in a convent She knows that Larry is dead She apologises to Francis for what she said to him after what happened She realized it wasnrsquot his fault and went to his Unclersquos house to talk to him but hersquod already joined up They talk and Nicole says that she thinks she is getting better Francis aasks if there is any chance of them staying in touch but even though she doesnrsquot say no there isnrsquot Nicole suggests he should become a writer At the end of the chapter he leaves
Chapter Seventeen
The book ends with Francis sitting at the railway station leaving Frenchtown thinking about what he could do now and thinking about the kids who went away to war who were the real heroes
Background
Pearl Harbour
Dancing in the Dark
Fred Astaire
Inspiration for book
Pearl Harbour
bull The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United Statesnaval base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii on the morning of December 7 1941 (December 8 in Japan) The attack led to the United States entry into World War IIbull Click for more detail - bull httpenwikipediaorgwikiAttack_on_Pearl_Harbor
Dancing in the Dark - Lyrics
bull Dancing in the dark til the tune endsWere dancing in the dark and it soon endsWere waltzing in the wonder of why were hereTime hurries by were here and were gone
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark
What - though love is oldWhat - though song is oldThrough them we can be young
bull Hear this heart of mineWailin all the timeDear one tell me that were one
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark dancing in the darkDancing in the dark
ldquoHeroesrdquo
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot
Background
Revision
Characters
Main characters
Other characters
FrancisNicole
Larry LaSalle
Plot
Full Plot Summary
Chapter 1
Chapter 17
Chapter 5
Chapter 9
Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16
Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12
Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8
Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4
Other Characters
Marie LaCroixMarie Lives in the same apartments as Francis and provides a link between Francis and NicoleMarie acts as a confidante for Francis as he reveals to her that he like NicoleTowards the end of the novel readers learn that Marie has continued to provide a link between the two as she has informed Nicole about Francisrsquo Silver Star for bravery
Other Characters
Sister Mathilde and Sister GertrudeSister Mathilde is a figure from Francisrsquo past who had an influence on him when he was at schoolFrancis visits her in Chapter 15 to ask for information about NicoleIt is significant that she reminds Francis that everyone has secrets Sister Gertrude was one of Francisrsquos teachersAs he prays in St Judersquos Church in Chapter 1 it is Sister Gerrudersquos words which come into his head
Other Characters
Uncle LouisUncle Louis cared for Francis after the death of his parentsIt is possible that Francis inherited his quiet personality from Uncle Louis who is described as lsquoa silent giant of a manrsquoAlthough he provided a home for Francis cooked his meals and gave him a weekly allowance he seldom spoke to him apart from asking about his day at school
Other Characters
Mr LaurierMr Laurier the owner of the drugstore is another figure from Francisrsquo past Francis enjoyed working in his store particularly stocking the candy cases It is a result of this job that Francis becomes closer to Nicole as she buys sweets ad talks to him about books Mr Laurierrsquos drugstore is a meeting point and an informal news centre for the people of FrenchtownHe comments significantly on the way young men are trained to kill People can keep up to date with the progress of the war as they read the newspapers or listen to his radio
Other Characters
Louis ArabelleLouise is Francisrsquo opponent in the final table tennis matchLouis lost the match ensuring that Francis won the championship
Other Characters
Norman Rocheleau Eddie Richards Erwin Eisenberg Blinky Chambers Jack Smith Sonny Orlandi Spooks Reilly Billy OrsquoBrien and Henry JohnsonAll of these were wartime comrade of Francis and with the exception of Norman Rocheleau were all members of his platoonThey are mentioned in Francisrsquo nightmare in Chapter 3 and all either dies or received injuries in the war When Francis considers what it means to be a hero in Chapter 17 these are the men he thinks about
Other Characters
Armand Telliere Joe LaFontaine George Richelieu The StranglerThese men are regulars at the St Jude Club where the war veterans meetThe Strangler is the bartended who keeps a scrapbook of Frenchtown heroes in which both Francis and Larry LaSalle figure
Francis - Family
bull Father (Lefty) ndash Mother - Raymond - Uncle Louis This is Francisrsquo family Raymond was his brother who died at birth and his mother died giving birth to Raymond Francis was six at the time His father died when he was a teenager and he goes to live with his Uncle Louis who obviously loved and cared for him but who was uncommunicative bull These characters showed us how Francis becomes an isolate a rather
rootless person without a close family that it is obvious he needs It is not surprising that he idolises Larry as a role model and that he wants to be close to Nicole and share his life with her He does not want to lose more people that he feels close to
Francis ndash Physical Injurybull Francis seems very open and matter of
fact about his injuries He mentions them in the very first sentence of the book bull His injury was caused by the act for
which he was awarded the silver star He threw himself on a grenade which saved the other members of his platoon bull At first his injuries isolate him from
other people Then he seems to use them as an excuse for hiding his identity bull Are his injuries also a reflection of the
psychological scars he has
QuotationsP 1 ldquoThe war is over and I have no facerdquo
P3 ldquoAnyway this gives you an idea of what I look like when I walk down the street People glance at me in surprise and look away quickly or cross the street when they see me coming I donrsquot blame themrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis idolizes Nicole from the first time he sees her He wants to dedicate himself to her to serve and protect her bull He is insecure and unable to speak
to her This is why he tells Marie LaCroix that he likes her ndash telling Marie not to say anything to Nicole while hoping that Marie will say something to her
QuotationsP 9 ldquoThe pale purity of her face reminded me of the statue of St Thereserdquo
P10 ldquoI knelt there like a knight at her feet her sword having touched my shoulder I silently pledged her my love and loyalty foreverrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Nicole is more mature than Francis and seems to know that he likes her In a way she teases him a littlebull Francis seems jealous of the physical
intimacy between Nicole and Larry while they are dancingbull Only lsquobeatingrsquo Larry at table tennis
gives Francis the confidence to ask Nicole to the cinema
QuotationsP 32 ldquoldquoHello Francisrdquo That same strange teasing in her voice that Irsquod heard when shersquod warned me about falling off the banisterrdquo
P42 ldquoJealousy streaked through me as Larry LaSalle tossed her in the airrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull When he wins the table tennis Nicole casts Francis in the role of her lsquochampionrsquo bull Francis still doesnrsquot ask her out and so
Nicole starts coming to Laurierrsquos drug store where he works After she tells him that she likes movies as well as book he finally asks her out bull Her reply ldquothat would be nicerdquo is
perfect because their relationship is nice ndash sweet and tender and to a large extent innocent
QuotationsP 48 ldquoshe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
P 53 rdquoThe earth paused in its orbitldquoThat would be nicerdquoshe said at lastrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis blames himself for what happened to Nicole when he left her with Larry bull Her reaction when she sees him
afterwards drives him to consider suicide and when he decides against this to change the date on his birth certificate and join the army
QuotationsP 69 ldquo I stood there thinking of what I had seen in Nicolersquos eyes Itrsquos amazing that the heart makes no noise when it cracksrdquo
P 72 ldquoFinally I asked ldquoWhat can I dordquoldquoPoor Francisrdquo she said at last But no pity in her voicerdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis cannot let go of Nicole Even though he knows she will not be there he goes to look at her old apartment in Frenchtownbull Even when he sees her after Larry
has killed himself and he knows they will never meet again he has to ask if he can see her sometimesbull At the end he must accept that he
will not see her again
QuotationsP 94 ldquordquoCan I come again sometimesrdquo I ask hating myself for asking because I know the answer ldquoOh Francisrdquo she says the words weighted with sadness I close my eyes clinging to the moment wanting to make it last forever ldquo
Chapter One
Francis introduces himself and his injuries Most of the chapter is told in the present tense He explains he has returned to his hometown of Frenchtown He takes a room in Mrs Belanderrsquos and deliberately lies to her to hide his identity Francis goes to St Judersquos Church to light a candle for his parents and for Larry LaSalle who he tells us he intends to kill He also mentions Nicole Renard for the first time
Chapter Two
In flashback ndash using past tense ndash Francis tells us about Nicole Her family moved from Albany in New York and she joined Francisrsquo school when they were in the seventh grade Francis worshipped her from the instant he saw her He told Marie LaCroix her friend that he liked her and told her not to tell Nicole even though he hopes that she would
Chapter Three
Francis visits the apartment where Nicole used to live The fact that the Renard nameplate has been removed confirms she has gone In flashback he remembers being in the army and meeting another boy from Frenchtown called Norman Rocheleau in France who told him that the Renards had left and nobody knew where they went Back in his apartment he remembers the first time he killed German soldiers who looked just as young as he was ndash he tells us that he was fifteen when he joined up The day after this was the day the grenade blew his face off
Chapter Four
On the way to the Wreck Centre Francis meets Arthur Rivier Arthur doesnrsquot recognize him bit can see that he is a veteran and so takes him to the St Judersquos club Many veterans in there are men Francis knows but nobody recognizes him They are all talking about the future and their plans and it seems as if Francis doesnrsquot belong there at all
Chapter Five
Francis introduces the story of the Wreck Centre He tells us how a bride was killed by her ex at a wedding reception there and so the place was closed down When it reopened Larry LaSalle came to run it He organized all of the children using it and ran art craft and sporting activities for them
Chapter Six
Francis returns to the St Judersquos Club to ask if anyone has seen Larry LaSalle The bartender nicknamed the Strangler because he used to be a wrestler has kept a scrap book of all the men in Frenchtown who served in the war It turns out that Larry LaSalle won a silver star ndash like Francis ndash for knocking out a machine gun nest Nobody has seen himArthur recognizes Francisrsquo voice but promises Francis to keep his identity secret
Chapter Seven
Flashback Larry tells Francis he should take up table tennis and he trains Francis to a good level of skill Francis wins a table tennis tournament which Larry stages The other kids want Francis to play Larry and Larry plays so skillfuly that although it looks as if he is trying his best he actually lets Francis win Nicole makes it very clear that she likes Francis when he wins and calls him her champion The day after the tournament Japan attacks the US naval base at Pearl Harbour
Chapter Eight
In a very short chapter Francis meets Arthur in an alleyway at night Arthur is very upset because nobody in the St Judersquos Club ever really talks about the war only about the future He tells Francis how scared he was all the time and says ldquowe werenrsquot heroes we were only thererdquo
Chapter Nine
Flashback Larry joins the army Nicole starts coming round to see Francis in Laurierrsquos Drug Store where he works They talk and when Nicole says that she likes movies as well as books he asks her to go to the cinema with himOne afternoon they see on a newsreel that Larry LaSalle has become a hero for knocking out an enemy machine gun nest
Chapter Ten
Francis tells us of the way a little boy was scared of his appearance in London when he was having surgery He tells us that he doesnrsquot care now so long as he carries out his self imposed mission to kill Larry He burns the card with the address of Dr Abrams of Kansas City who promised to operate on him again and do more plastic surgery Then he thinks back to the day that Larry came home before
Chapter Eleven
Flashback Larry has leave and comes home to Frenchtown There is a big civic reception for him then a party in the Wreck Centre Eventually just Francis Larry and Nicole remain Larry insists that Francis goes and leaves him and Nicole to have one more dance to the song ldquoDancing in the Darkrdquo Nicole doesnrsquot want Francis to go but he eventually does He waits in the porch and listens while Larry rapes Nicole
Chapter Twelve
FlashbackLarry left town suddenly Francis tries to find Nicole and when he does she says that she knows he was there and asks why he didnrsquot do anything Francis has no answer Later in the week Francis goes to church and considers jumping from the tower and committing suicide He decides not to because it would be a sin and decides to seek a noble death by joining the army He altered his birth certificate and joined up the next day
Chapter Thirteen
Francis learns that Larry has returned to town when he overhears Mrs Belander talking about it to a neighbour He learns that he seems to be injured because he walks slowly as if his legs hurt and he also learns where Larry is staying
Chapter Fourteen
Francis goes to see Larry LaSalle Larry seems pleased to see him He tells Francis that he has lsquojungle feverrsquo Itrsquos a wasting disease that is gradually killing him He calls Francis a hero Francis explains that he only fell on the grenade because he wanted to die he didnrsquot care about saving his platoon When he asks why Francis tells him he knew about what Larry did to Nicole Larry doesnrsquot deny it and in fact she wasnrsquot the only one When Francis takes out his gun so does Larry but makes it clear he will not hurt Francis In the end Francis leaves and he hears the sound of Larry shooting himself
Chapter Fifteen
Francis finds out where Nicole lives from Sister Mathilde his old teacher
Chapter Sixteen
Francis goes to see Nicole who is studying in a convent She knows that Larry is dead She apologises to Francis for what she said to him after what happened She realized it wasnrsquot his fault and went to his Unclersquos house to talk to him but hersquod already joined up They talk and Nicole says that she thinks she is getting better Francis aasks if there is any chance of them staying in touch but even though she doesnrsquot say no there isnrsquot Nicole suggests he should become a writer At the end of the chapter he leaves
Chapter Seventeen
The book ends with Francis sitting at the railway station leaving Frenchtown thinking about what he could do now and thinking about the kids who went away to war who were the real heroes
Background
Pearl Harbour
Dancing in the Dark
Fred Astaire
Inspiration for book
Pearl Harbour
bull The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United Statesnaval base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii on the morning of December 7 1941 (December 8 in Japan) The attack led to the United States entry into World War IIbull Click for more detail - bull httpenwikipediaorgwikiAttack_on_Pearl_Harbor
Dancing in the Dark - Lyrics
bull Dancing in the dark til the tune endsWere dancing in the dark and it soon endsWere waltzing in the wonder of why were hereTime hurries by were here and were gone
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark
What - though love is oldWhat - though song is oldThrough them we can be young
bull Hear this heart of mineWailin all the timeDear one tell me that were one
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark dancing in the darkDancing in the dark
Characters
Main characters
Other characters
FrancisNicole
Larry LaSalle
Plot
Full Plot Summary
Chapter 1
Chapter 17
Chapter 5
Chapter 9
Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16
Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12
Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8
Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4
Other Characters
Marie LaCroixMarie Lives in the same apartments as Francis and provides a link between Francis and NicoleMarie acts as a confidante for Francis as he reveals to her that he like NicoleTowards the end of the novel readers learn that Marie has continued to provide a link between the two as she has informed Nicole about Francisrsquo Silver Star for bravery
Other Characters
Sister Mathilde and Sister GertrudeSister Mathilde is a figure from Francisrsquo past who had an influence on him when he was at schoolFrancis visits her in Chapter 15 to ask for information about NicoleIt is significant that she reminds Francis that everyone has secrets Sister Gertrude was one of Francisrsquos teachersAs he prays in St Judersquos Church in Chapter 1 it is Sister Gerrudersquos words which come into his head
Other Characters
Uncle LouisUncle Louis cared for Francis after the death of his parentsIt is possible that Francis inherited his quiet personality from Uncle Louis who is described as lsquoa silent giant of a manrsquoAlthough he provided a home for Francis cooked his meals and gave him a weekly allowance he seldom spoke to him apart from asking about his day at school
Other Characters
Mr LaurierMr Laurier the owner of the drugstore is another figure from Francisrsquo past Francis enjoyed working in his store particularly stocking the candy cases It is a result of this job that Francis becomes closer to Nicole as she buys sweets ad talks to him about books Mr Laurierrsquos drugstore is a meeting point and an informal news centre for the people of FrenchtownHe comments significantly on the way young men are trained to kill People can keep up to date with the progress of the war as they read the newspapers or listen to his radio
Other Characters
Louis ArabelleLouise is Francisrsquo opponent in the final table tennis matchLouis lost the match ensuring that Francis won the championship
Other Characters
Norman Rocheleau Eddie Richards Erwin Eisenberg Blinky Chambers Jack Smith Sonny Orlandi Spooks Reilly Billy OrsquoBrien and Henry JohnsonAll of these were wartime comrade of Francis and with the exception of Norman Rocheleau were all members of his platoonThey are mentioned in Francisrsquo nightmare in Chapter 3 and all either dies or received injuries in the war When Francis considers what it means to be a hero in Chapter 17 these are the men he thinks about
Other Characters
Armand Telliere Joe LaFontaine George Richelieu The StranglerThese men are regulars at the St Jude Club where the war veterans meetThe Strangler is the bartended who keeps a scrapbook of Frenchtown heroes in which both Francis and Larry LaSalle figure
Francis - Family
bull Father (Lefty) ndash Mother - Raymond - Uncle Louis This is Francisrsquo family Raymond was his brother who died at birth and his mother died giving birth to Raymond Francis was six at the time His father died when he was a teenager and he goes to live with his Uncle Louis who obviously loved and cared for him but who was uncommunicative bull These characters showed us how Francis becomes an isolate a rather
rootless person without a close family that it is obvious he needs It is not surprising that he idolises Larry as a role model and that he wants to be close to Nicole and share his life with her He does not want to lose more people that he feels close to
Francis ndash Physical Injurybull Francis seems very open and matter of
fact about his injuries He mentions them in the very first sentence of the book bull His injury was caused by the act for
which he was awarded the silver star He threw himself on a grenade which saved the other members of his platoon bull At first his injuries isolate him from
other people Then he seems to use them as an excuse for hiding his identity bull Are his injuries also a reflection of the
psychological scars he has
QuotationsP 1 ldquoThe war is over and I have no facerdquo
P3 ldquoAnyway this gives you an idea of what I look like when I walk down the street People glance at me in surprise and look away quickly or cross the street when they see me coming I donrsquot blame themrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis idolizes Nicole from the first time he sees her He wants to dedicate himself to her to serve and protect her bull He is insecure and unable to speak
to her This is why he tells Marie LaCroix that he likes her ndash telling Marie not to say anything to Nicole while hoping that Marie will say something to her
QuotationsP 9 ldquoThe pale purity of her face reminded me of the statue of St Thereserdquo
P10 ldquoI knelt there like a knight at her feet her sword having touched my shoulder I silently pledged her my love and loyalty foreverrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Nicole is more mature than Francis and seems to know that he likes her In a way she teases him a littlebull Francis seems jealous of the physical
intimacy between Nicole and Larry while they are dancingbull Only lsquobeatingrsquo Larry at table tennis
gives Francis the confidence to ask Nicole to the cinema
QuotationsP 32 ldquoldquoHello Francisrdquo That same strange teasing in her voice that Irsquod heard when shersquod warned me about falling off the banisterrdquo
P42 ldquoJealousy streaked through me as Larry LaSalle tossed her in the airrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull When he wins the table tennis Nicole casts Francis in the role of her lsquochampionrsquo bull Francis still doesnrsquot ask her out and so
Nicole starts coming to Laurierrsquos drug store where he works After she tells him that she likes movies as well as book he finally asks her out bull Her reply ldquothat would be nicerdquo is
perfect because their relationship is nice ndash sweet and tender and to a large extent innocent
QuotationsP 48 ldquoshe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
P 53 rdquoThe earth paused in its orbitldquoThat would be nicerdquoshe said at lastrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis blames himself for what happened to Nicole when he left her with Larry bull Her reaction when she sees him
afterwards drives him to consider suicide and when he decides against this to change the date on his birth certificate and join the army
QuotationsP 69 ldquo I stood there thinking of what I had seen in Nicolersquos eyes Itrsquos amazing that the heart makes no noise when it cracksrdquo
P 72 ldquoFinally I asked ldquoWhat can I dordquoldquoPoor Francisrdquo she said at last But no pity in her voicerdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis cannot let go of Nicole Even though he knows she will not be there he goes to look at her old apartment in Frenchtownbull Even when he sees her after Larry
has killed himself and he knows they will never meet again he has to ask if he can see her sometimesbull At the end he must accept that he
will not see her again
QuotationsP 94 ldquordquoCan I come again sometimesrdquo I ask hating myself for asking because I know the answer ldquoOh Francisrdquo she says the words weighted with sadness I close my eyes clinging to the moment wanting to make it last forever ldquo
Chapter One
Francis introduces himself and his injuries Most of the chapter is told in the present tense He explains he has returned to his hometown of Frenchtown He takes a room in Mrs Belanderrsquos and deliberately lies to her to hide his identity Francis goes to St Judersquos Church to light a candle for his parents and for Larry LaSalle who he tells us he intends to kill He also mentions Nicole Renard for the first time
Chapter Two
In flashback ndash using past tense ndash Francis tells us about Nicole Her family moved from Albany in New York and she joined Francisrsquo school when they were in the seventh grade Francis worshipped her from the instant he saw her He told Marie LaCroix her friend that he liked her and told her not to tell Nicole even though he hopes that she would
Chapter Three
Francis visits the apartment where Nicole used to live The fact that the Renard nameplate has been removed confirms she has gone In flashback he remembers being in the army and meeting another boy from Frenchtown called Norman Rocheleau in France who told him that the Renards had left and nobody knew where they went Back in his apartment he remembers the first time he killed German soldiers who looked just as young as he was ndash he tells us that he was fifteen when he joined up The day after this was the day the grenade blew his face off
Chapter Four
On the way to the Wreck Centre Francis meets Arthur Rivier Arthur doesnrsquot recognize him bit can see that he is a veteran and so takes him to the St Judersquos club Many veterans in there are men Francis knows but nobody recognizes him They are all talking about the future and their plans and it seems as if Francis doesnrsquot belong there at all
Chapter Five
Francis introduces the story of the Wreck Centre He tells us how a bride was killed by her ex at a wedding reception there and so the place was closed down When it reopened Larry LaSalle came to run it He organized all of the children using it and ran art craft and sporting activities for them
Chapter Six
Francis returns to the St Judersquos Club to ask if anyone has seen Larry LaSalle The bartender nicknamed the Strangler because he used to be a wrestler has kept a scrap book of all the men in Frenchtown who served in the war It turns out that Larry LaSalle won a silver star ndash like Francis ndash for knocking out a machine gun nest Nobody has seen himArthur recognizes Francisrsquo voice but promises Francis to keep his identity secret
Chapter Seven
Flashback Larry tells Francis he should take up table tennis and he trains Francis to a good level of skill Francis wins a table tennis tournament which Larry stages The other kids want Francis to play Larry and Larry plays so skillfuly that although it looks as if he is trying his best he actually lets Francis win Nicole makes it very clear that she likes Francis when he wins and calls him her champion The day after the tournament Japan attacks the US naval base at Pearl Harbour
Chapter Eight
In a very short chapter Francis meets Arthur in an alleyway at night Arthur is very upset because nobody in the St Judersquos Club ever really talks about the war only about the future He tells Francis how scared he was all the time and says ldquowe werenrsquot heroes we were only thererdquo
Chapter Nine
Flashback Larry joins the army Nicole starts coming round to see Francis in Laurierrsquos Drug Store where he works They talk and when Nicole says that she likes movies as well as books he asks her to go to the cinema with himOne afternoon they see on a newsreel that Larry LaSalle has become a hero for knocking out an enemy machine gun nest
Chapter Ten
Francis tells us of the way a little boy was scared of his appearance in London when he was having surgery He tells us that he doesnrsquot care now so long as he carries out his self imposed mission to kill Larry He burns the card with the address of Dr Abrams of Kansas City who promised to operate on him again and do more plastic surgery Then he thinks back to the day that Larry came home before
Chapter Eleven
Flashback Larry has leave and comes home to Frenchtown There is a big civic reception for him then a party in the Wreck Centre Eventually just Francis Larry and Nicole remain Larry insists that Francis goes and leaves him and Nicole to have one more dance to the song ldquoDancing in the Darkrdquo Nicole doesnrsquot want Francis to go but he eventually does He waits in the porch and listens while Larry rapes Nicole
Chapter Twelve
FlashbackLarry left town suddenly Francis tries to find Nicole and when he does she says that she knows he was there and asks why he didnrsquot do anything Francis has no answer Later in the week Francis goes to church and considers jumping from the tower and committing suicide He decides not to because it would be a sin and decides to seek a noble death by joining the army He altered his birth certificate and joined up the next day
Chapter Thirteen
Francis learns that Larry has returned to town when he overhears Mrs Belander talking about it to a neighbour He learns that he seems to be injured because he walks slowly as if his legs hurt and he also learns where Larry is staying
Chapter Fourteen
Francis goes to see Larry LaSalle Larry seems pleased to see him He tells Francis that he has lsquojungle feverrsquo Itrsquos a wasting disease that is gradually killing him He calls Francis a hero Francis explains that he only fell on the grenade because he wanted to die he didnrsquot care about saving his platoon When he asks why Francis tells him he knew about what Larry did to Nicole Larry doesnrsquot deny it and in fact she wasnrsquot the only one When Francis takes out his gun so does Larry but makes it clear he will not hurt Francis In the end Francis leaves and he hears the sound of Larry shooting himself
Chapter Fifteen
Francis finds out where Nicole lives from Sister Mathilde his old teacher
Chapter Sixteen
Francis goes to see Nicole who is studying in a convent She knows that Larry is dead She apologises to Francis for what she said to him after what happened She realized it wasnrsquot his fault and went to his Unclersquos house to talk to him but hersquod already joined up They talk and Nicole says that she thinks she is getting better Francis aasks if there is any chance of them staying in touch but even though she doesnrsquot say no there isnrsquot Nicole suggests he should become a writer At the end of the chapter he leaves
Chapter Seventeen
The book ends with Francis sitting at the railway station leaving Frenchtown thinking about what he could do now and thinking about the kids who went away to war who were the real heroes
Background
Pearl Harbour
Dancing in the Dark
Fred Astaire
Inspiration for book
Pearl Harbour
bull The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United Statesnaval base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii on the morning of December 7 1941 (December 8 in Japan) The attack led to the United States entry into World War IIbull Click for more detail - bull httpenwikipediaorgwikiAttack_on_Pearl_Harbor
Dancing in the Dark - Lyrics
bull Dancing in the dark til the tune endsWere dancing in the dark and it soon endsWere waltzing in the wonder of why were hereTime hurries by were here and were gone
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark
What - though love is oldWhat - though song is oldThrough them we can be young
bull Hear this heart of mineWailin all the timeDear one tell me that were one
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark dancing in the darkDancing in the dark
Plot
Full Plot Summary
Chapter 1
Chapter 17
Chapter 5
Chapter 9
Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16
Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12
Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8
Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4
Other Characters
Marie LaCroixMarie Lives in the same apartments as Francis and provides a link between Francis and NicoleMarie acts as a confidante for Francis as he reveals to her that he like NicoleTowards the end of the novel readers learn that Marie has continued to provide a link between the two as she has informed Nicole about Francisrsquo Silver Star for bravery
Other Characters
Sister Mathilde and Sister GertrudeSister Mathilde is a figure from Francisrsquo past who had an influence on him when he was at schoolFrancis visits her in Chapter 15 to ask for information about NicoleIt is significant that she reminds Francis that everyone has secrets Sister Gertrude was one of Francisrsquos teachersAs he prays in St Judersquos Church in Chapter 1 it is Sister Gerrudersquos words which come into his head
Other Characters
Uncle LouisUncle Louis cared for Francis after the death of his parentsIt is possible that Francis inherited his quiet personality from Uncle Louis who is described as lsquoa silent giant of a manrsquoAlthough he provided a home for Francis cooked his meals and gave him a weekly allowance he seldom spoke to him apart from asking about his day at school
Other Characters
Mr LaurierMr Laurier the owner of the drugstore is another figure from Francisrsquo past Francis enjoyed working in his store particularly stocking the candy cases It is a result of this job that Francis becomes closer to Nicole as she buys sweets ad talks to him about books Mr Laurierrsquos drugstore is a meeting point and an informal news centre for the people of FrenchtownHe comments significantly on the way young men are trained to kill People can keep up to date with the progress of the war as they read the newspapers or listen to his radio
Other Characters
Louis ArabelleLouise is Francisrsquo opponent in the final table tennis matchLouis lost the match ensuring that Francis won the championship
Other Characters
Norman Rocheleau Eddie Richards Erwin Eisenberg Blinky Chambers Jack Smith Sonny Orlandi Spooks Reilly Billy OrsquoBrien and Henry JohnsonAll of these were wartime comrade of Francis and with the exception of Norman Rocheleau were all members of his platoonThey are mentioned in Francisrsquo nightmare in Chapter 3 and all either dies or received injuries in the war When Francis considers what it means to be a hero in Chapter 17 these are the men he thinks about
Other Characters
Armand Telliere Joe LaFontaine George Richelieu The StranglerThese men are regulars at the St Jude Club where the war veterans meetThe Strangler is the bartended who keeps a scrapbook of Frenchtown heroes in which both Francis and Larry LaSalle figure
Francis - Family
bull Father (Lefty) ndash Mother - Raymond - Uncle Louis This is Francisrsquo family Raymond was his brother who died at birth and his mother died giving birth to Raymond Francis was six at the time His father died when he was a teenager and he goes to live with his Uncle Louis who obviously loved and cared for him but who was uncommunicative bull These characters showed us how Francis becomes an isolate a rather
rootless person without a close family that it is obvious he needs It is not surprising that he idolises Larry as a role model and that he wants to be close to Nicole and share his life with her He does not want to lose more people that he feels close to
Francis ndash Physical Injurybull Francis seems very open and matter of
fact about his injuries He mentions them in the very first sentence of the book bull His injury was caused by the act for
which he was awarded the silver star He threw himself on a grenade which saved the other members of his platoon bull At first his injuries isolate him from
other people Then he seems to use them as an excuse for hiding his identity bull Are his injuries also a reflection of the
psychological scars he has
QuotationsP 1 ldquoThe war is over and I have no facerdquo
P3 ldquoAnyway this gives you an idea of what I look like when I walk down the street People glance at me in surprise and look away quickly or cross the street when they see me coming I donrsquot blame themrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis idolizes Nicole from the first time he sees her He wants to dedicate himself to her to serve and protect her bull He is insecure and unable to speak
to her This is why he tells Marie LaCroix that he likes her ndash telling Marie not to say anything to Nicole while hoping that Marie will say something to her
QuotationsP 9 ldquoThe pale purity of her face reminded me of the statue of St Thereserdquo
P10 ldquoI knelt there like a knight at her feet her sword having touched my shoulder I silently pledged her my love and loyalty foreverrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Nicole is more mature than Francis and seems to know that he likes her In a way she teases him a littlebull Francis seems jealous of the physical
intimacy between Nicole and Larry while they are dancingbull Only lsquobeatingrsquo Larry at table tennis
gives Francis the confidence to ask Nicole to the cinema
QuotationsP 32 ldquoldquoHello Francisrdquo That same strange teasing in her voice that Irsquod heard when shersquod warned me about falling off the banisterrdquo
P42 ldquoJealousy streaked through me as Larry LaSalle tossed her in the airrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull When he wins the table tennis Nicole casts Francis in the role of her lsquochampionrsquo bull Francis still doesnrsquot ask her out and so
Nicole starts coming to Laurierrsquos drug store where he works After she tells him that she likes movies as well as book he finally asks her out bull Her reply ldquothat would be nicerdquo is
perfect because their relationship is nice ndash sweet and tender and to a large extent innocent
QuotationsP 48 ldquoshe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
P 53 rdquoThe earth paused in its orbitldquoThat would be nicerdquoshe said at lastrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis blames himself for what happened to Nicole when he left her with Larry bull Her reaction when she sees him
afterwards drives him to consider suicide and when he decides against this to change the date on his birth certificate and join the army
QuotationsP 69 ldquo I stood there thinking of what I had seen in Nicolersquos eyes Itrsquos amazing that the heart makes no noise when it cracksrdquo
P 72 ldquoFinally I asked ldquoWhat can I dordquoldquoPoor Francisrdquo she said at last But no pity in her voicerdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis cannot let go of Nicole Even though he knows she will not be there he goes to look at her old apartment in Frenchtownbull Even when he sees her after Larry
has killed himself and he knows they will never meet again he has to ask if he can see her sometimesbull At the end he must accept that he
will not see her again
QuotationsP 94 ldquordquoCan I come again sometimesrdquo I ask hating myself for asking because I know the answer ldquoOh Francisrdquo she says the words weighted with sadness I close my eyes clinging to the moment wanting to make it last forever ldquo
Chapter One
Francis introduces himself and his injuries Most of the chapter is told in the present tense He explains he has returned to his hometown of Frenchtown He takes a room in Mrs Belanderrsquos and deliberately lies to her to hide his identity Francis goes to St Judersquos Church to light a candle for his parents and for Larry LaSalle who he tells us he intends to kill He also mentions Nicole Renard for the first time
Chapter Two
In flashback ndash using past tense ndash Francis tells us about Nicole Her family moved from Albany in New York and she joined Francisrsquo school when they were in the seventh grade Francis worshipped her from the instant he saw her He told Marie LaCroix her friend that he liked her and told her not to tell Nicole even though he hopes that she would
Chapter Three
Francis visits the apartment where Nicole used to live The fact that the Renard nameplate has been removed confirms she has gone In flashback he remembers being in the army and meeting another boy from Frenchtown called Norman Rocheleau in France who told him that the Renards had left and nobody knew where they went Back in his apartment he remembers the first time he killed German soldiers who looked just as young as he was ndash he tells us that he was fifteen when he joined up The day after this was the day the grenade blew his face off
Chapter Four
On the way to the Wreck Centre Francis meets Arthur Rivier Arthur doesnrsquot recognize him bit can see that he is a veteran and so takes him to the St Judersquos club Many veterans in there are men Francis knows but nobody recognizes him They are all talking about the future and their plans and it seems as if Francis doesnrsquot belong there at all
Chapter Five
Francis introduces the story of the Wreck Centre He tells us how a bride was killed by her ex at a wedding reception there and so the place was closed down When it reopened Larry LaSalle came to run it He organized all of the children using it and ran art craft and sporting activities for them
Chapter Six
Francis returns to the St Judersquos Club to ask if anyone has seen Larry LaSalle The bartender nicknamed the Strangler because he used to be a wrestler has kept a scrap book of all the men in Frenchtown who served in the war It turns out that Larry LaSalle won a silver star ndash like Francis ndash for knocking out a machine gun nest Nobody has seen himArthur recognizes Francisrsquo voice but promises Francis to keep his identity secret
Chapter Seven
Flashback Larry tells Francis he should take up table tennis and he trains Francis to a good level of skill Francis wins a table tennis tournament which Larry stages The other kids want Francis to play Larry and Larry plays so skillfuly that although it looks as if he is trying his best he actually lets Francis win Nicole makes it very clear that she likes Francis when he wins and calls him her champion The day after the tournament Japan attacks the US naval base at Pearl Harbour
Chapter Eight
In a very short chapter Francis meets Arthur in an alleyway at night Arthur is very upset because nobody in the St Judersquos Club ever really talks about the war only about the future He tells Francis how scared he was all the time and says ldquowe werenrsquot heroes we were only thererdquo
Chapter Nine
Flashback Larry joins the army Nicole starts coming round to see Francis in Laurierrsquos Drug Store where he works They talk and when Nicole says that she likes movies as well as books he asks her to go to the cinema with himOne afternoon they see on a newsreel that Larry LaSalle has become a hero for knocking out an enemy machine gun nest
Chapter Ten
Francis tells us of the way a little boy was scared of his appearance in London when he was having surgery He tells us that he doesnrsquot care now so long as he carries out his self imposed mission to kill Larry He burns the card with the address of Dr Abrams of Kansas City who promised to operate on him again and do more plastic surgery Then he thinks back to the day that Larry came home before
Chapter Eleven
Flashback Larry has leave and comes home to Frenchtown There is a big civic reception for him then a party in the Wreck Centre Eventually just Francis Larry and Nicole remain Larry insists that Francis goes and leaves him and Nicole to have one more dance to the song ldquoDancing in the Darkrdquo Nicole doesnrsquot want Francis to go but he eventually does He waits in the porch and listens while Larry rapes Nicole
Chapter Twelve
FlashbackLarry left town suddenly Francis tries to find Nicole and when he does she says that she knows he was there and asks why he didnrsquot do anything Francis has no answer Later in the week Francis goes to church and considers jumping from the tower and committing suicide He decides not to because it would be a sin and decides to seek a noble death by joining the army He altered his birth certificate and joined up the next day
Chapter Thirteen
Francis learns that Larry has returned to town when he overhears Mrs Belander talking about it to a neighbour He learns that he seems to be injured because he walks slowly as if his legs hurt and he also learns where Larry is staying
Chapter Fourteen
Francis goes to see Larry LaSalle Larry seems pleased to see him He tells Francis that he has lsquojungle feverrsquo Itrsquos a wasting disease that is gradually killing him He calls Francis a hero Francis explains that he only fell on the grenade because he wanted to die he didnrsquot care about saving his platoon When he asks why Francis tells him he knew about what Larry did to Nicole Larry doesnrsquot deny it and in fact she wasnrsquot the only one When Francis takes out his gun so does Larry but makes it clear he will not hurt Francis In the end Francis leaves and he hears the sound of Larry shooting himself
Chapter Fifteen
Francis finds out where Nicole lives from Sister Mathilde his old teacher
Chapter Sixteen
Francis goes to see Nicole who is studying in a convent She knows that Larry is dead She apologises to Francis for what she said to him after what happened She realized it wasnrsquot his fault and went to his Unclersquos house to talk to him but hersquod already joined up They talk and Nicole says that she thinks she is getting better Francis aasks if there is any chance of them staying in touch but even though she doesnrsquot say no there isnrsquot Nicole suggests he should become a writer At the end of the chapter he leaves
Chapter Seventeen
The book ends with Francis sitting at the railway station leaving Frenchtown thinking about what he could do now and thinking about the kids who went away to war who were the real heroes
Background
Pearl Harbour
Dancing in the Dark
Fred Astaire
Inspiration for book
Pearl Harbour
bull The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United Statesnaval base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii on the morning of December 7 1941 (December 8 in Japan) The attack led to the United States entry into World War IIbull Click for more detail - bull httpenwikipediaorgwikiAttack_on_Pearl_Harbor
Dancing in the Dark - Lyrics
bull Dancing in the dark til the tune endsWere dancing in the dark and it soon endsWere waltzing in the wonder of why were hereTime hurries by were here and were gone
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark
What - though love is oldWhat - though song is oldThrough them we can be young
bull Hear this heart of mineWailin all the timeDear one tell me that were one
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark dancing in the darkDancing in the dark
Other Characters
Marie LaCroixMarie Lives in the same apartments as Francis and provides a link between Francis and NicoleMarie acts as a confidante for Francis as he reveals to her that he like NicoleTowards the end of the novel readers learn that Marie has continued to provide a link between the two as she has informed Nicole about Francisrsquo Silver Star for bravery
Other Characters
Sister Mathilde and Sister GertrudeSister Mathilde is a figure from Francisrsquo past who had an influence on him when he was at schoolFrancis visits her in Chapter 15 to ask for information about NicoleIt is significant that she reminds Francis that everyone has secrets Sister Gertrude was one of Francisrsquos teachersAs he prays in St Judersquos Church in Chapter 1 it is Sister Gerrudersquos words which come into his head
Other Characters
Uncle LouisUncle Louis cared for Francis after the death of his parentsIt is possible that Francis inherited his quiet personality from Uncle Louis who is described as lsquoa silent giant of a manrsquoAlthough he provided a home for Francis cooked his meals and gave him a weekly allowance he seldom spoke to him apart from asking about his day at school
Other Characters
Mr LaurierMr Laurier the owner of the drugstore is another figure from Francisrsquo past Francis enjoyed working in his store particularly stocking the candy cases It is a result of this job that Francis becomes closer to Nicole as she buys sweets ad talks to him about books Mr Laurierrsquos drugstore is a meeting point and an informal news centre for the people of FrenchtownHe comments significantly on the way young men are trained to kill People can keep up to date with the progress of the war as they read the newspapers or listen to his radio
Other Characters
Louis ArabelleLouise is Francisrsquo opponent in the final table tennis matchLouis lost the match ensuring that Francis won the championship
Other Characters
Norman Rocheleau Eddie Richards Erwin Eisenberg Blinky Chambers Jack Smith Sonny Orlandi Spooks Reilly Billy OrsquoBrien and Henry JohnsonAll of these were wartime comrade of Francis and with the exception of Norman Rocheleau were all members of his platoonThey are mentioned in Francisrsquo nightmare in Chapter 3 and all either dies or received injuries in the war When Francis considers what it means to be a hero in Chapter 17 these are the men he thinks about
Other Characters
Armand Telliere Joe LaFontaine George Richelieu The StranglerThese men are regulars at the St Jude Club where the war veterans meetThe Strangler is the bartended who keeps a scrapbook of Frenchtown heroes in which both Francis and Larry LaSalle figure
Francis - Family
bull Father (Lefty) ndash Mother - Raymond - Uncle Louis This is Francisrsquo family Raymond was his brother who died at birth and his mother died giving birth to Raymond Francis was six at the time His father died when he was a teenager and he goes to live with his Uncle Louis who obviously loved and cared for him but who was uncommunicative bull These characters showed us how Francis becomes an isolate a rather
rootless person without a close family that it is obvious he needs It is not surprising that he idolises Larry as a role model and that he wants to be close to Nicole and share his life with her He does not want to lose more people that he feels close to
Francis ndash Physical Injurybull Francis seems very open and matter of
fact about his injuries He mentions them in the very first sentence of the book bull His injury was caused by the act for
which he was awarded the silver star He threw himself on a grenade which saved the other members of his platoon bull At first his injuries isolate him from
other people Then he seems to use them as an excuse for hiding his identity bull Are his injuries also a reflection of the
psychological scars he has
QuotationsP 1 ldquoThe war is over and I have no facerdquo
P3 ldquoAnyway this gives you an idea of what I look like when I walk down the street People glance at me in surprise and look away quickly or cross the street when they see me coming I donrsquot blame themrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis idolizes Nicole from the first time he sees her He wants to dedicate himself to her to serve and protect her bull He is insecure and unable to speak
to her This is why he tells Marie LaCroix that he likes her ndash telling Marie not to say anything to Nicole while hoping that Marie will say something to her
QuotationsP 9 ldquoThe pale purity of her face reminded me of the statue of St Thereserdquo
P10 ldquoI knelt there like a knight at her feet her sword having touched my shoulder I silently pledged her my love and loyalty foreverrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Nicole is more mature than Francis and seems to know that he likes her In a way she teases him a littlebull Francis seems jealous of the physical
intimacy between Nicole and Larry while they are dancingbull Only lsquobeatingrsquo Larry at table tennis
gives Francis the confidence to ask Nicole to the cinema
QuotationsP 32 ldquoldquoHello Francisrdquo That same strange teasing in her voice that Irsquod heard when shersquod warned me about falling off the banisterrdquo
P42 ldquoJealousy streaked through me as Larry LaSalle tossed her in the airrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull When he wins the table tennis Nicole casts Francis in the role of her lsquochampionrsquo bull Francis still doesnrsquot ask her out and so
Nicole starts coming to Laurierrsquos drug store where he works After she tells him that she likes movies as well as book he finally asks her out bull Her reply ldquothat would be nicerdquo is
perfect because their relationship is nice ndash sweet and tender and to a large extent innocent
QuotationsP 48 ldquoshe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
P 53 rdquoThe earth paused in its orbitldquoThat would be nicerdquoshe said at lastrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis blames himself for what happened to Nicole when he left her with Larry bull Her reaction when she sees him
afterwards drives him to consider suicide and when he decides against this to change the date on his birth certificate and join the army
QuotationsP 69 ldquo I stood there thinking of what I had seen in Nicolersquos eyes Itrsquos amazing that the heart makes no noise when it cracksrdquo
P 72 ldquoFinally I asked ldquoWhat can I dordquoldquoPoor Francisrdquo she said at last But no pity in her voicerdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis cannot let go of Nicole Even though he knows she will not be there he goes to look at her old apartment in Frenchtownbull Even when he sees her after Larry
has killed himself and he knows they will never meet again he has to ask if he can see her sometimesbull At the end he must accept that he
will not see her again
QuotationsP 94 ldquordquoCan I come again sometimesrdquo I ask hating myself for asking because I know the answer ldquoOh Francisrdquo she says the words weighted with sadness I close my eyes clinging to the moment wanting to make it last forever ldquo
Chapter One
Francis introduces himself and his injuries Most of the chapter is told in the present tense He explains he has returned to his hometown of Frenchtown He takes a room in Mrs Belanderrsquos and deliberately lies to her to hide his identity Francis goes to St Judersquos Church to light a candle for his parents and for Larry LaSalle who he tells us he intends to kill He also mentions Nicole Renard for the first time
Chapter Two
In flashback ndash using past tense ndash Francis tells us about Nicole Her family moved from Albany in New York and she joined Francisrsquo school when they were in the seventh grade Francis worshipped her from the instant he saw her He told Marie LaCroix her friend that he liked her and told her not to tell Nicole even though he hopes that she would
Chapter Three
Francis visits the apartment where Nicole used to live The fact that the Renard nameplate has been removed confirms she has gone In flashback he remembers being in the army and meeting another boy from Frenchtown called Norman Rocheleau in France who told him that the Renards had left and nobody knew where they went Back in his apartment he remembers the first time he killed German soldiers who looked just as young as he was ndash he tells us that he was fifteen when he joined up The day after this was the day the grenade blew his face off
Chapter Four
On the way to the Wreck Centre Francis meets Arthur Rivier Arthur doesnrsquot recognize him bit can see that he is a veteran and so takes him to the St Judersquos club Many veterans in there are men Francis knows but nobody recognizes him They are all talking about the future and their plans and it seems as if Francis doesnrsquot belong there at all
Chapter Five
Francis introduces the story of the Wreck Centre He tells us how a bride was killed by her ex at a wedding reception there and so the place was closed down When it reopened Larry LaSalle came to run it He organized all of the children using it and ran art craft and sporting activities for them
Chapter Six
Francis returns to the St Judersquos Club to ask if anyone has seen Larry LaSalle The bartender nicknamed the Strangler because he used to be a wrestler has kept a scrap book of all the men in Frenchtown who served in the war It turns out that Larry LaSalle won a silver star ndash like Francis ndash for knocking out a machine gun nest Nobody has seen himArthur recognizes Francisrsquo voice but promises Francis to keep his identity secret
Chapter Seven
Flashback Larry tells Francis he should take up table tennis and he trains Francis to a good level of skill Francis wins a table tennis tournament which Larry stages The other kids want Francis to play Larry and Larry plays so skillfuly that although it looks as if he is trying his best he actually lets Francis win Nicole makes it very clear that she likes Francis when he wins and calls him her champion The day after the tournament Japan attacks the US naval base at Pearl Harbour
Chapter Eight
In a very short chapter Francis meets Arthur in an alleyway at night Arthur is very upset because nobody in the St Judersquos Club ever really talks about the war only about the future He tells Francis how scared he was all the time and says ldquowe werenrsquot heroes we were only thererdquo
Chapter Nine
Flashback Larry joins the army Nicole starts coming round to see Francis in Laurierrsquos Drug Store where he works They talk and when Nicole says that she likes movies as well as books he asks her to go to the cinema with himOne afternoon they see on a newsreel that Larry LaSalle has become a hero for knocking out an enemy machine gun nest
Chapter Ten
Francis tells us of the way a little boy was scared of his appearance in London when he was having surgery He tells us that he doesnrsquot care now so long as he carries out his self imposed mission to kill Larry He burns the card with the address of Dr Abrams of Kansas City who promised to operate on him again and do more plastic surgery Then he thinks back to the day that Larry came home before
Chapter Eleven
Flashback Larry has leave and comes home to Frenchtown There is a big civic reception for him then a party in the Wreck Centre Eventually just Francis Larry and Nicole remain Larry insists that Francis goes and leaves him and Nicole to have one more dance to the song ldquoDancing in the Darkrdquo Nicole doesnrsquot want Francis to go but he eventually does He waits in the porch and listens while Larry rapes Nicole
Chapter Twelve
FlashbackLarry left town suddenly Francis tries to find Nicole and when he does she says that she knows he was there and asks why he didnrsquot do anything Francis has no answer Later in the week Francis goes to church and considers jumping from the tower and committing suicide He decides not to because it would be a sin and decides to seek a noble death by joining the army He altered his birth certificate and joined up the next day
Chapter Thirteen
Francis learns that Larry has returned to town when he overhears Mrs Belander talking about it to a neighbour He learns that he seems to be injured because he walks slowly as if his legs hurt and he also learns where Larry is staying
Chapter Fourteen
Francis goes to see Larry LaSalle Larry seems pleased to see him He tells Francis that he has lsquojungle feverrsquo Itrsquos a wasting disease that is gradually killing him He calls Francis a hero Francis explains that he only fell on the grenade because he wanted to die he didnrsquot care about saving his platoon When he asks why Francis tells him he knew about what Larry did to Nicole Larry doesnrsquot deny it and in fact she wasnrsquot the only one When Francis takes out his gun so does Larry but makes it clear he will not hurt Francis In the end Francis leaves and he hears the sound of Larry shooting himself
Chapter Fifteen
Francis finds out where Nicole lives from Sister Mathilde his old teacher
Chapter Sixteen
Francis goes to see Nicole who is studying in a convent She knows that Larry is dead She apologises to Francis for what she said to him after what happened She realized it wasnrsquot his fault and went to his Unclersquos house to talk to him but hersquod already joined up They talk and Nicole says that she thinks she is getting better Francis aasks if there is any chance of them staying in touch but even though she doesnrsquot say no there isnrsquot Nicole suggests he should become a writer At the end of the chapter he leaves
Chapter Seventeen
The book ends with Francis sitting at the railway station leaving Frenchtown thinking about what he could do now and thinking about the kids who went away to war who were the real heroes
Background
Pearl Harbour
Dancing in the Dark
Fred Astaire
Inspiration for book
Pearl Harbour
bull The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United Statesnaval base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii on the morning of December 7 1941 (December 8 in Japan) The attack led to the United States entry into World War IIbull Click for more detail - bull httpenwikipediaorgwikiAttack_on_Pearl_Harbor
Dancing in the Dark - Lyrics
bull Dancing in the dark til the tune endsWere dancing in the dark and it soon endsWere waltzing in the wonder of why were hereTime hurries by were here and were gone
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark
What - though love is oldWhat - though song is oldThrough them we can be young
bull Hear this heart of mineWailin all the timeDear one tell me that were one
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark dancing in the darkDancing in the dark
Other Characters
Sister Mathilde and Sister GertrudeSister Mathilde is a figure from Francisrsquo past who had an influence on him when he was at schoolFrancis visits her in Chapter 15 to ask for information about NicoleIt is significant that she reminds Francis that everyone has secrets Sister Gertrude was one of Francisrsquos teachersAs he prays in St Judersquos Church in Chapter 1 it is Sister Gerrudersquos words which come into his head
Other Characters
Uncle LouisUncle Louis cared for Francis after the death of his parentsIt is possible that Francis inherited his quiet personality from Uncle Louis who is described as lsquoa silent giant of a manrsquoAlthough he provided a home for Francis cooked his meals and gave him a weekly allowance he seldom spoke to him apart from asking about his day at school
Other Characters
Mr LaurierMr Laurier the owner of the drugstore is another figure from Francisrsquo past Francis enjoyed working in his store particularly stocking the candy cases It is a result of this job that Francis becomes closer to Nicole as she buys sweets ad talks to him about books Mr Laurierrsquos drugstore is a meeting point and an informal news centre for the people of FrenchtownHe comments significantly on the way young men are trained to kill People can keep up to date with the progress of the war as they read the newspapers or listen to his radio
Other Characters
Louis ArabelleLouise is Francisrsquo opponent in the final table tennis matchLouis lost the match ensuring that Francis won the championship
Other Characters
Norman Rocheleau Eddie Richards Erwin Eisenberg Blinky Chambers Jack Smith Sonny Orlandi Spooks Reilly Billy OrsquoBrien and Henry JohnsonAll of these were wartime comrade of Francis and with the exception of Norman Rocheleau were all members of his platoonThey are mentioned in Francisrsquo nightmare in Chapter 3 and all either dies or received injuries in the war When Francis considers what it means to be a hero in Chapter 17 these are the men he thinks about
Other Characters
Armand Telliere Joe LaFontaine George Richelieu The StranglerThese men are regulars at the St Jude Club where the war veterans meetThe Strangler is the bartended who keeps a scrapbook of Frenchtown heroes in which both Francis and Larry LaSalle figure
Francis - Family
bull Father (Lefty) ndash Mother - Raymond - Uncle Louis This is Francisrsquo family Raymond was his brother who died at birth and his mother died giving birth to Raymond Francis was six at the time His father died when he was a teenager and he goes to live with his Uncle Louis who obviously loved and cared for him but who was uncommunicative bull These characters showed us how Francis becomes an isolate a rather
rootless person without a close family that it is obvious he needs It is not surprising that he idolises Larry as a role model and that he wants to be close to Nicole and share his life with her He does not want to lose more people that he feels close to
Francis ndash Physical Injurybull Francis seems very open and matter of
fact about his injuries He mentions them in the very first sentence of the book bull His injury was caused by the act for
which he was awarded the silver star He threw himself on a grenade which saved the other members of his platoon bull At first his injuries isolate him from
other people Then he seems to use them as an excuse for hiding his identity bull Are his injuries also a reflection of the
psychological scars he has
QuotationsP 1 ldquoThe war is over and I have no facerdquo
P3 ldquoAnyway this gives you an idea of what I look like when I walk down the street People glance at me in surprise and look away quickly or cross the street when they see me coming I donrsquot blame themrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis idolizes Nicole from the first time he sees her He wants to dedicate himself to her to serve and protect her bull He is insecure and unable to speak
to her This is why he tells Marie LaCroix that he likes her ndash telling Marie not to say anything to Nicole while hoping that Marie will say something to her
QuotationsP 9 ldquoThe pale purity of her face reminded me of the statue of St Thereserdquo
P10 ldquoI knelt there like a knight at her feet her sword having touched my shoulder I silently pledged her my love and loyalty foreverrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Nicole is more mature than Francis and seems to know that he likes her In a way she teases him a littlebull Francis seems jealous of the physical
intimacy between Nicole and Larry while they are dancingbull Only lsquobeatingrsquo Larry at table tennis
gives Francis the confidence to ask Nicole to the cinema
QuotationsP 32 ldquoldquoHello Francisrdquo That same strange teasing in her voice that Irsquod heard when shersquod warned me about falling off the banisterrdquo
P42 ldquoJealousy streaked through me as Larry LaSalle tossed her in the airrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull When he wins the table tennis Nicole casts Francis in the role of her lsquochampionrsquo bull Francis still doesnrsquot ask her out and so
Nicole starts coming to Laurierrsquos drug store where he works After she tells him that she likes movies as well as book he finally asks her out bull Her reply ldquothat would be nicerdquo is
perfect because their relationship is nice ndash sweet and tender and to a large extent innocent
QuotationsP 48 ldquoshe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
P 53 rdquoThe earth paused in its orbitldquoThat would be nicerdquoshe said at lastrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis blames himself for what happened to Nicole when he left her with Larry bull Her reaction when she sees him
afterwards drives him to consider suicide and when he decides against this to change the date on his birth certificate and join the army
QuotationsP 69 ldquo I stood there thinking of what I had seen in Nicolersquos eyes Itrsquos amazing that the heart makes no noise when it cracksrdquo
P 72 ldquoFinally I asked ldquoWhat can I dordquoldquoPoor Francisrdquo she said at last But no pity in her voicerdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis cannot let go of Nicole Even though he knows she will not be there he goes to look at her old apartment in Frenchtownbull Even when he sees her after Larry
has killed himself and he knows they will never meet again he has to ask if he can see her sometimesbull At the end he must accept that he
will not see her again
QuotationsP 94 ldquordquoCan I come again sometimesrdquo I ask hating myself for asking because I know the answer ldquoOh Francisrdquo she says the words weighted with sadness I close my eyes clinging to the moment wanting to make it last forever ldquo
Chapter One
Francis introduces himself and his injuries Most of the chapter is told in the present tense He explains he has returned to his hometown of Frenchtown He takes a room in Mrs Belanderrsquos and deliberately lies to her to hide his identity Francis goes to St Judersquos Church to light a candle for his parents and for Larry LaSalle who he tells us he intends to kill He also mentions Nicole Renard for the first time
Chapter Two
In flashback ndash using past tense ndash Francis tells us about Nicole Her family moved from Albany in New York and she joined Francisrsquo school when they were in the seventh grade Francis worshipped her from the instant he saw her He told Marie LaCroix her friend that he liked her and told her not to tell Nicole even though he hopes that she would
Chapter Three
Francis visits the apartment where Nicole used to live The fact that the Renard nameplate has been removed confirms she has gone In flashback he remembers being in the army and meeting another boy from Frenchtown called Norman Rocheleau in France who told him that the Renards had left and nobody knew where they went Back in his apartment he remembers the first time he killed German soldiers who looked just as young as he was ndash he tells us that he was fifteen when he joined up The day after this was the day the grenade blew his face off
Chapter Four
On the way to the Wreck Centre Francis meets Arthur Rivier Arthur doesnrsquot recognize him bit can see that he is a veteran and so takes him to the St Judersquos club Many veterans in there are men Francis knows but nobody recognizes him They are all talking about the future and their plans and it seems as if Francis doesnrsquot belong there at all
Chapter Five
Francis introduces the story of the Wreck Centre He tells us how a bride was killed by her ex at a wedding reception there and so the place was closed down When it reopened Larry LaSalle came to run it He organized all of the children using it and ran art craft and sporting activities for them
Chapter Six
Francis returns to the St Judersquos Club to ask if anyone has seen Larry LaSalle The bartender nicknamed the Strangler because he used to be a wrestler has kept a scrap book of all the men in Frenchtown who served in the war It turns out that Larry LaSalle won a silver star ndash like Francis ndash for knocking out a machine gun nest Nobody has seen himArthur recognizes Francisrsquo voice but promises Francis to keep his identity secret
Chapter Seven
Flashback Larry tells Francis he should take up table tennis and he trains Francis to a good level of skill Francis wins a table tennis tournament which Larry stages The other kids want Francis to play Larry and Larry plays so skillfuly that although it looks as if he is trying his best he actually lets Francis win Nicole makes it very clear that she likes Francis when he wins and calls him her champion The day after the tournament Japan attacks the US naval base at Pearl Harbour
Chapter Eight
In a very short chapter Francis meets Arthur in an alleyway at night Arthur is very upset because nobody in the St Judersquos Club ever really talks about the war only about the future He tells Francis how scared he was all the time and says ldquowe werenrsquot heroes we were only thererdquo
Chapter Nine
Flashback Larry joins the army Nicole starts coming round to see Francis in Laurierrsquos Drug Store where he works They talk and when Nicole says that she likes movies as well as books he asks her to go to the cinema with himOne afternoon they see on a newsreel that Larry LaSalle has become a hero for knocking out an enemy machine gun nest
Chapter Ten
Francis tells us of the way a little boy was scared of his appearance in London when he was having surgery He tells us that he doesnrsquot care now so long as he carries out his self imposed mission to kill Larry He burns the card with the address of Dr Abrams of Kansas City who promised to operate on him again and do more plastic surgery Then he thinks back to the day that Larry came home before
Chapter Eleven
Flashback Larry has leave and comes home to Frenchtown There is a big civic reception for him then a party in the Wreck Centre Eventually just Francis Larry and Nicole remain Larry insists that Francis goes and leaves him and Nicole to have one more dance to the song ldquoDancing in the Darkrdquo Nicole doesnrsquot want Francis to go but he eventually does He waits in the porch and listens while Larry rapes Nicole
Chapter Twelve
FlashbackLarry left town suddenly Francis tries to find Nicole and when he does she says that she knows he was there and asks why he didnrsquot do anything Francis has no answer Later in the week Francis goes to church and considers jumping from the tower and committing suicide He decides not to because it would be a sin and decides to seek a noble death by joining the army He altered his birth certificate and joined up the next day
Chapter Thirteen
Francis learns that Larry has returned to town when he overhears Mrs Belander talking about it to a neighbour He learns that he seems to be injured because he walks slowly as if his legs hurt and he also learns where Larry is staying
Chapter Fourteen
Francis goes to see Larry LaSalle Larry seems pleased to see him He tells Francis that he has lsquojungle feverrsquo Itrsquos a wasting disease that is gradually killing him He calls Francis a hero Francis explains that he only fell on the grenade because he wanted to die he didnrsquot care about saving his platoon When he asks why Francis tells him he knew about what Larry did to Nicole Larry doesnrsquot deny it and in fact she wasnrsquot the only one When Francis takes out his gun so does Larry but makes it clear he will not hurt Francis In the end Francis leaves and he hears the sound of Larry shooting himself
Chapter Fifteen
Francis finds out where Nicole lives from Sister Mathilde his old teacher
Chapter Sixteen
Francis goes to see Nicole who is studying in a convent She knows that Larry is dead She apologises to Francis for what she said to him after what happened She realized it wasnrsquot his fault and went to his Unclersquos house to talk to him but hersquod already joined up They talk and Nicole says that she thinks she is getting better Francis aasks if there is any chance of them staying in touch but even though she doesnrsquot say no there isnrsquot Nicole suggests he should become a writer At the end of the chapter he leaves
Chapter Seventeen
The book ends with Francis sitting at the railway station leaving Frenchtown thinking about what he could do now and thinking about the kids who went away to war who were the real heroes
Background
Pearl Harbour
Dancing in the Dark
Fred Astaire
Inspiration for book
Pearl Harbour
bull The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United Statesnaval base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii on the morning of December 7 1941 (December 8 in Japan) The attack led to the United States entry into World War IIbull Click for more detail - bull httpenwikipediaorgwikiAttack_on_Pearl_Harbor
Dancing in the Dark - Lyrics
bull Dancing in the dark til the tune endsWere dancing in the dark and it soon endsWere waltzing in the wonder of why were hereTime hurries by were here and were gone
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark
What - though love is oldWhat - though song is oldThrough them we can be young
bull Hear this heart of mineWailin all the timeDear one tell me that were one
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark dancing in the darkDancing in the dark
Other Characters
Uncle LouisUncle Louis cared for Francis after the death of his parentsIt is possible that Francis inherited his quiet personality from Uncle Louis who is described as lsquoa silent giant of a manrsquoAlthough he provided a home for Francis cooked his meals and gave him a weekly allowance he seldom spoke to him apart from asking about his day at school
Other Characters
Mr LaurierMr Laurier the owner of the drugstore is another figure from Francisrsquo past Francis enjoyed working in his store particularly stocking the candy cases It is a result of this job that Francis becomes closer to Nicole as she buys sweets ad talks to him about books Mr Laurierrsquos drugstore is a meeting point and an informal news centre for the people of FrenchtownHe comments significantly on the way young men are trained to kill People can keep up to date with the progress of the war as they read the newspapers or listen to his radio
Other Characters
Louis ArabelleLouise is Francisrsquo opponent in the final table tennis matchLouis lost the match ensuring that Francis won the championship
Other Characters
Norman Rocheleau Eddie Richards Erwin Eisenberg Blinky Chambers Jack Smith Sonny Orlandi Spooks Reilly Billy OrsquoBrien and Henry JohnsonAll of these were wartime comrade of Francis and with the exception of Norman Rocheleau were all members of his platoonThey are mentioned in Francisrsquo nightmare in Chapter 3 and all either dies or received injuries in the war When Francis considers what it means to be a hero in Chapter 17 these are the men he thinks about
Other Characters
Armand Telliere Joe LaFontaine George Richelieu The StranglerThese men are regulars at the St Jude Club where the war veterans meetThe Strangler is the bartended who keeps a scrapbook of Frenchtown heroes in which both Francis and Larry LaSalle figure
Francis - Family
bull Father (Lefty) ndash Mother - Raymond - Uncle Louis This is Francisrsquo family Raymond was his brother who died at birth and his mother died giving birth to Raymond Francis was six at the time His father died when he was a teenager and he goes to live with his Uncle Louis who obviously loved and cared for him but who was uncommunicative bull These characters showed us how Francis becomes an isolate a rather
rootless person without a close family that it is obvious he needs It is not surprising that he idolises Larry as a role model and that he wants to be close to Nicole and share his life with her He does not want to lose more people that he feels close to
Francis ndash Physical Injurybull Francis seems very open and matter of
fact about his injuries He mentions them in the very first sentence of the book bull His injury was caused by the act for
which he was awarded the silver star He threw himself on a grenade which saved the other members of his platoon bull At first his injuries isolate him from
other people Then he seems to use them as an excuse for hiding his identity bull Are his injuries also a reflection of the
psychological scars he has
QuotationsP 1 ldquoThe war is over and I have no facerdquo
P3 ldquoAnyway this gives you an idea of what I look like when I walk down the street People glance at me in surprise and look away quickly or cross the street when they see me coming I donrsquot blame themrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis idolizes Nicole from the first time he sees her He wants to dedicate himself to her to serve and protect her bull He is insecure and unable to speak
to her This is why he tells Marie LaCroix that he likes her ndash telling Marie not to say anything to Nicole while hoping that Marie will say something to her
QuotationsP 9 ldquoThe pale purity of her face reminded me of the statue of St Thereserdquo
P10 ldquoI knelt there like a knight at her feet her sword having touched my shoulder I silently pledged her my love and loyalty foreverrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Nicole is more mature than Francis and seems to know that he likes her In a way she teases him a littlebull Francis seems jealous of the physical
intimacy between Nicole and Larry while they are dancingbull Only lsquobeatingrsquo Larry at table tennis
gives Francis the confidence to ask Nicole to the cinema
QuotationsP 32 ldquoldquoHello Francisrdquo That same strange teasing in her voice that Irsquod heard when shersquod warned me about falling off the banisterrdquo
P42 ldquoJealousy streaked through me as Larry LaSalle tossed her in the airrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull When he wins the table tennis Nicole casts Francis in the role of her lsquochampionrsquo bull Francis still doesnrsquot ask her out and so
Nicole starts coming to Laurierrsquos drug store where he works After she tells him that she likes movies as well as book he finally asks her out bull Her reply ldquothat would be nicerdquo is
perfect because their relationship is nice ndash sweet and tender and to a large extent innocent
QuotationsP 48 ldquoshe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
P 53 rdquoThe earth paused in its orbitldquoThat would be nicerdquoshe said at lastrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis blames himself for what happened to Nicole when he left her with Larry bull Her reaction when she sees him
afterwards drives him to consider suicide and when he decides against this to change the date on his birth certificate and join the army
QuotationsP 69 ldquo I stood there thinking of what I had seen in Nicolersquos eyes Itrsquos amazing that the heart makes no noise when it cracksrdquo
P 72 ldquoFinally I asked ldquoWhat can I dordquoldquoPoor Francisrdquo she said at last But no pity in her voicerdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis cannot let go of Nicole Even though he knows she will not be there he goes to look at her old apartment in Frenchtownbull Even when he sees her after Larry
has killed himself and he knows they will never meet again he has to ask if he can see her sometimesbull At the end he must accept that he
will not see her again
QuotationsP 94 ldquordquoCan I come again sometimesrdquo I ask hating myself for asking because I know the answer ldquoOh Francisrdquo she says the words weighted with sadness I close my eyes clinging to the moment wanting to make it last forever ldquo
Chapter One
Francis introduces himself and his injuries Most of the chapter is told in the present tense He explains he has returned to his hometown of Frenchtown He takes a room in Mrs Belanderrsquos and deliberately lies to her to hide his identity Francis goes to St Judersquos Church to light a candle for his parents and for Larry LaSalle who he tells us he intends to kill He also mentions Nicole Renard for the first time
Chapter Two
In flashback ndash using past tense ndash Francis tells us about Nicole Her family moved from Albany in New York and she joined Francisrsquo school when they were in the seventh grade Francis worshipped her from the instant he saw her He told Marie LaCroix her friend that he liked her and told her not to tell Nicole even though he hopes that she would
Chapter Three
Francis visits the apartment where Nicole used to live The fact that the Renard nameplate has been removed confirms she has gone In flashback he remembers being in the army and meeting another boy from Frenchtown called Norman Rocheleau in France who told him that the Renards had left and nobody knew where they went Back in his apartment he remembers the first time he killed German soldiers who looked just as young as he was ndash he tells us that he was fifteen when he joined up The day after this was the day the grenade blew his face off
Chapter Four
On the way to the Wreck Centre Francis meets Arthur Rivier Arthur doesnrsquot recognize him bit can see that he is a veteran and so takes him to the St Judersquos club Many veterans in there are men Francis knows but nobody recognizes him They are all talking about the future and their plans and it seems as if Francis doesnrsquot belong there at all
Chapter Five
Francis introduces the story of the Wreck Centre He tells us how a bride was killed by her ex at a wedding reception there and so the place was closed down When it reopened Larry LaSalle came to run it He organized all of the children using it and ran art craft and sporting activities for them
Chapter Six
Francis returns to the St Judersquos Club to ask if anyone has seen Larry LaSalle The bartender nicknamed the Strangler because he used to be a wrestler has kept a scrap book of all the men in Frenchtown who served in the war It turns out that Larry LaSalle won a silver star ndash like Francis ndash for knocking out a machine gun nest Nobody has seen himArthur recognizes Francisrsquo voice but promises Francis to keep his identity secret
Chapter Seven
Flashback Larry tells Francis he should take up table tennis and he trains Francis to a good level of skill Francis wins a table tennis tournament which Larry stages The other kids want Francis to play Larry and Larry plays so skillfuly that although it looks as if he is trying his best he actually lets Francis win Nicole makes it very clear that she likes Francis when he wins and calls him her champion The day after the tournament Japan attacks the US naval base at Pearl Harbour
Chapter Eight
In a very short chapter Francis meets Arthur in an alleyway at night Arthur is very upset because nobody in the St Judersquos Club ever really talks about the war only about the future He tells Francis how scared he was all the time and says ldquowe werenrsquot heroes we were only thererdquo
Chapter Nine
Flashback Larry joins the army Nicole starts coming round to see Francis in Laurierrsquos Drug Store where he works They talk and when Nicole says that she likes movies as well as books he asks her to go to the cinema with himOne afternoon they see on a newsreel that Larry LaSalle has become a hero for knocking out an enemy machine gun nest
Chapter Ten
Francis tells us of the way a little boy was scared of his appearance in London when he was having surgery He tells us that he doesnrsquot care now so long as he carries out his self imposed mission to kill Larry He burns the card with the address of Dr Abrams of Kansas City who promised to operate on him again and do more plastic surgery Then he thinks back to the day that Larry came home before
Chapter Eleven
Flashback Larry has leave and comes home to Frenchtown There is a big civic reception for him then a party in the Wreck Centre Eventually just Francis Larry and Nicole remain Larry insists that Francis goes and leaves him and Nicole to have one more dance to the song ldquoDancing in the Darkrdquo Nicole doesnrsquot want Francis to go but he eventually does He waits in the porch and listens while Larry rapes Nicole
Chapter Twelve
FlashbackLarry left town suddenly Francis tries to find Nicole and when he does she says that she knows he was there and asks why he didnrsquot do anything Francis has no answer Later in the week Francis goes to church and considers jumping from the tower and committing suicide He decides not to because it would be a sin and decides to seek a noble death by joining the army He altered his birth certificate and joined up the next day
Chapter Thirteen
Francis learns that Larry has returned to town when he overhears Mrs Belander talking about it to a neighbour He learns that he seems to be injured because he walks slowly as if his legs hurt and he also learns where Larry is staying
Chapter Fourteen
Francis goes to see Larry LaSalle Larry seems pleased to see him He tells Francis that he has lsquojungle feverrsquo Itrsquos a wasting disease that is gradually killing him He calls Francis a hero Francis explains that he only fell on the grenade because he wanted to die he didnrsquot care about saving his platoon When he asks why Francis tells him he knew about what Larry did to Nicole Larry doesnrsquot deny it and in fact she wasnrsquot the only one When Francis takes out his gun so does Larry but makes it clear he will not hurt Francis In the end Francis leaves and he hears the sound of Larry shooting himself
Chapter Fifteen
Francis finds out where Nicole lives from Sister Mathilde his old teacher
Chapter Sixteen
Francis goes to see Nicole who is studying in a convent She knows that Larry is dead She apologises to Francis for what she said to him after what happened She realized it wasnrsquot his fault and went to his Unclersquos house to talk to him but hersquod already joined up They talk and Nicole says that she thinks she is getting better Francis aasks if there is any chance of them staying in touch but even though she doesnrsquot say no there isnrsquot Nicole suggests he should become a writer At the end of the chapter he leaves
Chapter Seventeen
The book ends with Francis sitting at the railway station leaving Frenchtown thinking about what he could do now and thinking about the kids who went away to war who were the real heroes
Background
Pearl Harbour
Dancing in the Dark
Fred Astaire
Inspiration for book
Pearl Harbour
bull The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United Statesnaval base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii on the morning of December 7 1941 (December 8 in Japan) The attack led to the United States entry into World War IIbull Click for more detail - bull httpenwikipediaorgwikiAttack_on_Pearl_Harbor
Dancing in the Dark - Lyrics
bull Dancing in the dark til the tune endsWere dancing in the dark and it soon endsWere waltzing in the wonder of why were hereTime hurries by were here and were gone
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark
What - though love is oldWhat - though song is oldThrough them we can be young
bull Hear this heart of mineWailin all the timeDear one tell me that were one
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark dancing in the darkDancing in the dark
Other Characters
Mr LaurierMr Laurier the owner of the drugstore is another figure from Francisrsquo past Francis enjoyed working in his store particularly stocking the candy cases It is a result of this job that Francis becomes closer to Nicole as she buys sweets ad talks to him about books Mr Laurierrsquos drugstore is a meeting point and an informal news centre for the people of FrenchtownHe comments significantly on the way young men are trained to kill People can keep up to date with the progress of the war as they read the newspapers or listen to his radio
Other Characters
Louis ArabelleLouise is Francisrsquo opponent in the final table tennis matchLouis lost the match ensuring that Francis won the championship
Other Characters
Norman Rocheleau Eddie Richards Erwin Eisenberg Blinky Chambers Jack Smith Sonny Orlandi Spooks Reilly Billy OrsquoBrien and Henry JohnsonAll of these were wartime comrade of Francis and with the exception of Norman Rocheleau were all members of his platoonThey are mentioned in Francisrsquo nightmare in Chapter 3 and all either dies or received injuries in the war When Francis considers what it means to be a hero in Chapter 17 these are the men he thinks about
Other Characters
Armand Telliere Joe LaFontaine George Richelieu The StranglerThese men are regulars at the St Jude Club where the war veterans meetThe Strangler is the bartended who keeps a scrapbook of Frenchtown heroes in which both Francis and Larry LaSalle figure
Francis - Family
bull Father (Lefty) ndash Mother - Raymond - Uncle Louis This is Francisrsquo family Raymond was his brother who died at birth and his mother died giving birth to Raymond Francis was six at the time His father died when he was a teenager and he goes to live with his Uncle Louis who obviously loved and cared for him but who was uncommunicative bull These characters showed us how Francis becomes an isolate a rather
rootless person without a close family that it is obvious he needs It is not surprising that he idolises Larry as a role model and that he wants to be close to Nicole and share his life with her He does not want to lose more people that he feels close to
Francis ndash Physical Injurybull Francis seems very open and matter of
fact about his injuries He mentions them in the very first sentence of the book bull His injury was caused by the act for
which he was awarded the silver star He threw himself on a grenade which saved the other members of his platoon bull At first his injuries isolate him from
other people Then he seems to use them as an excuse for hiding his identity bull Are his injuries also a reflection of the
psychological scars he has
QuotationsP 1 ldquoThe war is over and I have no facerdquo
P3 ldquoAnyway this gives you an idea of what I look like when I walk down the street People glance at me in surprise and look away quickly or cross the street when they see me coming I donrsquot blame themrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis idolizes Nicole from the first time he sees her He wants to dedicate himself to her to serve and protect her bull He is insecure and unable to speak
to her This is why he tells Marie LaCroix that he likes her ndash telling Marie not to say anything to Nicole while hoping that Marie will say something to her
QuotationsP 9 ldquoThe pale purity of her face reminded me of the statue of St Thereserdquo
P10 ldquoI knelt there like a knight at her feet her sword having touched my shoulder I silently pledged her my love and loyalty foreverrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Nicole is more mature than Francis and seems to know that he likes her In a way she teases him a littlebull Francis seems jealous of the physical
intimacy between Nicole and Larry while they are dancingbull Only lsquobeatingrsquo Larry at table tennis
gives Francis the confidence to ask Nicole to the cinema
QuotationsP 32 ldquoldquoHello Francisrdquo That same strange teasing in her voice that Irsquod heard when shersquod warned me about falling off the banisterrdquo
P42 ldquoJealousy streaked through me as Larry LaSalle tossed her in the airrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull When he wins the table tennis Nicole casts Francis in the role of her lsquochampionrsquo bull Francis still doesnrsquot ask her out and so
Nicole starts coming to Laurierrsquos drug store where he works After she tells him that she likes movies as well as book he finally asks her out bull Her reply ldquothat would be nicerdquo is
perfect because their relationship is nice ndash sweet and tender and to a large extent innocent
QuotationsP 48 ldquoshe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
P 53 rdquoThe earth paused in its orbitldquoThat would be nicerdquoshe said at lastrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis blames himself for what happened to Nicole when he left her with Larry bull Her reaction when she sees him
afterwards drives him to consider suicide and when he decides against this to change the date on his birth certificate and join the army
QuotationsP 69 ldquo I stood there thinking of what I had seen in Nicolersquos eyes Itrsquos amazing that the heart makes no noise when it cracksrdquo
P 72 ldquoFinally I asked ldquoWhat can I dordquoldquoPoor Francisrdquo she said at last But no pity in her voicerdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis cannot let go of Nicole Even though he knows she will not be there he goes to look at her old apartment in Frenchtownbull Even when he sees her after Larry
has killed himself and he knows they will never meet again he has to ask if he can see her sometimesbull At the end he must accept that he
will not see her again
QuotationsP 94 ldquordquoCan I come again sometimesrdquo I ask hating myself for asking because I know the answer ldquoOh Francisrdquo she says the words weighted with sadness I close my eyes clinging to the moment wanting to make it last forever ldquo
Chapter One
Francis introduces himself and his injuries Most of the chapter is told in the present tense He explains he has returned to his hometown of Frenchtown He takes a room in Mrs Belanderrsquos and deliberately lies to her to hide his identity Francis goes to St Judersquos Church to light a candle for his parents and for Larry LaSalle who he tells us he intends to kill He also mentions Nicole Renard for the first time
Chapter Two
In flashback ndash using past tense ndash Francis tells us about Nicole Her family moved from Albany in New York and she joined Francisrsquo school when they were in the seventh grade Francis worshipped her from the instant he saw her He told Marie LaCroix her friend that he liked her and told her not to tell Nicole even though he hopes that she would
Chapter Three
Francis visits the apartment where Nicole used to live The fact that the Renard nameplate has been removed confirms she has gone In flashback he remembers being in the army and meeting another boy from Frenchtown called Norman Rocheleau in France who told him that the Renards had left and nobody knew where they went Back in his apartment he remembers the first time he killed German soldiers who looked just as young as he was ndash he tells us that he was fifteen when he joined up The day after this was the day the grenade blew his face off
Chapter Four
On the way to the Wreck Centre Francis meets Arthur Rivier Arthur doesnrsquot recognize him bit can see that he is a veteran and so takes him to the St Judersquos club Many veterans in there are men Francis knows but nobody recognizes him They are all talking about the future and their plans and it seems as if Francis doesnrsquot belong there at all
Chapter Five
Francis introduces the story of the Wreck Centre He tells us how a bride was killed by her ex at a wedding reception there and so the place was closed down When it reopened Larry LaSalle came to run it He organized all of the children using it and ran art craft and sporting activities for them
Chapter Six
Francis returns to the St Judersquos Club to ask if anyone has seen Larry LaSalle The bartender nicknamed the Strangler because he used to be a wrestler has kept a scrap book of all the men in Frenchtown who served in the war It turns out that Larry LaSalle won a silver star ndash like Francis ndash for knocking out a machine gun nest Nobody has seen himArthur recognizes Francisrsquo voice but promises Francis to keep his identity secret
Chapter Seven
Flashback Larry tells Francis he should take up table tennis and he trains Francis to a good level of skill Francis wins a table tennis tournament which Larry stages The other kids want Francis to play Larry and Larry plays so skillfuly that although it looks as if he is trying his best he actually lets Francis win Nicole makes it very clear that she likes Francis when he wins and calls him her champion The day after the tournament Japan attacks the US naval base at Pearl Harbour
Chapter Eight
In a very short chapter Francis meets Arthur in an alleyway at night Arthur is very upset because nobody in the St Judersquos Club ever really talks about the war only about the future He tells Francis how scared he was all the time and says ldquowe werenrsquot heroes we were only thererdquo
Chapter Nine
Flashback Larry joins the army Nicole starts coming round to see Francis in Laurierrsquos Drug Store where he works They talk and when Nicole says that she likes movies as well as books he asks her to go to the cinema with himOne afternoon they see on a newsreel that Larry LaSalle has become a hero for knocking out an enemy machine gun nest
Chapter Ten
Francis tells us of the way a little boy was scared of his appearance in London when he was having surgery He tells us that he doesnrsquot care now so long as he carries out his self imposed mission to kill Larry He burns the card with the address of Dr Abrams of Kansas City who promised to operate on him again and do more plastic surgery Then he thinks back to the day that Larry came home before
Chapter Eleven
Flashback Larry has leave and comes home to Frenchtown There is a big civic reception for him then a party in the Wreck Centre Eventually just Francis Larry and Nicole remain Larry insists that Francis goes and leaves him and Nicole to have one more dance to the song ldquoDancing in the Darkrdquo Nicole doesnrsquot want Francis to go but he eventually does He waits in the porch and listens while Larry rapes Nicole
Chapter Twelve
FlashbackLarry left town suddenly Francis tries to find Nicole and when he does she says that she knows he was there and asks why he didnrsquot do anything Francis has no answer Later in the week Francis goes to church and considers jumping from the tower and committing suicide He decides not to because it would be a sin and decides to seek a noble death by joining the army He altered his birth certificate and joined up the next day
Chapter Thirteen
Francis learns that Larry has returned to town when he overhears Mrs Belander talking about it to a neighbour He learns that he seems to be injured because he walks slowly as if his legs hurt and he also learns where Larry is staying
Chapter Fourteen
Francis goes to see Larry LaSalle Larry seems pleased to see him He tells Francis that he has lsquojungle feverrsquo Itrsquos a wasting disease that is gradually killing him He calls Francis a hero Francis explains that he only fell on the grenade because he wanted to die he didnrsquot care about saving his platoon When he asks why Francis tells him he knew about what Larry did to Nicole Larry doesnrsquot deny it and in fact she wasnrsquot the only one When Francis takes out his gun so does Larry but makes it clear he will not hurt Francis In the end Francis leaves and he hears the sound of Larry shooting himself
Chapter Fifteen
Francis finds out where Nicole lives from Sister Mathilde his old teacher
Chapter Sixteen
Francis goes to see Nicole who is studying in a convent She knows that Larry is dead She apologises to Francis for what she said to him after what happened She realized it wasnrsquot his fault and went to his Unclersquos house to talk to him but hersquod already joined up They talk and Nicole says that she thinks she is getting better Francis aasks if there is any chance of them staying in touch but even though she doesnrsquot say no there isnrsquot Nicole suggests he should become a writer At the end of the chapter he leaves
Chapter Seventeen
The book ends with Francis sitting at the railway station leaving Frenchtown thinking about what he could do now and thinking about the kids who went away to war who were the real heroes
Background
Pearl Harbour
Dancing in the Dark
Fred Astaire
Inspiration for book
Pearl Harbour
bull The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United Statesnaval base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii on the morning of December 7 1941 (December 8 in Japan) The attack led to the United States entry into World War IIbull Click for more detail - bull httpenwikipediaorgwikiAttack_on_Pearl_Harbor
Dancing in the Dark - Lyrics
bull Dancing in the dark til the tune endsWere dancing in the dark and it soon endsWere waltzing in the wonder of why were hereTime hurries by were here and were gone
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark
What - though love is oldWhat - though song is oldThrough them we can be young
bull Hear this heart of mineWailin all the timeDear one tell me that were one
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark dancing in the darkDancing in the dark
Other Characters
Louis ArabelleLouise is Francisrsquo opponent in the final table tennis matchLouis lost the match ensuring that Francis won the championship
Other Characters
Norman Rocheleau Eddie Richards Erwin Eisenberg Blinky Chambers Jack Smith Sonny Orlandi Spooks Reilly Billy OrsquoBrien and Henry JohnsonAll of these were wartime comrade of Francis and with the exception of Norman Rocheleau were all members of his platoonThey are mentioned in Francisrsquo nightmare in Chapter 3 and all either dies or received injuries in the war When Francis considers what it means to be a hero in Chapter 17 these are the men he thinks about
Other Characters
Armand Telliere Joe LaFontaine George Richelieu The StranglerThese men are regulars at the St Jude Club where the war veterans meetThe Strangler is the bartended who keeps a scrapbook of Frenchtown heroes in which both Francis and Larry LaSalle figure
Francis - Family
bull Father (Lefty) ndash Mother - Raymond - Uncle Louis This is Francisrsquo family Raymond was his brother who died at birth and his mother died giving birth to Raymond Francis was six at the time His father died when he was a teenager and he goes to live with his Uncle Louis who obviously loved and cared for him but who was uncommunicative bull These characters showed us how Francis becomes an isolate a rather
rootless person without a close family that it is obvious he needs It is not surprising that he idolises Larry as a role model and that he wants to be close to Nicole and share his life with her He does not want to lose more people that he feels close to
Francis ndash Physical Injurybull Francis seems very open and matter of
fact about his injuries He mentions them in the very first sentence of the book bull His injury was caused by the act for
which he was awarded the silver star He threw himself on a grenade which saved the other members of his platoon bull At first his injuries isolate him from
other people Then he seems to use them as an excuse for hiding his identity bull Are his injuries also a reflection of the
psychological scars he has
QuotationsP 1 ldquoThe war is over and I have no facerdquo
P3 ldquoAnyway this gives you an idea of what I look like when I walk down the street People glance at me in surprise and look away quickly or cross the street when they see me coming I donrsquot blame themrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis idolizes Nicole from the first time he sees her He wants to dedicate himself to her to serve and protect her bull He is insecure and unable to speak
to her This is why he tells Marie LaCroix that he likes her ndash telling Marie not to say anything to Nicole while hoping that Marie will say something to her
QuotationsP 9 ldquoThe pale purity of her face reminded me of the statue of St Thereserdquo
P10 ldquoI knelt there like a knight at her feet her sword having touched my shoulder I silently pledged her my love and loyalty foreverrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Nicole is more mature than Francis and seems to know that he likes her In a way she teases him a littlebull Francis seems jealous of the physical
intimacy between Nicole and Larry while they are dancingbull Only lsquobeatingrsquo Larry at table tennis
gives Francis the confidence to ask Nicole to the cinema
QuotationsP 32 ldquoldquoHello Francisrdquo That same strange teasing in her voice that Irsquod heard when shersquod warned me about falling off the banisterrdquo
P42 ldquoJealousy streaked through me as Larry LaSalle tossed her in the airrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull When he wins the table tennis Nicole casts Francis in the role of her lsquochampionrsquo bull Francis still doesnrsquot ask her out and so
Nicole starts coming to Laurierrsquos drug store where he works After she tells him that she likes movies as well as book he finally asks her out bull Her reply ldquothat would be nicerdquo is
perfect because their relationship is nice ndash sweet and tender and to a large extent innocent
QuotationsP 48 ldquoshe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
P 53 rdquoThe earth paused in its orbitldquoThat would be nicerdquoshe said at lastrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis blames himself for what happened to Nicole when he left her with Larry bull Her reaction when she sees him
afterwards drives him to consider suicide and when he decides against this to change the date on his birth certificate and join the army
QuotationsP 69 ldquo I stood there thinking of what I had seen in Nicolersquos eyes Itrsquos amazing that the heart makes no noise when it cracksrdquo
P 72 ldquoFinally I asked ldquoWhat can I dordquoldquoPoor Francisrdquo she said at last But no pity in her voicerdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis cannot let go of Nicole Even though he knows she will not be there he goes to look at her old apartment in Frenchtownbull Even when he sees her after Larry
has killed himself and he knows they will never meet again he has to ask if he can see her sometimesbull At the end he must accept that he
will not see her again
QuotationsP 94 ldquordquoCan I come again sometimesrdquo I ask hating myself for asking because I know the answer ldquoOh Francisrdquo she says the words weighted with sadness I close my eyes clinging to the moment wanting to make it last forever ldquo
Chapter One
Francis introduces himself and his injuries Most of the chapter is told in the present tense He explains he has returned to his hometown of Frenchtown He takes a room in Mrs Belanderrsquos and deliberately lies to her to hide his identity Francis goes to St Judersquos Church to light a candle for his parents and for Larry LaSalle who he tells us he intends to kill He also mentions Nicole Renard for the first time
Chapter Two
In flashback ndash using past tense ndash Francis tells us about Nicole Her family moved from Albany in New York and she joined Francisrsquo school when they were in the seventh grade Francis worshipped her from the instant he saw her He told Marie LaCroix her friend that he liked her and told her not to tell Nicole even though he hopes that she would
Chapter Three
Francis visits the apartment where Nicole used to live The fact that the Renard nameplate has been removed confirms she has gone In flashback he remembers being in the army and meeting another boy from Frenchtown called Norman Rocheleau in France who told him that the Renards had left and nobody knew where they went Back in his apartment he remembers the first time he killed German soldiers who looked just as young as he was ndash he tells us that he was fifteen when he joined up The day after this was the day the grenade blew his face off
Chapter Four
On the way to the Wreck Centre Francis meets Arthur Rivier Arthur doesnrsquot recognize him bit can see that he is a veteran and so takes him to the St Judersquos club Many veterans in there are men Francis knows but nobody recognizes him They are all talking about the future and their plans and it seems as if Francis doesnrsquot belong there at all
Chapter Five
Francis introduces the story of the Wreck Centre He tells us how a bride was killed by her ex at a wedding reception there and so the place was closed down When it reopened Larry LaSalle came to run it He organized all of the children using it and ran art craft and sporting activities for them
Chapter Six
Francis returns to the St Judersquos Club to ask if anyone has seen Larry LaSalle The bartender nicknamed the Strangler because he used to be a wrestler has kept a scrap book of all the men in Frenchtown who served in the war It turns out that Larry LaSalle won a silver star ndash like Francis ndash for knocking out a machine gun nest Nobody has seen himArthur recognizes Francisrsquo voice but promises Francis to keep his identity secret
Chapter Seven
Flashback Larry tells Francis he should take up table tennis and he trains Francis to a good level of skill Francis wins a table tennis tournament which Larry stages The other kids want Francis to play Larry and Larry plays so skillfuly that although it looks as if he is trying his best he actually lets Francis win Nicole makes it very clear that she likes Francis when he wins and calls him her champion The day after the tournament Japan attacks the US naval base at Pearl Harbour
Chapter Eight
In a very short chapter Francis meets Arthur in an alleyway at night Arthur is very upset because nobody in the St Judersquos Club ever really talks about the war only about the future He tells Francis how scared he was all the time and says ldquowe werenrsquot heroes we were only thererdquo
Chapter Nine
Flashback Larry joins the army Nicole starts coming round to see Francis in Laurierrsquos Drug Store where he works They talk and when Nicole says that she likes movies as well as books he asks her to go to the cinema with himOne afternoon they see on a newsreel that Larry LaSalle has become a hero for knocking out an enemy machine gun nest
Chapter Ten
Francis tells us of the way a little boy was scared of his appearance in London when he was having surgery He tells us that he doesnrsquot care now so long as he carries out his self imposed mission to kill Larry He burns the card with the address of Dr Abrams of Kansas City who promised to operate on him again and do more plastic surgery Then he thinks back to the day that Larry came home before
Chapter Eleven
Flashback Larry has leave and comes home to Frenchtown There is a big civic reception for him then a party in the Wreck Centre Eventually just Francis Larry and Nicole remain Larry insists that Francis goes and leaves him and Nicole to have one more dance to the song ldquoDancing in the Darkrdquo Nicole doesnrsquot want Francis to go but he eventually does He waits in the porch and listens while Larry rapes Nicole
Chapter Twelve
FlashbackLarry left town suddenly Francis tries to find Nicole and when he does she says that she knows he was there and asks why he didnrsquot do anything Francis has no answer Later in the week Francis goes to church and considers jumping from the tower and committing suicide He decides not to because it would be a sin and decides to seek a noble death by joining the army He altered his birth certificate and joined up the next day
Chapter Thirteen
Francis learns that Larry has returned to town when he overhears Mrs Belander talking about it to a neighbour He learns that he seems to be injured because he walks slowly as if his legs hurt and he also learns where Larry is staying
Chapter Fourteen
Francis goes to see Larry LaSalle Larry seems pleased to see him He tells Francis that he has lsquojungle feverrsquo Itrsquos a wasting disease that is gradually killing him He calls Francis a hero Francis explains that he only fell on the grenade because he wanted to die he didnrsquot care about saving his platoon When he asks why Francis tells him he knew about what Larry did to Nicole Larry doesnrsquot deny it and in fact she wasnrsquot the only one When Francis takes out his gun so does Larry but makes it clear he will not hurt Francis In the end Francis leaves and he hears the sound of Larry shooting himself
Chapter Fifteen
Francis finds out where Nicole lives from Sister Mathilde his old teacher
Chapter Sixteen
Francis goes to see Nicole who is studying in a convent She knows that Larry is dead She apologises to Francis for what she said to him after what happened She realized it wasnrsquot his fault and went to his Unclersquos house to talk to him but hersquod already joined up They talk and Nicole says that she thinks she is getting better Francis aasks if there is any chance of them staying in touch but even though she doesnrsquot say no there isnrsquot Nicole suggests he should become a writer At the end of the chapter he leaves
Chapter Seventeen
The book ends with Francis sitting at the railway station leaving Frenchtown thinking about what he could do now and thinking about the kids who went away to war who were the real heroes
Background
Pearl Harbour
Dancing in the Dark
Fred Astaire
Inspiration for book
Pearl Harbour
bull The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United Statesnaval base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii on the morning of December 7 1941 (December 8 in Japan) The attack led to the United States entry into World War IIbull Click for more detail - bull httpenwikipediaorgwikiAttack_on_Pearl_Harbor
Dancing in the Dark - Lyrics
bull Dancing in the dark til the tune endsWere dancing in the dark and it soon endsWere waltzing in the wonder of why were hereTime hurries by were here and were gone
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark
What - though love is oldWhat - though song is oldThrough them we can be young
bull Hear this heart of mineWailin all the timeDear one tell me that were one
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark dancing in the darkDancing in the dark
Other Characters
Norman Rocheleau Eddie Richards Erwin Eisenberg Blinky Chambers Jack Smith Sonny Orlandi Spooks Reilly Billy OrsquoBrien and Henry JohnsonAll of these were wartime comrade of Francis and with the exception of Norman Rocheleau were all members of his platoonThey are mentioned in Francisrsquo nightmare in Chapter 3 and all either dies or received injuries in the war When Francis considers what it means to be a hero in Chapter 17 these are the men he thinks about
Other Characters
Armand Telliere Joe LaFontaine George Richelieu The StranglerThese men are regulars at the St Jude Club where the war veterans meetThe Strangler is the bartended who keeps a scrapbook of Frenchtown heroes in which both Francis and Larry LaSalle figure
Francis - Family
bull Father (Lefty) ndash Mother - Raymond - Uncle Louis This is Francisrsquo family Raymond was his brother who died at birth and his mother died giving birth to Raymond Francis was six at the time His father died when he was a teenager and he goes to live with his Uncle Louis who obviously loved and cared for him but who was uncommunicative bull These characters showed us how Francis becomes an isolate a rather
rootless person without a close family that it is obvious he needs It is not surprising that he idolises Larry as a role model and that he wants to be close to Nicole and share his life with her He does not want to lose more people that he feels close to
Francis ndash Physical Injurybull Francis seems very open and matter of
fact about his injuries He mentions them in the very first sentence of the book bull His injury was caused by the act for
which he was awarded the silver star He threw himself on a grenade which saved the other members of his platoon bull At first his injuries isolate him from
other people Then he seems to use them as an excuse for hiding his identity bull Are his injuries also a reflection of the
psychological scars he has
QuotationsP 1 ldquoThe war is over and I have no facerdquo
P3 ldquoAnyway this gives you an idea of what I look like when I walk down the street People glance at me in surprise and look away quickly or cross the street when they see me coming I donrsquot blame themrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis idolizes Nicole from the first time he sees her He wants to dedicate himself to her to serve and protect her bull He is insecure and unable to speak
to her This is why he tells Marie LaCroix that he likes her ndash telling Marie not to say anything to Nicole while hoping that Marie will say something to her
QuotationsP 9 ldquoThe pale purity of her face reminded me of the statue of St Thereserdquo
P10 ldquoI knelt there like a knight at her feet her sword having touched my shoulder I silently pledged her my love and loyalty foreverrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Nicole is more mature than Francis and seems to know that he likes her In a way she teases him a littlebull Francis seems jealous of the physical
intimacy between Nicole and Larry while they are dancingbull Only lsquobeatingrsquo Larry at table tennis
gives Francis the confidence to ask Nicole to the cinema
QuotationsP 32 ldquoldquoHello Francisrdquo That same strange teasing in her voice that Irsquod heard when shersquod warned me about falling off the banisterrdquo
P42 ldquoJealousy streaked through me as Larry LaSalle tossed her in the airrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull When he wins the table tennis Nicole casts Francis in the role of her lsquochampionrsquo bull Francis still doesnrsquot ask her out and so
Nicole starts coming to Laurierrsquos drug store where he works After she tells him that she likes movies as well as book he finally asks her out bull Her reply ldquothat would be nicerdquo is
perfect because their relationship is nice ndash sweet and tender and to a large extent innocent
QuotationsP 48 ldquoshe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
P 53 rdquoThe earth paused in its orbitldquoThat would be nicerdquoshe said at lastrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis blames himself for what happened to Nicole when he left her with Larry bull Her reaction when she sees him
afterwards drives him to consider suicide and when he decides against this to change the date on his birth certificate and join the army
QuotationsP 69 ldquo I stood there thinking of what I had seen in Nicolersquos eyes Itrsquos amazing that the heart makes no noise when it cracksrdquo
P 72 ldquoFinally I asked ldquoWhat can I dordquoldquoPoor Francisrdquo she said at last But no pity in her voicerdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis cannot let go of Nicole Even though he knows she will not be there he goes to look at her old apartment in Frenchtownbull Even when he sees her after Larry
has killed himself and he knows they will never meet again he has to ask if he can see her sometimesbull At the end he must accept that he
will not see her again
QuotationsP 94 ldquordquoCan I come again sometimesrdquo I ask hating myself for asking because I know the answer ldquoOh Francisrdquo she says the words weighted with sadness I close my eyes clinging to the moment wanting to make it last forever ldquo
Chapter One
Francis introduces himself and his injuries Most of the chapter is told in the present tense He explains he has returned to his hometown of Frenchtown He takes a room in Mrs Belanderrsquos and deliberately lies to her to hide his identity Francis goes to St Judersquos Church to light a candle for his parents and for Larry LaSalle who he tells us he intends to kill He also mentions Nicole Renard for the first time
Chapter Two
In flashback ndash using past tense ndash Francis tells us about Nicole Her family moved from Albany in New York and she joined Francisrsquo school when they were in the seventh grade Francis worshipped her from the instant he saw her He told Marie LaCroix her friend that he liked her and told her not to tell Nicole even though he hopes that she would
Chapter Three
Francis visits the apartment where Nicole used to live The fact that the Renard nameplate has been removed confirms she has gone In flashback he remembers being in the army and meeting another boy from Frenchtown called Norman Rocheleau in France who told him that the Renards had left and nobody knew where they went Back in his apartment he remembers the first time he killed German soldiers who looked just as young as he was ndash he tells us that he was fifteen when he joined up The day after this was the day the grenade blew his face off
Chapter Four
On the way to the Wreck Centre Francis meets Arthur Rivier Arthur doesnrsquot recognize him bit can see that he is a veteran and so takes him to the St Judersquos club Many veterans in there are men Francis knows but nobody recognizes him They are all talking about the future and their plans and it seems as if Francis doesnrsquot belong there at all
Chapter Five
Francis introduces the story of the Wreck Centre He tells us how a bride was killed by her ex at a wedding reception there and so the place was closed down When it reopened Larry LaSalle came to run it He organized all of the children using it and ran art craft and sporting activities for them
Chapter Six
Francis returns to the St Judersquos Club to ask if anyone has seen Larry LaSalle The bartender nicknamed the Strangler because he used to be a wrestler has kept a scrap book of all the men in Frenchtown who served in the war It turns out that Larry LaSalle won a silver star ndash like Francis ndash for knocking out a machine gun nest Nobody has seen himArthur recognizes Francisrsquo voice but promises Francis to keep his identity secret
Chapter Seven
Flashback Larry tells Francis he should take up table tennis and he trains Francis to a good level of skill Francis wins a table tennis tournament which Larry stages The other kids want Francis to play Larry and Larry plays so skillfuly that although it looks as if he is trying his best he actually lets Francis win Nicole makes it very clear that she likes Francis when he wins and calls him her champion The day after the tournament Japan attacks the US naval base at Pearl Harbour
Chapter Eight
In a very short chapter Francis meets Arthur in an alleyway at night Arthur is very upset because nobody in the St Judersquos Club ever really talks about the war only about the future He tells Francis how scared he was all the time and says ldquowe werenrsquot heroes we were only thererdquo
Chapter Nine
Flashback Larry joins the army Nicole starts coming round to see Francis in Laurierrsquos Drug Store where he works They talk and when Nicole says that she likes movies as well as books he asks her to go to the cinema with himOne afternoon they see on a newsreel that Larry LaSalle has become a hero for knocking out an enemy machine gun nest
Chapter Ten
Francis tells us of the way a little boy was scared of his appearance in London when he was having surgery He tells us that he doesnrsquot care now so long as he carries out his self imposed mission to kill Larry He burns the card with the address of Dr Abrams of Kansas City who promised to operate on him again and do more plastic surgery Then he thinks back to the day that Larry came home before
Chapter Eleven
Flashback Larry has leave and comes home to Frenchtown There is a big civic reception for him then a party in the Wreck Centre Eventually just Francis Larry and Nicole remain Larry insists that Francis goes and leaves him and Nicole to have one more dance to the song ldquoDancing in the Darkrdquo Nicole doesnrsquot want Francis to go but he eventually does He waits in the porch and listens while Larry rapes Nicole
Chapter Twelve
FlashbackLarry left town suddenly Francis tries to find Nicole and when he does she says that she knows he was there and asks why he didnrsquot do anything Francis has no answer Later in the week Francis goes to church and considers jumping from the tower and committing suicide He decides not to because it would be a sin and decides to seek a noble death by joining the army He altered his birth certificate and joined up the next day
Chapter Thirteen
Francis learns that Larry has returned to town when he overhears Mrs Belander talking about it to a neighbour He learns that he seems to be injured because he walks slowly as if his legs hurt and he also learns where Larry is staying
Chapter Fourteen
Francis goes to see Larry LaSalle Larry seems pleased to see him He tells Francis that he has lsquojungle feverrsquo Itrsquos a wasting disease that is gradually killing him He calls Francis a hero Francis explains that he only fell on the grenade because he wanted to die he didnrsquot care about saving his platoon When he asks why Francis tells him he knew about what Larry did to Nicole Larry doesnrsquot deny it and in fact she wasnrsquot the only one When Francis takes out his gun so does Larry but makes it clear he will not hurt Francis In the end Francis leaves and he hears the sound of Larry shooting himself
Chapter Fifteen
Francis finds out where Nicole lives from Sister Mathilde his old teacher
Chapter Sixteen
Francis goes to see Nicole who is studying in a convent She knows that Larry is dead She apologises to Francis for what she said to him after what happened She realized it wasnrsquot his fault and went to his Unclersquos house to talk to him but hersquod already joined up They talk and Nicole says that she thinks she is getting better Francis aasks if there is any chance of them staying in touch but even though she doesnrsquot say no there isnrsquot Nicole suggests he should become a writer At the end of the chapter he leaves
Chapter Seventeen
The book ends with Francis sitting at the railway station leaving Frenchtown thinking about what he could do now and thinking about the kids who went away to war who were the real heroes
Background
Pearl Harbour
Dancing in the Dark
Fred Astaire
Inspiration for book
Pearl Harbour
bull The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United Statesnaval base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii on the morning of December 7 1941 (December 8 in Japan) The attack led to the United States entry into World War IIbull Click for more detail - bull httpenwikipediaorgwikiAttack_on_Pearl_Harbor
Dancing in the Dark - Lyrics
bull Dancing in the dark til the tune endsWere dancing in the dark and it soon endsWere waltzing in the wonder of why were hereTime hurries by were here and were gone
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark
What - though love is oldWhat - though song is oldThrough them we can be young
bull Hear this heart of mineWailin all the timeDear one tell me that were one
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark dancing in the darkDancing in the dark
Other Characters
Armand Telliere Joe LaFontaine George Richelieu The StranglerThese men are regulars at the St Jude Club where the war veterans meetThe Strangler is the bartended who keeps a scrapbook of Frenchtown heroes in which both Francis and Larry LaSalle figure
Francis - Family
bull Father (Lefty) ndash Mother - Raymond - Uncle Louis This is Francisrsquo family Raymond was his brother who died at birth and his mother died giving birth to Raymond Francis was six at the time His father died when he was a teenager and he goes to live with his Uncle Louis who obviously loved and cared for him but who was uncommunicative bull These characters showed us how Francis becomes an isolate a rather
rootless person without a close family that it is obvious he needs It is not surprising that he idolises Larry as a role model and that he wants to be close to Nicole and share his life with her He does not want to lose more people that he feels close to
Francis ndash Physical Injurybull Francis seems very open and matter of
fact about his injuries He mentions them in the very first sentence of the book bull His injury was caused by the act for
which he was awarded the silver star He threw himself on a grenade which saved the other members of his platoon bull At first his injuries isolate him from
other people Then he seems to use them as an excuse for hiding his identity bull Are his injuries also a reflection of the
psychological scars he has
QuotationsP 1 ldquoThe war is over and I have no facerdquo
P3 ldquoAnyway this gives you an idea of what I look like when I walk down the street People glance at me in surprise and look away quickly or cross the street when they see me coming I donrsquot blame themrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis idolizes Nicole from the first time he sees her He wants to dedicate himself to her to serve and protect her bull He is insecure and unable to speak
to her This is why he tells Marie LaCroix that he likes her ndash telling Marie not to say anything to Nicole while hoping that Marie will say something to her
QuotationsP 9 ldquoThe pale purity of her face reminded me of the statue of St Thereserdquo
P10 ldquoI knelt there like a knight at her feet her sword having touched my shoulder I silently pledged her my love and loyalty foreverrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Nicole is more mature than Francis and seems to know that he likes her In a way she teases him a littlebull Francis seems jealous of the physical
intimacy between Nicole and Larry while they are dancingbull Only lsquobeatingrsquo Larry at table tennis
gives Francis the confidence to ask Nicole to the cinema
QuotationsP 32 ldquoldquoHello Francisrdquo That same strange teasing in her voice that Irsquod heard when shersquod warned me about falling off the banisterrdquo
P42 ldquoJealousy streaked through me as Larry LaSalle tossed her in the airrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull When he wins the table tennis Nicole casts Francis in the role of her lsquochampionrsquo bull Francis still doesnrsquot ask her out and so
Nicole starts coming to Laurierrsquos drug store where he works After she tells him that she likes movies as well as book he finally asks her out bull Her reply ldquothat would be nicerdquo is
perfect because their relationship is nice ndash sweet and tender and to a large extent innocent
QuotationsP 48 ldquoshe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
P 53 rdquoThe earth paused in its orbitldquoThat would be nicerdquoshe said at lastrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis blames himself for what happened to Nicole when he left her with Larry bull Her reaction when she sees him
afterwards drives him to consider suicide and when he decides against this to change the date on his birth certificate and join the army
QuotationsP 69 ldquo I stood there thinking of what I had seen in Nicolersquos eyes Itrsquos amazing that the heart makes no noise when it cracksrdquo
P 72 ldquoFinally I asked ldquoWhat can I dordquoldquoPoor Francisrdquo she said at last But no pity in her voicerdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis cannot let go of Nicole Even though he knows she will not be there he goes to look at her old apartment in Frenchtownbull Even when he sees her after Larry
has killed himself and he knows they will never meet again he has to ask if he can see her sometimesbull At the end he must accept that he
will not see her again
QuotationsP 94 ldquordquoCan I come again sometimesrdquo I ask hating myself for asking because I know the answer ldquoOh Francisrdquo she says the words weighted with sadness I close my eyes clinging to the moment wanting to make it last forever ldquo
Chapter One
Francis introduces himself and his injuries Most of the chapter is told in the present tense He explains he has returned to his hometown of Frenchtown He takes a room in Mrs Belanderrsquos and deliberately lies to her to hide his identity Francis goes to St Judersquos Church to light a candle for his parents and for Larry LaSalle who he tells us he intends to kill He also mentions Nicole Renard for the first time
Chapter Two
In flashback ndash using past tense ndash Francis tells us about Nicole Her family moved from Albany in New York and she joined Francisrsquo school when they were in the seventh grade Francis worshipped her from the instant he saw her He told Marie LaCroix her friend that he liked her and told her not to tell Nicole even though he hopes that she would
Chapter Three
Francis visits the apartment where Nicole used to live The fact that the Renard nameplate has been removed confirms she has gone In flashback he remembers being in the army and meeting another boy from Frenchtown called Norman Rocheleau in France who told him that the Renards had left and nobody knew where they went Back in his apartment he remembers the first time he killed German soldiers who looked just as young as he was ndash he tells us that he was fifteen when he joined up The day after this was the day the grenade blew his face off
Chapter Four
On the way to the Wreck Centre Francis meets Arthur Rivier Arthur doesnrsquot recognize him bit can see that he is a veteran and so takes him to the St Judersquos club Many veterans in there are men Francis knows but nobody recognizes him They are all talking about the future and their plans and it seems as if Francis doesnrsquot belong there at all
Chapter Five
Francis introduces the story of the Wreck Centre He tells us how a bride was killed by her ex at a wedding reception there and so the place was closed down When it reopened Larry LaSalle came to run it He organized all of the children using it and ran art craft and sporting activities for them
Chapter Six
Francis returns to the St Judersquos Club to ask if anyone has seen Larry LaSalle The bartender nicknamed the Strangler because he used to be a wrestler has kept a scrap book of all the men in Frenchtown who served in the war It turns out that Larry LaSalle won a silver star ndash like Francis ndash for knocking out a machine gun nest Nobody has seen himArthur recognizes Francisrsquo voice but promises Francis to keep his identity secret
Chapter Seven
Flashback Larry tells Francis he should take up table tennis and he trains Francis to a good level of skill Francis wins a table tennis tournament which Larry stages The other kids want Francis to play Larry and Larry plays so skillfuly that although it looks as if he is trying his best he actually lets Francis win Nicole makes it very clear that she likes Francis when he wins and calls him her champion The day after the tournament Japan attacks the US naval base at Pearl Harbour
Chapter Eight
In a very short chapter Francis meets Arthur in an alleyway at night Arthur is very upset because nobody in the St Judersquos Club ever really talks about the war only about the future He tells Francis how scared he was all the time and says ldquowe werenrsquot heroes we were only thererdquo
Chapter Nine
Flashback Larry joins the army Nicole starts coming round to see Francis in Laurierrsquos Drug Store where he works They talk and when Nicole says that she likes movies as well as books he asks her to go to the cinema with himOne afternoon they see on a newsreel that Larry LaSalle has become a hero for knocking out an enemy machine gun nest
Chapter Ten
Francis tells us of the way a little boy was scared of his appearance in London when he was having surgery He tells us that he doesnrsquot care now so long as he carries out his self imposed mission to kill Larry He burns the card with the address of Dr Abrams of Kansas City who promised to operate on him again and do more plastic surgery Then he thinks back to the day that Larry came home before
Chapter Eleven
Flashback Larry has leave and comes home to Frenchtown There is a big civic reception for him then a party in the Wreck Centre Eventually just Francis Larry and Nicole remain Larry insists that Francis goes and leaves him and Nicole to have one more dance to the song ldquoDancing in the Darkrdquo Nicole doesnrsquot want Francis to go but he eventually does He waits in the porch and listens while Larry rapes Nicole
Chapter Twelve
FlashbackLarry left town suddenly Francis tries to find Nicole and when he does she says that she knows he was there and asks why he didnrsquot do anything Francis has no answer Later in the week Francis goes to church and considers jumping from the tower and committing suicide He decides not to because it would be a sin and decides to seek a noble death by joining the army He altered his birth certificate and joined up the next day
Chapter Thirteen
Francis learns that Larry has returned to town when he overhears Mrs Belander talking about it to a neighbour He learns that he seems to be injured because he walks slowly as if his legs hurt and he also learns where Larry is staying
Chapter Fourteen
Francis goes to see Larry LaSalle Larry seems pleased to see him He tells Francis that he has lsquojungle feverrsquo Itrsquos a wasting disease that is gradually killing him He calls Francis a hero Francis explains that he only fell on the grenade because he wanted to die he didnrsquot care about saving his platoon When he asks why Francis tells him he knew about what Larry did to Nicole Larry doesnrsquot deny it and in fact she wasnrsquot the only one When Francis takes out his gun so does Larry but makes it clear he will not hurt Francis In the end Francis leaves and he hears the sound of Larry shooting himself
Chapter Fifteen
Francis finds out where Nicole lives from Sister Mathilde his old teacher
Chapter Sixteen
Francis goes to see Nicole who is studying in a convent She knows that Larry is dead She apologises to Francis for what she said to him after what happened She realized it wasnrsquot his fault and went to his Unclersquos house to talk to him but hersquod already joined up They talk and Nicole says that she thinks she is getting better Francis aasks if there is any chance of them staying in touch but even though she doesnrsquot say no there isnrsquot Nicole suggests he should become a writer At the end of the chapter he leaves
Chapter Seventeen
The book ends with Francis sitting at the railway station leaving Frenchtown thinking about what he could do now and thinking about the kids who went away to war who were the real heroes
Background
Pearl Harbour
Dancing in the Dark
Fred Astaire
Inspiration for book
Pearl Harbour
bull The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United Statesnaval base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii on the morning of December 7 1941 (December 8 in Japan) The attack led to the United States entry into World War IIbull Click for more detail - bull httpenwikipediaorgwikiAttack_on_Pearl_Harbor
Dancing in the Dark - Lyrics
bull Dancing in the dark til the tune endsWere dancing in the dark and it soon endsWere waltzing in the wonder of why were hereTime hurries by were here and were gone
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark
What - though love is oldWhat - though song is oldThrough them we can be young
bull Hear this heart of mineWailin all the timeDear one tell me that were one
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark dancing in the darkDancing in the dark
Francis - Family
bull Father (Lefty) ndash Mother - Raymond - Uncle Louis This is Francisrsquo family Raymond was his brother who died at birth and his mother died giving birth to Raymond Francis was six at the time His father died when he was a teenager and he goes to live with his Uncle Louis who obviously loved and cared for him but who was uncommunicative bull These characters showed us how Francis becomes an isolate a rather
rootless person without a close family that it is obvious he needs It is not surprising that he idolises Larry as a role model and that he wants to be close to Nicole and share his life with her He does not want to lose more people that he feels close to
Francis ndash Physical Injurybull Francis seems very open and matter of
fact about his injuries He mentions them in the very first sentence of the book bull His injury was caused by the act for
which he was awarded the silver star He threw himself on a grenade which saved the other members of his platoon bull At first his injuries isolate him from
other people Then he seems to use them as an excuse for hiding his identity bull Are his injuries also a reflection of the
psychological scars he has
QuotationsP 1 ldquoThe war is over and I have no facerdquo
P3 ldquoAnyway this gives you an idea of what I look like when I walk down the street People glance at me in surprise and look away quickly or cross the street when they see me coming I donrsquot blame themrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis idolizes Nicole from the first time he sees her He wants to dedicate himself to her to serve and protect her bull He is insecure and unable to speak
to her This is why he tells Marie LaCroix that he likes her ndash telling Marie not to say anything to Nicole while hoping that Marie will say something to her
QuotationsP 9 ldquoThe pale purity of her face reminded me of the statue of St Thereserdquo
P10 ldquoI knelt there like a knight at her feet her sword having touched my shoulder I silently pledged her my love and loyalty foreverrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Nicole is more mature than Francis and seems to know that he likes her In a way she teases him a littlebull Francis seems jealous of the physical
intimacy between Nicole and Larry while they are dancingbull Only lsquobeatingrsquo Larry at table tennis
gives Francis the confidence to ask Nicole to the cinema
QuotationsP 32 ldquoldquoHello Francisrdquo That same strange teasing in her voice that Irsquod heard when shersquod warned me about falling off the banisterrdquo
P42 ldquoJealousy streaked through me as Larry LaSalle tossed her in the airrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull When he wins the table tennis Nicole casts Francis in the role of her lsquochampionrsquo bull Francis still doesnrsquot ask her out and so
Nicole starts coming to Laurierrsquos drug store where he works After she tells him that she likes movies as well as book he finally asks her out bull Her reply ldquothat would be nicerdquo is
perfect because their relationship is nice ndash sweet and tender and to a large extent innocent
QuotationsP 48 ldquoshe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
P 53 rdquoThe earth paused in its orbitldquoThat would be nicerdquoshe said at lastrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis blames himself for what happened to Nicole when he left her with Larry bull Her reaction when she sees him
afterwards drives him to consider suicide and when he decides against this to change the date on his birth certificate and join the army
QuotationsP 69 ldquo I stood there thinking of what I had seen in Nicolersquos eyes Itrsquos amazing that the heart makes no noise when it cracksrdquo
P 72 ldquoFinally I asked ldquoWhat can I dordquoldquoPoor Francisrdquo she said at last But no pity in her voicerdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis cannot let go of Nicole Even though he knows she will not be there he goes to look at her old apartment in Frenchtownbull Even when he sees her after Larry
has killed himself and he knows they will never meet again he has to ask if he can see her sometimesbull At the end he must accept that he
will not see her again
QuotationsP 94 ldquordquoCan I come again sometimesrdquo I ask hating myself for asking because I know the answer ldquoOh Francisrdquo she says the words weighted with sadness I close my eyes clinging to the moment wanting to make it last forever ldquo
Chapter One
Francis introduces himself and his injuries Most of the chapter is told in the present tense He explains he has returned to his hometown of Frenchtown He takes a room in Mrs Belanderrsquos and deliberately lies to her to hide his identity Francis goes to St Judersquos Church to light a candle for his parents and for Larry LaSalle who he tells us he intends to kill He also mentions Nicole Renard for the first time
Chapter Two
In flashback ndash using past tense ndash Francis tells us about Nicole Her family moved from Albany in New York and she joined Francisrsquo school when they were in the seventh grade Francis worshipped her from the instant he saw her He told Marie LaCroix her friend that he liked her and told her not to tell Nicole even though he hopes that she would
Chapter Three
Francis visits the apartment where Nicole used to live The fact that the Renard nameplate has been removed confirms she has gone In flashback he remembers being in the army and meeting another boy from Frenchtown called Norman Rocheleau in France who told him that the Renards had left and nobody knew where they went Back in his apartment he remembers the first time he killed German soldiers who looked just as young as he was ndash he tells us that he was fifteen when he joined up The day after this was the day the grenade blew his face off
Chapter Four
On the way to the Wreck Centre Francis meets Arthur Rivier Arthur doesnrsquot recognize him bit can see that he is a veteran and so takes him to the St Judersquos club Many veterans in there are men Francis knows but nobody recognizes him They are all talking about the future and their plans and it seems as if Francis doesnrsquot belong there at all
Chapter Five
Francis introduces the story of the Wreck Centre He tells us how a bride was killed by her ex at a wedding reception there and so the place was closed down When it reopened Larry LaSalle came to run it He organized all of the children using it and ran art craft and sporting activities for them
Chapter Six
Francis returns to the St Judersquos Club to ask if anyone has seen Larry LaSalle The bartender nicknamed the Strangler because he used to be a wrestler has kept a scrap book of all the men in Frenchtown who served in the war It turns out that Larry LaSalle won a silver star ndash like Francis ndash for knocking out a machine gun nest Nobody has seen himArthur recognizes Francisrsquo voice but promises Francis to keep his identity secret
Chapter Seven
Flashback Larry tells Francis he should take up table tennis and he trains Francis to a good level of skill Francis wins a table tennis tournament which Larry stages The other kids want Francis to play Larry and Larry plays so skillfuly that although it looks as if he is trying his best he actually lets Francis win Nicole makes it very clear that she likes Francis when he wins and calls him her champion The day after the tournament Japan attacks the US naval base at Pearl Harbour
Chapter Eight
In a very short chapter Francis meets Arthur in an alleyway at night Arthur is very upset because nobody in the St Judersquos Club ever really talks about the war only about the future He tells Francis how scared he was all the time and says ldquowe werenrsquot heroes we were only thererdquo
Chapter Nine
Flashback Larry joins the army Nicole starts coming round to see Francis in Laurierrsquos Drug Store where he works They talk and when Nicole says that she likes movies as well as books he asks her to go to the cinema with himOne afternoon they see on a newsreel that Larry LaSalle has become a hero for knocking out an enemy machine gun nest
Chapter Ten
Francis tells us of the way a little boy was scared of his appearance in London when he was having surgery He tells us that he doesnrsquot care now so long as he carries out his self imposed mission to kill Larry He burns the card with the address of Dr Abrams of Kansas City who promised to operate on him again and do more plastic surgery Then he thinks back to the day that Larry came home before
Chapter Eleven
Flashback Larry has leave and comes home to Frenchtown There is a big civic reception for him then a party in the Wreck Centre Eventually just Francis Larry and Nicole remain Larry insists that Francis goes and leaves him and Nicole to have one more dance to the song ldquoDancing in the Darkrdquo Nicole doesnrsquot want Francis to go but he eventually does He waits in the porch and listens while Larry rapes Nicole
Chapter Twelve
FlashbackLarry left town suddenly Francis tries to find Nicole and when he does she says that she knows he was there and asks why he didnrsquot do anything Francis has no answer Later in the week Francis goes to church and considers jumping from the tower and committing suicide He decides not to because it would be a sin and decides to seek a noble death by joining the army He altered his birth certificate and joined up the next day
Chapter Thirteen
Francis learns that Larry has returned to town when he overhears Mrs Belander talking about it to a neighbour He learns that he seems to be injured because he walks slowly as if his legs hurt and he also learns where Larry is staying
Chapter Fourteen
Francis goes to see Larry LaSalle Larry seems pleased to see him He tells Francis that he has lsquojungle feverrsquo Itrsquos a wasting disease that is gradually killing him He calls Francis a hero Francis explains that he only fell on the grenade because he wanted to die he didnrsquot care about saving his platoon When he asks why Francis tells him he knew about what Larry did to Nicole Larry doesnrsquot deny it and in fact she wasnrsquot the only one When Francis takes out his gun so does Larry but makes it clear he will not hurt Francis In the end Francis leaves and he hears the sound of Larry shooting himself
Chapter Fifteen
Francis finds out where Nicole lives from Sister Mathilde his old teacher
Chapter Sixteen
Francis goes to see Nicole who is studying in a convent She knows that Larry is dead She apologises to Francis for what she said to him after what happened She realized it wasnrsquot his fault and went to his Unclersquos house to talk to him but hersquod already joined up They talk and Nicole says that she thinks she is getting better Francis aasks if there is any chance of them staying in touch but even though she doesnrsquot say no there isnrsquot Nicole suggests he should become a writer At the end of the chapter he leaves
Chapter Seventeen
The book ends with Francis sitting at the railway station leaving Frenchtown thinking about what he could do now and thinking about the kids who went away to war who were the real heroes
Background
Pearl Harbour
Dancing in the Dark
Fred Astaire
Inspiration for book
Pearl Harbour
bull The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United Statesnaval base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii on the morning of December 7 1941 (December 8 in Japan) The attack led to the United States entry into World War IIbull Click for more detail - bull httpenwikipediaorgwikiAttack_on_Pearl_Harbor
Dancing in the Dark - Lyrics
bull Dancing in the dark til the tune endsWere dancing in the dark and it soon endsWere waltzing in the wonder of why were hereTime hurries by were here and were gone
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark
What - though love is oldWhat - though song is oldThrough them we can be young
bull Hear this heart of mineWailin all the timeDear one tell me that were one
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark dancing in the darkDancing in the dark
Francis ndash Physical Injurybull Francis seems very open and matter of
fact about his injuries He mentions them in the very first sentence of the book bull His injury was caused by the act for
which he was awarded the silver star He threw himself on a grenade which saved the other members of his platoon bull At first his injuries isolate him from
other people Then he seems to use them as an excuse for hiding his identity bull Are his injuries also a reflection of the
psychological scars he has
QuotationsP 1 ldquoThe war is over and I have no facerdquo
P3 ldquoAnyway this gives you an idea of what I look like when I walk down the street People glance at me in surprise and look away quickly or cross the street when they see me coming I donrsquot blame themrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis idolizes Nicole from the first time he sees her He wants to dedicate himself to her to serve and protect her bull He is insecure and unable to speak
to her This is why he tells Marie LaCroix that he likes her ndash telling Marie not to say anything to Nicole while hoping that Marie will say something to her
QuotationsP 9 ldquoThe pale purity of her face reminded me of the statue of St Thereserdquo
P10 ldquoI knelt there like a knight at her feet her sword having touched my shoulder I silently pledged her my love and loyalty foreverrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Nicole is more mature than Francis and seems to know that he likes her In a way she teases him a littlebull Francis seems jealous of the physical
intimacy between Nicole and Larry while they are dancingbull Only lsquobeatingrsquo Larry at table tennis
gives Francis the confidence to ask Nicole to the cinema
QuotationsP 32 ldquoldquoHello Francisrdquo That same strange teasing in her voice that Irsquod heard when shersquod warned me about falling off the banisterrdquo
P42 ldquoJealousy streaked through me as Larry LaSalle tossed her in the airrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull When he wins the table tennis Nicole casts Francis in the role of her lsquochampionrsquo bull Francis still doesnrsquot ask her out and so
Nicole starts coming to Laurierrsquos drug store where he works After she tells him that she likes movies as well as book he finally asks her out bull Her reply ldquothat would be nicerdquo is
perfect because their relationship is nice ndash sweet and tender and to a large extent innocent
QuotationsP 48 ldquoshe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
P 53 rdquoThe earth paused in its orbitldquoThat would be nicerdquoshe said at lastrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis blames himself for what happened to Nicole when he left her with Larry bull Her reaction when she sees him
afterwards drives him to consider suicide and when he decides against this to change the date on his birth certificate and join the army
QuotationsP 69 ldquo I stood there thinking of what I had seen in Nicolersquos eyes Itrsquos amazing that the heart makes no noise when it cracksrdquo
P 72 ldquoFinally I asked ldquoWhat can I dordquoldquoPoor Francisrdquo she said at last But no pity in her voicerdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis cannot let go of Nicole Even though he knows she will not be there he goes to look at her old apartment in Frenchtownbull Even when he sees her after Larry
has killed himself and he knows they will never meet again he has to ask if he can see her sometimesbull At the end he must accept that he
will not see her again
QuotationsP 94 ldquordquoCan I come again sometimesrdquo I ask hating myself for asking because I know the answer ldquoOh Francisrdquo she says the words weighted with sadness I close my eyes clinging to the moment wanting to make it last forever ldquo
Chapter One
Francis introduces himself and his injuries Most of the chapter is told in the present tense He explains he has returned to his hometown of Frenchtown He takes a room in Mrs Belanderrsquos and deliberately lies to her to hide his identity Francis goes to St Judersquos Church to light a candle for his parents and for Larry LaSalle who he tells us he intends to kill He also mentions Nicole Renard for the first time
Chapter Two
In flashback ndash using past tense ndash Francis tells us about Nicole Her family moved from Albany in New York and she joined Francisrsquo school when they were in the seventh grade Francis worshipped her from the instant he saw her He told Marie LaCroix her friend that he liked her and told her not to tell Nicole even though he hopes that she would
Chapter Three
Francis visits the apartment where Nicole used to live The fact that the Renard nameplate has been removed confirms she has gone In flashback he remembers being in the army and meeting another boy from Frenchtown called Norman Rocheleau in France who told him that the Renards had left and nobody knew where they went Back in his apartment he remembers the first time he killed German soldiers who looked just as young as he was ndash he tells us that he was fifteen when he joined up The day after this was the day the grenade blew his face off
Chapter Four
On the way to the Wreck Centre Francis meets Arthur Rivier Arthur doesnrsquot recognize him bit can see that he is a veteran and so takes him to the St Judersquos club Many veterans in there are men Francis knows but nobody recognizes him They are all talking about the future and their plans and it seems as if Francis doesnrsquot belong there at all
Chapter Five
Francis introduces the story of the Wreck Centre He tells us how a bride was killed by her ex at a wedding reception there and so the place was closed down When it reopened Larry LaSalle came to run it He organized all of the children using it and ran art craft and sporting activities for them
Chapter Six
Francis returns to the St Judersquos Club to ask if anyone has seen Larry LaSalle The bartender nicknamed the Strangler because he used to be a wrestler has kept a scrap book of all the men in Frenchtown who served in the war It turns out that Larry LaSalle won a silver star ndash like Francis ndash for knocking out a machine gun nest Nobody has seen himArthur recognizes Francisrsquo voice but promises Francis to keep his identity secret
Chapter Seven
Flashback Larry tells Francis he should take up table tennis and he trains Francis to a good level of skill Francis wins a table tennis tournament which Larry stages The other kids want Francis to play Larry and Larry plays so skillfuly that although it looks as if he is trying his best he actually lets Francis win Nicole makes it very clear that she likes Francis when he wins and calls him her champion The day after the tournament Japan attacks the US naval base at Pearl Harbour
Chapter Eight
In a very short chapter Francis meets Arthur in an alleyway at night Arthur is very upset because nobody in the St Judersquos Club ever really talks about the war only about the future He tells Francis how scared he was all the time and says ldquowe werenrsquot heroes we were only thererdquo
Chapter Nine
Flashback Larry joins the army Nicole starts coming round to see Francis in Laurierrsquos Drug Store where he works They talk and when Nicole says that she likes movies as well as books he asks her to go to the cinema with himOne afternoon they see on a newsreel that Larry LaSalle has become a hero for knocking out an enemy machine gun nest
Chapter Ten
Francis tells us of the way a little boy was scared of his appearance in London when he was having surgery He tells us that he doesnrsquot care now so long as he carries out his self imposed mission to kill Larry He burns the card with the address of Dr Abrams of Kansas City who promised to operate on him again and do more plastic surgery Then he thinks back to the day that Larry came home before
Chapter Eleven
Flashback Larry has leave and comes home to Frenchtown There is a big civic reception for him then a party in the Wreck Centre Eventually just Francis Larry and Nicole remain Larry insists that Francis goes and leaves him and Nicole to have one more dance to the song ldquoDancing in the Darkrdquo Nicole doesnrsquot want Francis to go but he eventually does He waits in the porch and listens while Larry rapes Nicole
Chapter Twelve
FlashbackLarry left town suddenly Francis tries to find Nicole and when he does she says that she knows he was there and asks why he didnrsquot do anything Francis has no answer Later in the week Francis goes to church and considers jumping from the tower and committing suicide He decides not to because it would be a sin and decides to seek a noble death by joining the army He altered his birth certificate and joined up the next day
Chapter Thirteen
Francis learns that Larry has returned to town when he overhears Mrs Belander talking about it to a neighbour He learns that he seems to be injured because he walks slowly as if his legs hurt and he also learns where Larry is staying
Chapter Fourteen
Francis goes to see Larry LaSalle Larry seems pleased to see him He tells Francis that he has lsquojungle feverrsquo Itrsquos a wasting disease that is gradually killing him He calls Francis a hero Francis explains that he only fell on the grenade because he wanted to die he didnrsquot care about saving his platoon When he asks why Francis tells him he knew about what Larry did to Nicole Larry doesnrsquot deny it and in fact she wasnrsquot the only one When Francis takes out his gun so does Larry but makes it clear he will not hurt Francis In the end Francis leaves and he hears the sound of Larry shooting himself
Chapter Fifteen
Francis finds out where Nicole lives from Sister Mathilde his old teacher
Chapter Sixteen
Francis goes to see Nicole who is studying in a convent She knows that Larry is dead She apologises to Francis for what she said to him after what happened She realized it wasnrsquot his fault and went to his Unclersquos house to talk to him but hersquod already joined up They talk and Nicole says that she thinks she is getting better Francis aasks if there is any chance of them staying in touch but even though she doesnrsquot say no there isnrsquot Nicole suggests he should become a writer At the end of the chapter he leaves
Chapter Seventeen
The book ends with Francis sitting at the railway station leaving Frenchtown thinking about what he could do now and thinking about the kids who went away to war who were the real heroes
Background
Pearl Harbour
Dancing in the Dark
Fred Astaire
Inspiration for book
Pearl Harbour
bull The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United Statesnaval base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii on the morning of December 7 1941 (December 8 in Japan) The attack led to the United States entry into World War IIbull Click for more detail - bull httpenwikipediaorgwikiAttack_on_Pearl_Harbor
Dancing in the Dark - Lyrics
bull Dancing in the dark til the tune endsWere dancing in the dark and it soon endsWere waltzing in the wonder of why were hereTime hurries by were here and were gone
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark
What - though love is oldWhat - though song is oldThrough them we can be young
bull Hear this heart of mineWailin all the timeDear one tell me that were one
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark dancing in the darkDancing in the dark
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis idolizes Nicole from the first time he sees her He wants to dedicate himself to her to serve and protect her bull He is insecure and unable to speak
to her This is why he tells Marie LaCroix that he likes her ndash telling Marie not to say anything to Nicole while hoping that Marie will say something to her
QuotationsP 9 ldquoThe pale purity of her face reminded me of the statue of St Thereserdquo
P10 ldquoI knelt there like a knight at her feet her sword having touched my shoulder I silently pledged her my love and loyalty foreverrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Nicole is more mature than Francis and seems to know that he likes her In a way she teases him a littlebull Francis seems jealous of the physical
intimacy between Nicole and Larry while they are dancingbull Only lsquobeatingrsquo Larry at table tennis
gives Francis the confidence to ask Nicole to the cinema
QuotationsP 32 ldquoldquoHello Francisrdquo That same strange teasing in her voice that Irsquod heard when shersquod warned me about falling off the banisterrdquo
P42 ldquoJealousy streaked through me as Larry LaSalle tossed her in the airrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull When he wins the table tennis Nicole casts Francis in the role of her lsquochampionrsquo bull Francis still doesnrsquot ask her out and so
Nicole starts coming to Laurierrsquos drug store where he works After she tells him that she likes movies as well as book he finally asks her out bull Her reply ldquothat would be nicerdquo is
perfect because their relationship is nice ndash sweet and tender and to a large extent innocent
QuotationsP 48 ldquoshe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
P 53 rdquoThe earth paused in its orbitldquoThat would be nicerdquoshe said at lastrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis blames himself for what happened to Nicole when he left her with Larry bull Her reaction when she sees him
afterwards drives him to consider suicide and when he decides against this to change the date on his birth certificate and join the army
QuotationsP 69 ldquo I stood there thinking of what I had seen in Nicolersquos eyes Itrsquos amazing that the heart makes no noise when it cracksrdquo
P 72 ldquoFinally I asked ldquoWhat can I dordquoldquoPoor Francisrdquo she said at last But no pity in her voicerdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis cannot let go of Nicole Even though he knows she will not be there he goes to look at her old apartment in Frenchtownbull Even when he sees her after Larry
has killed himself and he knows they will never meet again he has to ask if he can see her sometimesbull At the end he must accept that he
will not see her again
QuotationsP 94 ldquordquoCan I come again sometimesrdquo I ask hating myself for asking because I know the answer ldquoOh Francisrdquo she says the words weighted with sadness I close my eyes clinging to the moment wanting to make it last forever ldquo
Chapter One
Francis introduces himself and his injuries Most of the chapter is told in the present tense He explains he has returned to his hometown of Frenchtown He takes a room in Mrs Belanderrsquos and deliberately lies to her to hide his identity Francis goes to St Judersquos Church to light a candle for his parents and for Larry LaSalle who he tells us he intends to kill He also mentions Nicole Renard for the first time
Chapter Two
In flashback ndash using past tense ndash Francis tells us about Nicole Her family moved from Albany in New York and she joined Francisrsquo school when they were in the seventh grade Francis worshipped her from the instant he saw her He told Marie LaCroix her friend that he liked her and told her not to tell Nicole even though he hopes that she would
Chapter Three
Francis visits the apartment where Nicole used to live The fact that the Renard nameplate has been removed confirms she has gone In flashback he remembers being in the army and meeting another boy from Frenchtown called Norman Rocheleau in France who told him that the Renards had left and nobody knew where they went Back in his apartment he remembers the first time he killed German soldiers who looked just as young as he was ndash he tells us that he was fifteen when he joined up The day after this was the day the grenade blew his face off
Chapter Four
On the way to the Wreck Centre Francis meets Arthur Rivier Arthur doesnrsquot recognize him bit can see that he is a veteran and so takes him to the St Judersquos club Many veterans in there are men Francis knows but nobody recognizes him They are all talking about the future and their plans and it seems as if Francis doesnrsquot belong there at all
Chapter Five
Francis introduces the story of the Wreck Centre He tells us how a bride was killed by her ex at a wedding reception there and so the place was closed down When it reopened Larry LaSalle came to run it He organized all of the children using it and ran art craft and sporting activities for them
Chapter Six
Francis returns to the St Judersquos Club to ask if anyone has seen Larry LaSalle The bartender nicknamed the Strangler because he used to be a wrestler has kept a scrap book of all the men in Frenchtown who served in the war It turns out that Larry LaSalle won a silver star ndash like Francis ndash for knocking out a machine gun nest Nobody has seen himArthur recognizes Francisrsquo voice but promises Francis to keep his identity secret
Chapter Seven
Flashback Larry tells Francis he should take up table tennis and he trains Francis to a good level of skill Francis wins a table tennis tournament which Larry stages The other kids want Francis to play Larry and Larry plays so skillfuly that although it looks as if he is trying his best he actually lets Francis win Nicole makes it very clear that she likes Francis when he wins and calls him her champion The day after the tournament Japan attacks the US naval base at Pearl Harbour
Chapter Eight
In a very short chapter Francis meets Arthur in an alleyway at night Arthur is very upset because nobody in the St Judersquos Club ever really talks about the war only about the future He tells Francis how scared he was all the time and says ldquowe werenrsquot heroes we were only thererdquo
Chapter Nine
Flashback Larry joins the army Nicole starts coming round to see Francis in Laurierrsquos Drug Store where he works They talk and when Nicole says that she likes movies as well as books he asks her to go to the cinema with himOne afternoon they see on a newsreel that Larry LaSalle has become a hero for knocking out an enemy machine gun nest
Chapter Ten
Francis tells us of the way a little boy was scared of his appearance in London when he was having surgery He tells us that he doesnrsquot care now so long as he carries out his self imposed mission to kill Larry He burns the card with the address of Dr Abrams of Kansas City who promised to operate on him again and do more plastic surgery Then he thinks back to the day that Larry came home before
Chapter Eleven
Flashback Larry has leave and comes home to Frenchtown There is a big civic reception for him then a party in the Wreck Centre Eventually just Francis Larry and Nicole remain Larry insists that Francis goes and leaves him and Nicole to have one more dance to the song ldquoDancing in the Darkrdquo Nicole doesnrsquot want Francis to go but he eventually does He waits in the porch and listens while Larry rapes Nicole
Chapter Twelve
FlashbackLarry left town suddenly Francis tries to find Nicole and when he does she says that she knows he was there and asks why he didnrsquot do anything Francis has no answer Later in the week Francis goes to church and considers jumping from the tower and committing suicide He decides not to because it would be a sin and decides to seek a noble death by joining the army He altered his birth certificate and joined up the next day
Chapter Thirteen
Francis learns that Larry has returned to town when he overhears Mrs Belander talking about it to a neighbour He learns that he seems to be injured because he walks slowly as if his legs hurt and he also learns where Larry is staying
Chapter Fourteen
Francis goes to see Larry LaSalle Larry seems pleased to see him He tells Francis that he has lsquojungle feverrsquo Itrsquos a wasting disease that is gradually killing him He calls Francis a hero Francis explains that he only fell on the grenade because he wanted to die he didnrsquot care about saving his platoon When he asks why Francis tells him he knew about what Larry did to Nicole Larry doesnrsquot deny it and in fact she wasnrsquot the only one When Francis takes out his gun so does Larry but makes it clear he will not hurt Francis In the end Francis leaves and he hears the sound of Larry shooting himself
Chapter Fifteen
Francis finds out where Nicole lives from Sister Mathilde his old teacher
Chapter Sixteen
Francis goes to see Nicole who is studying in a convent She knows that Larry is dead She apologises to Francis for what she said to him after what happened She realized it wasnrsquot his fault and went to his Unclersquos house to talk to him but hersquod already joined up They talk and Nicole says that she thinks she is getting better Francis aasks if there is any chance of them staying in touch but even though she doesnrsquot say no there isnrsquot Nicole suggests he should become a writer At the end of the chapter he leaves
Chapter Seventeen
The book ends with Francis sitting at the railway station leaving Frenchtown thinking about what he could do now and thinking about the kids who went away to war who were the real heroes
Background
Pearl Harbour
Dancing in the Dark
Fred Astaire
Inspiration for book
Pearl Harbour
bull The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United Statesnaval base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii on the morning of December 7 1941 (December 8 in Japan) The attack led to the United States entry into World War IIbull Click for more detail - bull httpenwikipediaorgwikiAttack_on_Pearl_Harbor
Dancing in the Dark - Lyrics
bull Dancing in the dark til the tune endsWere dancing in the dark and it soon endsWere waltzing in the wonder of why were hereTime hurries by were here and were gone
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark
What - though love is oldWhat - though song is oldThrough them we can be young
bull Hear this heart of mineWailin all the timeDear one tell me that were one
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark dancing in the darkDancing in the dark
Francis - Nicole
bull Nicole is more mature than Francis and seems to know that he likes her In a way she teases him a littlebull Francis seems jealous of the physical
intimacy between Nicole and Larry while they are dancingbull Only lsquobeatingrsquo Larry at table tennis
gives Francis the confidence to ask Nicole to the cinema
QuotationsP 32 ldquoldquoHello Francisrdquo That same strange teasing in her voice that Irsquod heard when shersquod warned me about falling off the banisterrdquo
P42 ldquoJealousy streaked through me as Larry LaSalle tossed her in the airrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull When he wins the table tennis Nicole casts Francis in the role of her lsquochampionrsquo bull Francis still doesnrsquot ask her out and so
Nicole starts coming to Laurierrsquos drug store where he works After she tells him that she likes movies as well as book he finally asks her out bull Her reply ldquothat would be nicerdquo is
perfect because their relationship is nice ndash sweet and tender and to a large extent innocent
QuotationsP 48 ldquoshe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
P 53 rdquoThe earth paused in its orbitldquoThat would be nicerdquoshe said at lastrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis blames himself for what happened to Nicole when he left her with Larry bull Her reaction when she sees him
afterwards drives him to consider suicide and when he decides against this to change the date on his birth certificate and join the army
QuotationsP 69 ldquo I stood there thinking of what I had seen in Nicolersquos eyes Itrsquos amazing that the heart makes no noise when it cracksrdquo
P 72 ldquoFinally I asked ldquoWhat can I dordquoldquoPoor Francisrdquo she said at last But no pity in her voicerdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis cannot let go of Nicole Even though he knows she will not be there he goes to look at her old apartment in Frenchtownbull Even when he sees her after Larry
has killed himself and he knows they will never meet again he has to ask if he can see her sometimesbull At the end he must accept that he
will not see her again
QuotationsP 94 ldquordquoCan I come again sometimesrdquo I ask hating myself for asking because I know the answer ldquoOh Francisrdquo she says the words weighted with sadness I close my eyes clinging to the moment wanting to make it last forever ldquo
Chapter One
Francis introduces himself and his injuries Most of the chapter is told in the present tense He explains he has returned to his hometown of Frenchtown He takes a room in Mrs Belanderrsquos and deliberately lies to her to hide his identity Francis goes to St Judersquos Church to light a candle for his parents and for Larry LaSalle who he tells us he intends to kill He also mentions Nicole Renard for the first time
Chapter Two
In flashback ndash using past tense ndash Francis tells us about Nicole Her family moved from Albany in New York and she joined Francisrsquo school when they were in the seventh grade Francis worshipped her from the instant he saw her He told Marie LaCroix her friend that he liked her and told her not to tell Nicole even though he hopes that she would
Chapter Three
Francis visits the apartment where Nicole used to live The fact that the Renard nameplate has been removed confirms she has gone In flashback he remembers being in the army and meeting another boy from Frenchtown called Norman Rocheleau in France who told him that the Renards had left and nobody knew where they went Back in his apartment he remembers the first time he killed German soldiers who looked just as young as he was ndash he tells us that he was fifteen when he joined up The day after this was the day the grenade blew his face off
Chapter Four
On the way to the Wreck Centre Francis meets Arthur Rivier Arthur doesnrsquot recognize him bit can see that he is a veteran and so takes him to the St Judersquos club Many veterans in there are men Francis knows but nobody recognizes him They are all talking about the future and their plans and it seems as if Francis doesnrsquot belong there at all
Chapter Five
Francis introduces the story of the Wreck Centre He tells us how a bride was killed by her ex at a wedding reception there and so the place was closed down When it reopened Larry LaSalle came to run it He organized all of the children using it and ran art craft and sporting activities for them
Chapter Six
Francis returns to the St Judersquos Club to ask if anyone has seen Larry LaSalle The bartender nicknamed the Strangler because he used to be a wrestler has kept a scrap book of all the men in Frenchtown who served in the war It turns out that Larry LaSalle won a silver star ndash like Francis ndash for knocking out a machine gun nest Nobody has seen himArthur recognizes Francisrsquo voice but promises Francis to keep his identity secret
Chapter Seven
Flashback Larry tells Francis he should take up table tennis and he trains Francis to a good level of skill Francis wins a table tennis tournament which Larry stages The other kids want Francis to play Larry and Larry plays so skillfuly that although it looks as if he is trying his best he actually lets Francis win Nicole makes it very clear that she likes Francis when he wins and calls him her champion The day after the tournament Japan attacks the US naval base at Pearl Harbour
Chapter Eight
In a very short chapter Francis meets Arthur in an alleyway at night Arthur is very upset because nobody in the St Judersquos Club ever really talks about the war only about the future He tells Francis how scared he was all the time and says ldquowe werenrsquot heroes we were only thererdquo
Chapter Nine
Flashback Larry joins the army Nicole starts coming round to see Francis in Laurierrsquos Drug Store where he works They talk and when Nicole says that she likes movies as well as books he asks her to go to the cinema with himOne afternoon they see on a newsreel that Larry LaSalle has become a hero for knocking out an enemy machine gun nest
Chapter Ten
Francis tells us of the way a little boy was scared of his appearance in London when he was having surgery He tells us that he doesnrsquot care now so long as he carries out his self imposed mission to kill Larry He burns the card with the address of Dr Abrams of Kansas City who promised to operate on him again and do more plastic surgery Then he thinks back to the day that Larry came home before
Chapter Eleven
Flashback Larry has leave and comes home to Frenchtown There is a big civic reception for him then a party in the Wreck Centre Eventually just Francis Larry and Nicole remain Larry insists that Francis goes and leaves him and Nicole to have one more dance to the song ldquoDancing in the Darkrdquo Nicole doesnrsquot want Francis to go but he eventually does He waits in the porch and listens while Larry rapes Nicole
Chapter Twelve
FlashbackLarry left town suddenly Francis tries to find Nicole and when he does she says that she knows he was there and asks why he didnrsquot do anything Francis has no answer Later in the week Francis goes to church and considers jumping from the tower and committing suicide He decides not to because it would be a sin and decides to seek a noble death by joining the army He altered his birth certificate and joined up the next day
Chapter Thirteen
Francis learns that Larry has returned to town when he overhears Mrs Belander talking about it to a neighbour He learns that he seems to be injured because he walks slowly as if his legs hurt and he also learns where Larry is staying
Chapter Fourteen
Francis goes to see Larry LaSalle Larry seems pleased to see him He tells Francis that he has lsquojungle feverrsquo Itrsquos a wasting disease that is gradually killing him He calls Francis a hero Francis explains that he only fell on the grenade because he wanted to die he didnrsquot care about saving his platoon When he asks why Francis tells him he knew about what Larry did to Nicole Larry doesnrsquot deny it and in fact she wasnrsquot the only one When Francis takes out his gun so does Larry but makes it clear he will not hurt Francis In the end Francis leaves and he hears the sound of Larry shooting himself
Chapter Fifteen
Francis finds out where Nicole lives from Sister Mathilde his old teacher
Chapter Sixteen
Francis goes to see Nicole who is studying in a convent She knows that Larry is dead She apologises to Francis for what she said to him after what happened She realized it wasnrsquot his fault and went to his Unclersquos house to talk to him but hersquod already joined up They talk and Nicole says that she thinks she is getting better Francis aasks if there is any chance of them staying in touch but even though she doesnrsquot say no there isnrsquot Nicole suggests he should become a writer At the end of the chapter he leaves
Chapter Seventeen
The book ends with Francis sitting at the railway station leaving Frenchtown thinking about what he could do now and thinking about the kids who went away to war who were the real heroes
Background
Pearl Harbour
Dancing in the Dark
Fred Astaire
Inspiration for book
Pearl Harbour
bull The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United Statesnaval base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii on the morning of December 7 1941 (December 8 in Japan) The attack led to the United States entry into World War IIbull Click for more detail - bull httpenwikipediaorgwikiAttack_on_Pearl_Harbor
Dancing in the Dark - Lyrics
bull Dancing in the dark til the tune endsWere dancing in the dark and it soon endsWere waltzing in the wonder of why were hereTime hurries by were here and were gone
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark
What - though love is oldWhat - though song is oldThrough them we can be young
bull Hear this heart of mineWailin all the timeDear one tell me that were one
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark dancing in the darkDancing in the dark
Francis - Nicole
bull When he wins the table tennis Nicole casts Francis in the role of her lsquochampionrsquo bull Francis still doesnrsquot ask her out and so
Nicole starts coming to Laurierrsquos drug store where he works After she tells him that she likes movies as well as book he finally asks her out bull Her reply ldquothat would be nicerdquo is
perfect because their relationship is nice ndash sweet and tender and to a large extent innocent
QuotationsP 48 ldquoshe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
P 53 rdquoThe earth paused in its orbitldquoThat would be nicerdquoshe said at lastrdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis blames himself for what happened to Nicole when he left her with Larry bull Her reaction when she sees him
afterwards drives him to consider suicide and when he decides against this to change the date on his birth certificate and join the army
QuotationsP 69 ldquo I stood there thinking of what I had seen in Nicolersquos eyes Itrsquos amazing that the heart makes no noise when it cracksrdquo
P 72 ldquoFinally I asked ldquoWhat can I dordquoldquoPoor Francisrdquo she said at last But no pity in her voicerdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis cannot let go of Nicole Even though he knows she will not be there he goes to look at her old apartment in Frenchtownbull Even when he sees her after Larry
has killed himself and he knows they will never meet again he has to ask if he can see her sometimesbull At the end he must accept that he
will not see her again
QuotationsP 94 ldquordquoCan I come again sometimesrdquo I ask hating myself for asking because I know the answer ldquoOh Francisrdquo she says the words weighted with sadness I close my eyes clinging to the moment wanting to make it last forever ldquo
Chapter One
Francis introduces himself and his injuries Most of the chapter is told in the present tense He explains he has returned to his hometown of Frenchtown He takes a room in Mrs Belanderrsquos and deliberately lies to her to hide his identity Francis goes to St Judersquos Church to light a candle for his parents and for Larry LaSalle who he tells us he intends to kill He also mentions Nicole Renard for the first time
Chapter Two
In flashback ndash using past tense ndash Francis tells us about Nicole Her family moved from Albany in New York and she joined Francisrsquo school when they were in the seventh grade Francis worshipped her from the instant he saw her He told Marie LaCroix her friend that he liked her and told her not to tell Nicole even though he hopes that she would
Chapter Three
Francis visits the apartment where Nicole used to live The fact that the Renard nameplate has been removed confirms she has gone In flashback he remembers being in the army and meeting another boy from Frenchtown called Norman Rocheleau in France who told him that the Renards had left and nobody knew where they went Back in his apartment he remembers the first time he killed German soldiers who looked just as young as he was ndash he tells us that he was fifteen when he joined up The day after this was the day the grenade blew his face off
Chapter Four
On the way to the Wreck Centre Francis meets Arthur Rivier Arthur doesnrsquot recognize him bit can see that he is a veteran and so takes him to the St Judersquos club Many veterans in there are men Francis knows but nobody recognizes him They are all talking about the future and their plans and it seems as if Francis doesnrsquot belong there at all
Chapter Five
Francis introduces the story of the Wreck Centre He tells us how a bride was killed by her ex at a wedding reception there and so the place was closed down When it reopened Larry LaSalle came to run it He organized all of the children using it and ran art craft and sporting activities for them
Chapter Six
Francis returns to the St Judersquos Club to ask if anyone has seen Larry LaSalle The bartender nicknamed the Strangler because he used to be a wrestler has kept a scrap book of all the men in Frenchtown who served in the war It turns out that Larry LaSalle won a silver star ndash like Francis ndash for knocking out a machine gun nest Nobody has seen himArthur recognizes Francisrsquo voice but promises Francis to keep his identity secret
Chapter Seven
Flashback Larry tells Francis he should take up table tennis and he trains Francis to a good level of skill Francis wins a table tennis tournament which Larry stages The other kids want Francis to play Larry and Larry plays so skillfuly that although it looks as if he is trying his best he actually lets Francis win Nicole makes it very clear that she likes Francis when he wins and calls him her champion The day after the tournament Japan attacks the US naval base at Pearl Harbour
Chapter Eight
In a very short chapter Francis meets Arthur in an alleyway at night Arthur is very upset because nobody in the St Judersquos Club ever really talks about the war only about the future He tells Francis how scared he was all the time and says ldquowe werenrsquot heroes we were only thererdquo
Chapter Nine
Flashback Larry joins the army Nicole starts coming round to see Francis in Laurierrsquos Drug Store where he works They talk and when Nicole says that she likes movies as well as books he asks her to go to the cinema with himOne afternoon they see on a newsreel that Larry LaSalle has become a hero for knocking out an enemy machine gun nest
Chapter Ten
Francis tells us of the way a little boy was scared of his appearance in London when he was having surgery He tells us that he doesnrsquot care now so long as he carries out his self imposed mission to kill Larry He burns the card with the address of Dr Abrams of Kansas City who promised to operate on him again and do more plastic surgery Then he thinks back to the day that Larry came home before
Chapter Eleven
Flashback Larry has leave and comes home to Frenchtown There is a big civic reception for him then a party in the Wreck Centre Eventually just Francis Larry and Nicole remain Larry insists that Francis goes and leaves him and Nicole to have one more dance to the song ldquoDancing in the Darkrdquo Nicole doesnrsquot want Francis to go but he eventually does He waits in the porch and listens while Larry rapes Nicole
Chapter Twelve
FlashbackLarry left town suddenly Francis tries to find Nicole and when he does she says that she knows he was there and asks why he didnrsquot do anything Francis has no answer Later in the week Francis goes to church and considers jumping from the tower and committing suicide He decides not to because it would be a sin and decides to seek a noble death by joining the army He altered his birth certificate and joined up the next day
Chapter Thirteen
Francis learns that Larry has returned to town when he overhears Mrs Belander talking about it to a neighbour He learns that he seems to be injured because he walks slowly as if his legs hurt and he also learns where Larry is staying
Chapter Fourteen
Francis goes to see Larry LaSalle Larry seems pleased to see him He tells Francis that he has lsquojungle feverrsquo Itrsquos a wasting disease that is gradually killing him He calls Francis a hero Francis explains that he only fell on the grenade because he wanted to die he didnrsquot care about saving his platoon When he asks why Francis tells him he knew about what Larry did to Nicole Larry doesnrsquot deny it and in fact she wasnrsquot the only one When Francis takes out his gun so does Larry but makes it clear he will not hurt Francis In the end Francis leaves and he hears the sound of Larry shooting himself
Chapter Fifteen
Francis finds out where Nicole lives from Sister Mathilde his old teacher
Chapter Sixteen
Francis goes to see Nicole who is studying in a convent She knows that Larry is dead She apologises to Francis for what she said to him after what happened She realized it wasnrsquot his fault and went to his Unclersquos house to talk to him but hersquod already joined up They talk and Nicole says that she thinks she is getting better Francis aasks if there is any chance of them staying in touch but even though she doesnrsquot say no there isnrsquot Nicole suggests he should become a writer At the end of the chapter he leaves
Chapter Seventeen
The book ends with Francis sitting at the railway station leaving Frenchtown thinking about what he could do now and thinking about the kids who went away to war who were the real heroes
Background
Pearl Harbour
Dancing in the Dark
Fred Astaire
Inspiration for book
Pearl Harbour
bull The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United Statesnaval base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii on the morning of December 7 1941 (December 8 in Japan) The attack led to the United States entry into World War IIbull Click for more detail - bull httpenwikipediaorgwikiAttack_on_Pearl_Harbor
Dancing in the Dark - Lyrics
bull Dancing in the dark til the tune endsWere dancing in the dark and it soon endsWere waltzing in the wonder of why were hereTime hurries by were here and were gone
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark
What - though love is oldWhat - though song is oldThrough them we can be young
bull Hear this heart of mineWailin all the timeDear one tell me that were one
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark dancing in the darkDancing in the dark
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis blames himself for what happened to Nicole when he left her with Larry bull Her reaction when she sees him
afterwards drives him to consider suicide and when he decides against this to change the date on his birth certificate and join the army
QuotationsP 69 ldquo I stood there thinking of what I had seen in Nicolersquos eyes Itrsquos amazing that the heart makes no noise when it cracksrdquo
P 72 ldquoFinally I asked ldquoWhat can I dordquoldquoPoor Francisrdquo she said at last But no pity in her voicerdquo
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis cannot let go of Nicole Even though he knows she will not be there he goes to look at her old apartment in Frenchtownbull Even when he sees her after Larry
has killed himself and he knows they will never meet again he has to ask if he can see her sometimesbull At the end he must accept that he
will not see her again
QuotationsP 94 ldquordquoCan I come again sometimesrdquo I ask hating myself for asking because I know the answer ldquoOh Francisrdquo she says the words weighted with sadness I close my eyes clinging to the moment wanting to make it last forever ldquo
Chapter One
Francis introduces himself and his injuries Most of the chapter is told in the present tense He explains he has returned to his hometown of Frenchtown He takes a room in Mrs Belanderrsquos and deliberately lies to her to hide his identity Francis goes to St Judersquos Church to light a candle for his parents and for Larry LaSalle who he tells us he intends to kill He also mentions Nicole Renard for the first time
Chapter Two
In flashback ndash using past tense ndash Francis tells us about Nicole Her family moved from Albany in New York and she joined Francisrsquo school when they were in the seventh grade Francis worshipped her from the instant he saw her He told Marie LaCroix her friend that he liked her and told her not to tell Nicole even though he hopes that she would
Chapter Three
Francis visits the apartment where Nicole used to live The fact that the Renard nameplate has been removed confirms she has gone In flashback he remembers being in the army and meeting another boy from Frenchtown called Norman Rocheleau in France who told him that the Renards had left and nobody knew where they went Back in his apartment he remembers the first time he killed German soldiers who looked just as young as he was ndash he tells us that he was fifteen when he joined up The day after this was the day the grenade blew his face off
Chapter Four
On the way to the Wreck Centre Francis meets Arthur Rivier Arthur doesnrsquot recognize him bit can see that he is a veteran and so takes him to the St Judersquos club Many veterans in there are men Francis knows but nobody recognizes him They are all talking about the future and their plans and it seems as if Francis doesnrsquot belong there at all
Chapter Five
Francis introduces the story of the Wreck Centre He tells us how a bride was killed by her ex at a wedding reception there and so the place was closed down When it reopened Larry LaSalle came to run it He organized all of the children using it and ran art craft and sporting activities for them
Chapter Six
Francis returns to the St Judersquos Club to ask if anyone has seen Larry LaSalle The bartender nicknamed the Strangler because he used to be a wrestler has kept a scrap book of all the men in Frenchtown who served in the war It turns out that Larry LaSalle won a silver star ndash like Francis ndash for knocking out a machine gun nest Nobody has seen himArthur recognizes Francisrsquo voice but promises Francis to keep his identity secret
Chapter Seven
Flashback Larry tells Francis he should take up table tennis and he trains Francis to a good level of skill Francis wins a table tennis tournament which Larry stages The other kids want Francis to play Larry and Larry plays so skillfuly that although it looks as if he is trying his best he actually lets Francis win Nicole makes it very clear that she likes Francis when he wins and calls him her champion The day after the tournament Japan attacks the US naval base at Pearl Harbour
Chapter Eight
In a very short chapter Francis meets Arthur in an alleyway at night Arthur is very upset because nobody in the St Judersquos Club ever really talks about the war only about the future He tells Francis how scared he was all the time and says ldquowe werenrsquot heroes we were only thererdquo
Chapter Nine
Flashback Larry joins the army Nicole starts coming round to see Francis in Laurierrsquos Drug Store where he works They talk and when Nicole says that she likes movies as well as books he asks her to go to the cinema with himOne afternoon they see on a newsreel that Larry LaSalle has become a hero for knocking out an enemy machine gun nest
Chapter Ten
Francis tells us of the way a little boy was scared of his appearance in London when he was having surgery He tells us that he doesnrsquot care now so long as he carries out his self imposed mission to kill Larry He burns the card with the address of Dr Abrams of Kansas City who promised to operate on him again and do more plastic surgery Then he thinks back to the day that Larry came home before
Chapter Eleven
Flashback Larry has leave and comes home to Frenchtown There is a big civic reception for him then a party in the Wreck Centre Eventually just Francis Larry and Nicole remain Larry insists that Francis goes and leaves him and Nicole to have one more dance to the song ldquoDancing in the Darkrdquo Nicole doesnrsquot want Francis to go but he eventually does He waits in the porch and listens while Larry rapes Nicole
Chapter Twelve
FlashbackLarry left town suddenly Francis tries to find Nicole and when he does she says that she knows he was there and asks why he didnrsquot do anything Francis has no answer Later in the week Francis goes to church and considers jumping from the tower and committing suicide He decides not to because it would be a sin and decides to seek a noble death by joining the army He altered his birth certificate and joined up the next day
Chapter Thirteen
Francis learns that Larry has returned to town when he overhears Mrs Belander talking about it to a neighbour He learns that he seems to be injured because he walks slowly as if his legs hurt and he also learns where Larry is staying
Chapter Fourteen
Francis goes to see Larry LaSalle Larry seems pleased to see him He tells Francis that he has lsquojungle feverrsquo Itrsquos a wasting disease that is gradually killing him He calls Francis a hero Francis explains that he only fell on the grenade because he wanted to die he didnrsquot care about saving his platoon When he asks why Francis tells him he knew about what Larry did to Nicole Larry doesnrsquot deny it and in fact she wasnrsquot the only one When Francis takes out his gun so does Larry but makes it clear he will not hurt Francis In the end Francis leaves and he hears the sound of Larry shooting himself
Chapter Fifteen
Francis finds out where Nicole lives from Sister Mathilde his old teacher
Chapter Sixteen
Francis goes to see Nicole who is studying in a convent She knows that Larry is dead She apologises to Francis for what she said to him after what happened She realized it wasnrsquot his fault and went to his Unclersquos house to talk to him but hersquod already joined up They talk and Nicole says that she thinks she is getting better Francis aasks if there is any chance of them staying in touch but even though she doesnrsquot say no there isnrsquot Nicole suggests he should become a writer At the end of the chapter he leaves
Chapter Seventeen
The book ends with Francis sitting at the railway station leaving Frenchtown thinking about what he could do now and thinking about the kids who went away to war who were the real heroes
Background
Pearl Harbour
Dancing in the Dark
Fred Astaire
Inspiration for book
Pearl Harbour
bull The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United Statesnaval base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii on the morning of December 7 1941 (December 8 in Japan) The attack led to the United States entry into World War IIbull Click for more detail - bull httpenwikipediaorgwikiAttack_on_Pearl_Harbor
Dancing in the Dark - Lyrics
bull Dancing in the dark til the tune endsWere dancing in the dark and it soon endsWere waltzing in the wonder of why were hereTime hurries by were here and were gone
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark
What - though love is oldWhat - though song is oldThrough them we can be young
bull Hear this heart of mineWailin all the timeDear one tell me that were one
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark dancing in the darkDancing in the dark
Francis - Nicole
bull Francis cannot let go of Nicole Even though he knows she will not be there he goes to look at her old apartment in Frenchtownbull Even when he sees her after Larry
has killed himself and he knows they will never meet again he has to ask if he can see her sometimesbull At the end he must accept that he
will not see her again
QuotationsP 94 ldquordquoCan I come again sometimesrdquo I ask hating myself for asking because I know the answer ldquoOh Francisrdquo she says the words weighted with sadness I close my eyes clinging to the moment wanting to make it last forever ldquo
Chapter One
Francis introduces himself and his injuries Most of the chapter is told in the present tense He explains he has returned to his hometown of Frenchtown He takes a room in Mrs Belanderrsquos and deliberately lies to her to hide his identity Francis goes to St Judersquos Church to light a candle for his parents and for Larry LaSalle who he tells us he intends to kill He also mentions Nicole Renard for the first time
Chapter Two
In flashback ndash using past tense ndash Francis tells us about Nicole Her family moved from Albany in New York and she joined Francisrsquo school when they were in the seventh grade Francis worshipped her from the instant he saw her He told Marie LaCroix her friend that he liked her and told her not to tell Nicole even though he hopes that she would
Chapter Three
Francis visits the apartment where Nicole used to live The fact that the Renard nameplate has been removed confirms she has gone In flashback he remembers being in the army and meeting another boy from Frenchtown called Norman Rocheleau in France who told him that the Renards had left and nobody knew where they went Back in his apartment he remembers the first time he killed German soldiers who looked just as young as he was ndash he tells us that he was fifteen when he joined up The day after this was the day the grenade blew his face off
Chapter Four
On the way to the Wreck Centre Francis meets Arthur Rivier Arthur doesnrsquot recognize him bit can see that he is a veteran and so takes him to the St Judersquos club Many veterans in there are men Francis knows but nobody recognizes him They are all talking about the future and their plans and it seems as if Francis doesnrsquot belong there at all
Chapter Five
Francis introduces the story of the Wreck Centre He tells us how a bride was killed by her ex at a wedding reception there and so the place was closed down When it reopened Larry LaSalle came to run it He organized all of the children using it and ran art craft and sporting activities for them
Chapter Six
Francis returns to the St Judersquos Club to ask if anyone has seen Larry LaSalle The bartender nicknamed the Strangler because he used to be a wrestler has kept a scrap book of all the men in Frenchtown who served in the war It turns out that Larry LaSalle won a silver star ndash like Francis ndash for knocking out a machine gun nest Nobody has seen himArthur recognizes Francisrsquo voice but promises Francis to keep his identity secret
Chapter Seven
Flashback Larry tells Francis he should take up table tennis and he trains Francis to a good level of skill Francis wins a table tennis tournament which Larry stages The other kids want Francis to play Larry and Larry plays so skillfuly that although it looks as if he is trying his best he actually lets Francis win Nicole makes it very clear that she likes Francis when he wins and calls him her champion The day after the tournament Japan attacks the US naval base at Pearl Harbour
Chapter Eight
In a very short chapter Francis meets Arthur in an alleyway at night Arthur is very upset because nobody in the St Judersquos Club ever really talks about the war only about the future He tells Francis how scared he was all the time and says ldquowe werenrsquot heroes we were only thererdquo
Chapter Nine
Flashback Larry joins the army Nicole starts coming round to see Francis in Laurierrsquos Drug Store where he works They talk and when Nicole says that she likes movies as well as books he asks her to go to the cinema with himOne afternoon they see on a newsreel that Larry LaSalle has become a hero for knocking out an enemy machine gun nest
Chapter Ten
Francis tells us of the way a little boy was scared of his appearance in London when he was having surgery He tells us that he doesnrsquot care now so long as he carries out his self imposed mission to kill Larry He burns the card with the address of Dr Abrams of Kansas City who promised to operate on him again and do more plastic surgery Then he thinks back to the day that Larry came home before
Chapter Eleven
Flashback Larry has leave and comes home to Frenchtown There is a big civic reception for him then a party in the Wreck Centre Eventually just Francis Larry and Nicole remain Larry insists that Francis goes and leaves him and Nicole to have one more dance to the song ldquoDancing in the Darkrdquo Nicole doesnrsquot want Francis to go but he eventually does He waits in the porch and listens while Larry rapes Nicole
Chapter Twelve
FlashbackLarry left town suddenly Francis tries to find Nicole and when he does she says that she knows he was there and asks why he didnrsquot do anything Francis has no answer Later in the week Francis goes to church and considers jumping from the tower and committing suicide He decides not to because it would be a sin and decides to seek a noble death by joining the army He altered his birth certificate and joined up the next day
Chapter Thirteen
Francis learns that Larry has returned to town when he overhears Mrs Belander talking about it to a neighbour He learns that he seems to be injured because he walks slowly as if his legs hurt and he also learns where Larry is staying
Chapter Fourteen
Francis goes to see Larry LaSalle Larry seems pleased to see him He tells Francis that he has lsquojungle feverrsquo Itrsquos a wasting disease that is gradually killing him He calls Francis a hero Francis explains that he only fell on the grenade because he wanted to die he didnrsquot care about saving his platoon When he asks why Francis tells him he knew about what Larry did to Nicole Larry doesnrsquot deny it and in fact she wasnrsquot the only one When Francis takes out his gun so does Larry but makes it clear he will not hurt Francis In the end Francis leaves and he hears the sound of Larry shooting himself
Chapter Fifteen
Francis finds out where Nicole lives from Sister Mathilde his old teacher
Chapter Sixteen
Francis goes to see Nicole who is studying in a convent She knows that Larry is dead She apologises to Francis for what she said to him after what happened She realized it wasnrsquot his fault and went to his Unclersquos house to talk to him but hersquod already joined up They talk and Nicole says that she thinks she is getting better Francis aasks if there is any chance of them staying in touch but even though she doesnrsquot say no there isnrsquot Nicole suggests he should become a writer At the end of the chapter he leaves
Chapter Seventeen
The book ends with Francis sitting at the railway station leaving Frenchtown thinking about what he could do now and thinking about the kids who went away to war who were the real heroes
Background
Pearl Harbour
Dancing in the Dark
Fred Astaire
Inspiration for book
Pearl Harbour
bull The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United Statesnaval base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii on the morning of December 7 1941 (December 8 in Japan) The attack led to the United States entry into World War IIbull Click for more detail - bull httpenwikipediaorgwikiAttack_on_Pearl_Harbor
Dancing in the Dark - Lyrics
bull Dancing in the dark til the tune endsWere dancing in the dark and it soon endsWere waltzing in the wonder of why were hereTime hurries by were here and were gone
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark
What - though love is oldWhat - though song is oldThrough them we can be young
bull Hear this heart of mineWailin all the timeDear one tell me that were one
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark dancing in the darkDancing in the dark
Chapter One
Francis introduces himself and his injuries Most of the chapter is told in the present tense He explains he has returned to his hometown of Frenchtown He takes a room in Mrs Belanderrsquos and deliberately lies to her to hide his identity Francis goes to St Judersquos Church to light a candle for his parents and for Larry LaSalle who he tells us he intends to kill He also mentions Nicole Renard for the first time
Chapter Two
In flashback ndash using past tense ndash Francis tells us about Nicole Her family moved from Albany in New York and she joined Francisrsquo school when they were in the seventh grade Francis worshipped her from the instant he saw her He told Marie LaCroix her friend that he liked her and told her not to tell Nicole even though he hopes that she would
Chapter Three
Francis visits the apartment where Nicole used to live The fact that the Renard nameplate has been removed confirms she has gone In flashback he remembers being in the army and meeting another boy from Frenchtown called Norman Rocheleau in France who told him that the Renards had left and nobody knew where they went Back in his apartment he remembers the first time he killed German soldiers who looked just as young as he was ndash he tells us that he was fifteen when he joined up The day after this was the day the grenade blew his face off
Chapter Four
On the way to the Wreck Centre Francis meets Arthur Rivier Arthur doesnrsquot recognize him bit can see that he is a veteran and so takes him to the St Judersquos club Many veterans in there are men Francis knows but nobody recognizes him They are all talking about the future and their plans and it seems as if Francis doesnrsquot belong there at all
Chapter Five
Francis introduces the story of the Wreck Centre He tells us how a bride was killed by her ex at a wedding reception there and so the place was closed down When it reopened Larry LaSalle came to run it He organized all of the children using it and ran art craft and sporting activities for them
Chapter Six
Francis returns to the St Judersquos Club to ask if anyone has seen Larry LaSalle The bartender nicknamed the Strangler because he used to be a wrestler has kept a scrap book of all the men in Frenchtown who served in the war It turns out that Larry LaSalle won a silver star ndash like Francis ndash for knocking out a machine gun nest Nobody has seen himArthur recognizes Francisrsquo voice but promises Francis to keep his identity secret
Chapter Seven
Flashback Larry tells Francis he should take up table tennis and he trains Francis to a good level of skill Francis wins a table tennis tournament which Larry stages The other kids want Francis to play Larry and Larry plays so skillfuly that although it looks as if he is trying his best he actually lets Francis win Nicole makes it very clear that she likes Francis when he wins and calls him her champion The day after the tournament Japan attacks the US naval base at Pearl Harbour
Chapter Eight
In a very short chapter Francis meets Arthur in an alleyway at night Arthur is very upset because nobody in the St Judersquos Club ever really talks about the war only about the future He tells Francis how scared he was all the time and says ldquowe werenrsquot heroes we were only thererdquo
Chapter Nine
Flashback Larry joins the army Nicole starts coming round to see Francis in Laurierrsquos Drug Store where he works They talk and when Nicole says that she likes movies as well as books he asks her to go to the cinema with himOne afternoon they see on a newsreel that Larry LaSalle has become a hero for knocking out an enemy machine gun nest
Chapter Ten
Francis tells us of the way a little boy was scared of his appearance in London when he was having surgery He tells us that he doesnrsquot care now so long as he carries out his self imposed mission to kill Larry He burns the card with the address of Dr Abrams of Kansas City who promised to operate on him again and do more plastic surgery Then he thinks back to the day that Larry came home before
Chapter Eleven
Flashback Larry has leave and comes home to Frenchtown There is a big civic reception for him then a party in the Wreck Centre Eventually just Francis Larry and Nicole remain Larry insists that Francis goes and leaves him and Nicole to have one more dance to the song ldquoDancing in the Darkrdquo Nicole doesnrsquot want Francis to go but he eventually does He waits in the porch and listens while Larry rapes Nicole
Chapter Twelve
FlashbackLarry left town suddenly Francis tries to find Nicole and when he does she says that she knows he was there and asks why he didnrsquot do anything Francis has no answer Later in the week Francis goes to church and considers jumping from the tower and committing suicide He decides not to because it would be a sin and decides to seek a noble death by joining the army He altered his birth certificate and joined up the next day
Chapter Thirteen
Francis learns that Larry has returned to town when he overhears Mrs Belander talking about it to a neighbour He learns that he seems to be injured because he walks slowly as if his legs hurt and he also learns where Larry is staying
Chapter Fourteen
Francis goes to see Larry LaSalle Larry seems pleased to see him He tells Francis that he has lsquojungle feverrsquo Itrsquos a wasting disease that is gradually killing him He calls Francis a hero Francis explains that he only fell on the grenade because he wanted to die he didnrsquot care about saving his platoon When he asks why Francis tells him he knew about what Larry did to Nicole Larry doesnrsquot deny it and in fact she wasnrsquot the only one When Francis takes out his gun so does Larry but makes it clear he will not hurt Francis In the end Francis leaves and he hears the sound of Larry shooting himself
Chapter Fifteen
Francis finds out where Nicole lives from Sister Mathilde his old teacher
Chapter Sixteen
Francis goes to see Nicole who is studying in a convent She knows that Larry is dead She apologises to Francis for what she said to him after what happened She realized it wasnrsquot his fault and went to his Unclersquos house to talk to him but hersquod already joined up They talk and Nicole says that she thinks she is getting better Francis aasks if there is any chance of them staying in touch but even though she doesnrsquot say no there isnrsquot Nicole suggests he should become a writer At the end of the chapter he leaves
Chapter Seventeen
The book ends with Francis sitting at the railway station leaving Frenchtown thinking about what he could do now and thinking about the kids who went away to war who were the real heroes
Background
Pearl Harbour
Dancing in the Dark
Fred Astaire
Inspiration for book
Pearl Harbour
bull The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United Statesnaval base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii on the morning of December 7 1941 (December 8 in Japan) The attack led to the United States entry into World War IIbull Click for more detail - bull httpenwikipediaorgwikiAttack_on_Pearl_Harbor
Dancing in the Dark - Lyrics
bull Dancing in the dark til the tune endsWere dancing in the dark and it soon endsWere waltzing in the wonder of why were hereTime hurries by were here and were gone
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark
What - though love is oldWhat - though song is oldThrough them we can be young
bull Hear this heart of mineWailin all the timeDear one tell me that were one
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark dancing in the darkDancing in the dark
Chapter Two
In flashback ndash using past tense ndash Francis tells us about Nicole Her family moved from Albany in New York and she joined Francisrsquo school when they were in the seventh grade Francis worshipped her from the instant he saw her He told Marie LaCroix her friend that he liked her and told her not to tell Nicole even though he hopes that she would
Chapter Three
Francis visits the apartment where Nicole used to live The fact that the Renard nameplate has been removed confirms she has gone In flashback he remembers being in the army and meeting another boy from Frenchtown called Norman Rocheleau in France who told him that the Renards had left and nobody knew where they went Back in his apartment he remembers the first time he killed German soldiers who looked just as young as he was ndash he tells us that he was fifteen when he joined up The day after this was the day the grenade blew his face off
Chapter Four
On the way to the Wreck Centre Francis meets Arthur Rivier Arthur doesnrsquot recognize him bit can see that he is a veteran and so takes him to the St Judersquos club Many veterans in there are men Francis knows but nobody recognizes him They are all talking about the future and their plans and it seems as if Francis doesnrsquot belong there at all
Chapter Five
Francis introduces the story of the Wreck Centre He tells us how a bride was killed by her ex at a wedding reception there and so the place was closed down When it reopened Larry LaSalle came to run it He organized all of the children using it and ran art craft and sporting activities for them
Chapter Six
Francis returns to the St Judersquos Club to ask if anyone has seen Larry LaSalle The bartender nicknamed the Strangler because he used to be a wrestler has kept a scrap book of all the men in Frenchtown who served in the war It turns out that Larry LaSalle won a silver star ndash like Francis ndash for knocking out a machine gun nest Nobody has seen himArthur recognizes Francisrsquo voice but promises Francis to keep his identity secret
Chapter Seven
Flashback Larry tells Francis he should take up table tennis and he trains Francis to a good level of skill Francis wins a table tennis tournament which Larry stages The other kids want Francis to play Larry and Larry plays so skillfuly that although it looks as if he is trying his best he actually lets Francis win Nicole makes it very clear that she likes Francis when he wins and calls him her champion The day after the tournament Japan attacks the US naval base at Pearl Harbour
Chapter Eight
In a very short chapter Francis meets Arthur in an alleyway at night Arthur is very upset because nobody in the St Judersquos Club ever really talks about the war only about the future He tells Francis how scared he was all the time and says ldquowe werenrsquot heroes we were only thererdquo
Chapter Nine
Flashback Larry joins the army Nicole starts coming round to see Francis in Laurierrsquos Drug Store where he works They talk and when Nicole says that she likes movies as well as books he asks her to go to the cinema with himOne afternoon they see on a newsreel that Larry LaSalle has become a hero for knocking out an enemy machine gun nest
Chapter Ten
Francis tells us of the way a little boy was scared of his appearance in London when he was having surgery He tells us that he doesnrsquot care now so long as he carries out his self imposed mission to kill Larry He burns the card with the address of Dr Abrams of Kansas City who promised to operate on him again and do more plastic surgery Then he thinks back to the day that Larry came home before
Chapter Eleven
Flashback Larry has leave and comes home to Frenchtown There is a big civic reception for him then a party in the Wreck Centre Eventually just Francis Larry and Nicole remain Larry insists that Francis goes and leaves him and Nicole to have one more dance to the song ldquoDancing in the Darkrdquo Nicole doesnrsquot want Francis to go but he eventually does He waits in the porch and listens while Larry rapes Nicole
Chapter Twelve
FlashbackLarry left town suddenly Francis tries to find Nicole and when he does she says that she knows he was there and asks why he didnrsquot do anything Francis has no answer Later in the week Francis goes to church and considers jumping from the tower and committing suicide He decides not to because it would be a sin and decides to seek a noble death by joining the army He altered his birth certificate and joined up the next day
Chapter Thirteen
Francis learns that Larry has returned to town when he overhears Mrs Belander talking about it to a neighbour He learns that he seems to be injured because he walks slowly as if his legs hurt and he also learns where Larry is staying
Chapter Fourteen
Francis goes to see Larry LaSalle Larry seems pleased to see him He tells Francis that he has lsquojungle feverrsquo Itrsquos a wasting disease that is gradually killing him He calls Francis a hero Francis explains that he only fell on the grenade because he wanted to die he didnrsquot care about saving his platoon When he asks why Francis tells him he knew about what Larry did to Nicole Larry doesnrsquot deny it and in fact she wasnrsquot the only one When Francis takes out his gun so does Larry but makes it clear he will not hurt Francis In the end Francis leaves and he hears the sound of Larry shooting himself
Chapter Fifteen
Francis finds out where Nicole lives from Sister Mathilde his old teacher
Chapter Sixteen
Francis goes to see Nicole who is studying in a convent She knows that Larry is dead She apologises to Francis for what she said to him after what happened She realized it wasnrsquot his fault and went to his Unclersquos house to talk to him but hersquod already joined up They talk and Nicole says that she thinks she is getting better Francis aasks if there is any chance of them staying in touch but even though she doesnrsquot say no there isnrsquot Nicole suggests he should become a writer At the end of the chapter he leaves
Chapter Seventeen
The book ends with Francis sitting at the railway station leaving Frenchtown thinking about what he could do now and thinking about the kids who went away to war who were the real heroes
Background
Pearl Harbour
Dancing in the Dark
Fred Astaire
Inspiration for book
Pearl Harbour
bull The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United Statesnaval base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii on the morning of December 7 1941 (December 8 in Japan) The attack led to the United States entry into World War IIbull Click for more detail - bull httpenwikipediaorgwikiAttack_on_Pearl_Harbor
Dancing in the Dark - Lyrics
bull Dancing in the dark til the tune endsWere dancing in the dark and it soon endsWere waltzing in the wonder of why were hereTime hurries by were here and were gone
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark
What - though love is oldWhat - though song is oldThrough them we can be young
bull Hear this heart of mineWailin all the timeDear one tell me that were one
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark dancing in the darkDancing in the dark
Chapter Three
Francis visits the apartment where Nicole used to live The fact that the Renard nameplate has been removed confirms she has gone In flashback he remembers being in the army and meeting another boy from Frenchtown called Norman Rocheleau in France who told him that the Renards had left and nobody knew where they went Back in his apartment he remembers the first time he killed German soldiers who looked just as young as he was ndash he tells us that he was fifteen when he joined up The day after this was the day the grenade blew his face off
Chapter Four
On the way to the Wreck Centre Francis meets Arthur Rivier Arthur doesnrsquot recognize him bit can see that he is a veteran and so takes him to the St Judersquos club Many veterans in there are men Francis knows but nobody recognizes him They are all talking about the future and their plans and it seems as if Francis doesnrsquot belong there at all
Chapter Five
Francis introduces the story of the Wreck Centre He tells us how a bride was killed by her ex at a wedding reception there and so the place was closed down When it reopened Larry LaSalle came to run it He organized all of the children using it and ran art craft and sporting activities for them
Chapter Six
Francis returns to the St Judersquos Club to ask if anyone has seen Larry LaSalle The bartender nicknamed the Strangler because he used to be a wrestler has kept a scrap book of all the men in Frenchtown who served in the war It turns out that Larry LaSalle won a silver star ndash like Francis ndash for knocking out a machine gun nest Nobody has seen himArthur recognizes Francisrsquo voice but promises Francis to keep his identity secret
Chapter Seven
Flashback Larry tells Francis he should take up table tennis and he trains Francis to a good level of skill Francis wins a table tennis tournament which Larry stages The other kids want Francis to play Larry and Larry plays so skillfuly that although it looks as if he is trying his best he actually lets Francis win Nicole makes it very clear that she likes Francis when he wins and calls him her champion The day after the tournament Japan attacks the US naval base at Pearl Harbour
Chapter Eight
In a very short chapter Francis meets Arthur in an alleyway at night Arthur is very upset because nobody in the St Judersquos Club ever really talks about the war only about the future He tells Francis how scared he was all the time and says ldquowe werenrsquot heroes we were only thererdquo
Chapter Nine
Flashback Larry joins the army Nicole starts coming round to see Francis in Laurierrsquos Drug Store where he works They talk and when Nicole says that she likes movies as well as books he asks her to go to the cinema with himOne afternoon they see on a newsreel that Larry LaSalle has become a hero for knocking out an enemy machine gun nest
Chapter Ten
Francis tells us of the way a little boy was scared of his appearance in London when he was having surgery He tells us that he doesnrsquot care now so long as he carries out his self imposed mission to kill Larry He burns the card with the address of Dr Abrams of Kansas City who promised to operate on him again and do more plastic surgery Then he thinks back to the day that Larry came home before
Chapter Eleven
Flashback Larry has leave and comes home to Frenchtown There is a big civic reception for him then a party in the Wreck Centre Eventually just Francis Larry and Nicole remain Larry insists that Francis goes and leaves him and Nicole to have one more dance to the song ldquoDancing in the Darkrdquo Nicole doesnrsquot want Francis to go but he eventually does He waits in the porch and listens while Larry rapes Nicole
Chapter Twelve
FlashbackLarry left town suddenly Francis tries to find Nicole and when he does she says that she knows he was there and asks why he didnrsquot do anything Francis has no answer Later in the week Francis goes to church and considers jumping from the tower and committing suicide He decides not to because it would be a sin and decides to seek a noble death by joining the army He altered his birth certificate and joined up the next day
Chapter Thirteen
Francis learns that Larry has returned to town when he overhears Mrs Belander talking about it to a neighbour He learns that he seems to be injured because he walks slowly as if his legs hurt and he also learns where Larry is staying
Chapter Fourteen
Francis goes to see Larry LaSalle Larry seems pleased to see him He tells Francis that he has lsquojungle feverrsquo Itrsquos a wasting disease that is gradually killing him He calls Francis a hero Francis explains that he only fell on the grenade because he wanted to die he didnrsquot care about saving his platoon When he asks why Francis tells him he knew about what Larry did to Nicole Larry doesnrsquot deny it and in fact she wasnrsquot the only one When Francis takes out his gun so does Larry but makes it clear he will not hurt Francis In the end Francis leaves and he hears the sound of Larry shooting himself
Chapter Fifteen
Francis finds out where Nicole lives from Sister Mathilde his old teacher
Chapter Sixteen
Francis goes to see Nicole who is studying in a convent She knows that Larry is dead She apologises to Francis for what she said to him after what happened She realized it wasnrsquot his fault and went to his Unclersquos house to talk to him but hersquod already joined up They talk and Nicole says that she thinks she is getting better Francis aasks if there is any chance of them staying in touch but even though she doesnrsquot say no there isnrsquot Nicole suggests he should become a writer At the end of the chapter he leaves
Chapter Seventeen
The book ends with Francis sitting at the railway station leaving Frenchtown thinking about what he could do now and thinking about the kids who went away to war who were the real heroes
Background
Pearl Harbour
Dancing in the Dark
Fred Astaire
Inspiration for book
Pearl Harbour
bull The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United Statesnaval base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii on the morning of December 7 1941 (December 8 in Japan) The attack led to the United States entry into World War IIbull Click for more detail - bull httpenwikipediaorgwikiAttack_on_Pearl_Harbor
Dancing in the Dark - Lyrics
bull Dancing in the dark til the tune endsWere dancing in the dark and it soon endsWere waltzing in the wonder of why were hereTime hurries by were here and were gone
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark
What - though love is oldWhat - though song is oldThrough them we can be young
bull Hear this heart of mineWailin all the timeDear one tell me that were one
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark dancing in the darkDancing in the dark
Chapter Four
On the way to the Wreck Centre Francis meets Arthur Rivier Arthur doesnrsquot recognize him bit can see that he is a veteran and so takes him to the St Judersquos club Many veterans in there are men Francis knows but nobody recognizes him They are all talking about the future and their plans and it seems as if Francis doesnrsquot belong there at all
Chapter Five
Francis introduces the story of the Wreck Centre He tells us how a bride was killed by her ex at a wedding reception there and so the place was closed down When it reopened Larry LaSalle came to run it He organized all of the children using it and ran art craft and sporting activities for them
Chapter Six
Francis returns to the St Judersquos Club to ask if anyone has seen Larry LaSalle The bartender nicknamed the Strangler because he used to be a wrestler has kept a scrap book of all the men in Frenchtown who served in the war It turns out that Larry LaSalle won a silver star ndash like Francis ndash for knocking out a machine gun nest Nobody has seen himArthur recognizes Francisrsquo voice but promises Francis to keep his identity secret
Chapter Seven
Flashback Larry tells Francis he should take up table tennis and he trains Francis to a good level of skill Francis wins a table tennis tournament which Larry stages The other kids want Francis to play Larry and Larry plays so skillfuly that although it looks as if he is trying his best he actually lets Francis win Nicole makes it very clear that she likes Francis when he wins and calls him her champion The day after the tournament Japan attacks the US naval base at Pearl Harbour
Chapter Eight
In a very short chapter Francis meets Arthur in an alleyway at night Arthur is very upset because nobody in the St Judersquos Club ever really talks about the war only about the future He tells Francis how scared he was all the time and says ldquowe werenrsquot heroes we were only thererdquo
Chapter Nine
Flashback Larry joins the army Nicole starts coming round to see Francis in Laurierrsquos Drug Store where he works They talk and when Nicole says that she likes movies as well as books he asks her to go to the cinema with himOne afternoon they see on a newsreel that Larry LaSalle has become a hero for knocking out an enemy machine gun nest
Chapter Ten
Francis tells us of the way a little boy was scared of his appearance in London when he was having surgery He tells us that he doesnrsquot care now so long as he carries out his self imposed mission to kill Larry He burns the card with the address of Dr Abrams of Kansas City who promised to operate on him again and do more plastic surgery Then he thinks back to the day that Larry came home before
Chapter Eleven
Flashback Larry has leave and comes home to Frenchtown There is a big civic reception for him then a party in the Wreck Centre Eventually just Francis Larry and Nicole remain Larry insists that Francis goes and leaves him and Nicole to have one more dance to the song ldquoDancing in the Darkrdquo Nicole doesnrsquot want Francis to go but he eventually does He waits in the porch and listens while Larry rapes Nicole
Chapter Twelve
FlashbackLarry left town suddenly Francis tries to find Nicole and when he does she says that she knows he was there and asks why he didnrsquot do anything Francis has no answer Later in the week Francis goes to church and considers jumping from the tower and committing suicide He decides not to because it would be a sin and decides to seek a noble death by joining the army He altered his birth certificate and joined up the next day
Chapter Thirteen
Francis learns that Larry has returned to town when he overhears Mrs Belander talking about it to a neighbour He learns that he seems to be injured because he walks slowly as if his legs hurt and he also learns where Larry is staying
Chapter Fourteen
Francis goes to see Larry LaSalle Larry seems pleased to see him He tells Francis that he has lsquojungle feverrsquo Itrsquos a wasting disease that is gradually killing him He calls Francis a hero Francis explains that he only fell on the grenade because he wanted to die he didnrsquot care about saving his platoon When he asks why Francis tells him he knew about what Larry did to Nicole Larry doesnrsquot deny it and in fact she wasnrsquot the only one When Francis takes out his gun so does Larry but makes it clear he will not hurt Francis In the end Francis leaves and he hears the sound of Larry shooting himself
Chapter Fifteen
Francis finds out where Nicole lives from Sister Mathilde his old teacher
Chapter Sixteen
Francis goes to see Nicole who is studying in a convent She knows that Larry is dead She apologises to Francis for what she said to him after what happened She realized it wasnrsquot his fault and went to his Unclersquos house to talk to him but hersquod already joined up They talk and Nicole says that she thinks she is getting better Francis aasks if there is any chance of them staying in touch but even though she doesnrsquot say no there isnrsquot Nicole suggests he should become a writer At the end of the chapter he leaves
Chapter Seventeen
The book ends with Francis sitting at the railway station leaving Frenchtown thinking about what he could do now and thinking about the kids who went away to war who were the real heroes
Background
Pearl Harbour
Dancing in the Dark
Fred Astaire
Inspiration for book
Pearl Harbour
bull The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United Statesnaval base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii on the morning of December 7 1941 (December 8 in Japan) The attack led to the United States entry into World War IIbull Click for more detail - bull httpenwikipediaorgwikiAttack_on_Pearl_Harbor
Dancing in the Dark - Lyrics
bull Dancing in the dark til the tune endsWere dancing in the dark and it soon endsWere waltzing in the wonder of why were hereTime hurries by were here and were gone
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark
What - though love is oldWhat - though song is oldThrough them we can be young
bull Hear this heart of mineWailin all the timeDear one tell me that were one
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark dancing in the darkDancing in the dark
Chapter Five
Francis introduces the story of the Wreck Centre He tells us how a bride was killed by her ex at a wedding reception there and so the place was closed down When it reopened Larry LaSalle came to run it He organized all of the children using it and ran art craft and sporting activities for them
Chapter Six
Francis returns to the St Judersquos Club to ask if anyone has seen Larry LaSalle The bartender nicknamed the Strangler because he used to be a wrestler has kept a scrap book of all the men in Frenchtown who served in the war It turns out that Larry LaSalle won a silver star ndash like Francis ndash for knocking out a machine gun nest Nobody has seen himArthur recognizes Francisrsquo voice but promises Francis to keep his identity secret
Chapter Seven
Flashback Larry tells Francis he should take up table tennis and he trains Francis to a good level of skill Francis wins a table tennis tournament which Larry stages The other kids want Francis to play Larry and Larry plays so skillfuly that although it looks as if he is trying his best he actually lets Francis win Nicole makes it very clear that she likes Francis when he wins and calls him her champion The day after the tournament Japan attacks the US naval base at Pearl Harbour
Chapter Eight
In a very short chapter Francis meets Arthur in an alleyway at night Arthur is very upset because nobody in the St Judersquos Club ever really talks about the war only about the future He tells Francis how scared he was all the time and says ldquowe werenrsquot heroes we were only thererdquo
Chapter Nine
Flashback Larry joins the army Nicole starts coming round to see Francis in Laurierrsquos Drug Store where he works They talk and when Nicole says that she likes movies as well as books he asks her to go to the cinema with himOne afternoon they see on a newsreel that Larry LaSalle has become a hero for knocking out an enemy machine gun nest
Chapter Ten
Francis tells us of the way a little boy was scared of his appearance in London when he was having surgery He tells us that he doesnrsquot care now so long as he carries out his self imposed mission to kill Larry He burns the card with the address of Dr Abrams of Kansas City who promised to operate on him again and do more plastic surgery Then he thinks back to the day that Larry came home before
Chapter Eleven
Flashback Larry has leave and comes home to Frenchtown There is a big civic reception for him then a party in the Wreck Centre Eventually just Francis Larry and Nicole remain Larry insists that Francis goes and leaves him and Nicole to have one more dance to the song ldquoDancing in the Darkrdquo Nicole doesnrsquot want Francis to go but he eventually does He waits in the porch and listens while Larry rapes Nicole
Chapter Twelve
FlashbackLarry left town suddenly Francis tries to find Nicole and when he does she says that she knows he was there and asks why he didnrsquot do anything Francis has no answer Later in the week Francis goes to church and considers jumping from the tower and committing suicide He decides not to because it would be a sin and decides to seek a noble death by joining the army He altered his birth certificate and joined up the next day
Chapter Thirteen
Francis learns that Larry has returned to town when he overhears Mrs Belander talking about it to a neighbour He learns that he seems to be injured because he walks slowly as if his legs hurt and he also learns where Larry is staying
Chapter Fourteen
Francis goes to see Larry LaSalle Larry seems pleased to see him He tells Francis that he has lsquojungle feverrsquo Itrsquos a wasting disease that is gradually killing him He calls Francis a hero Francis explains that he only fell on the grenade because he wanted to die he didnrsquot care about saving his platoon When he asks why Francis tells him he knew about what Larry did to Nicole Larry doesnrsquot deny it and in fact she wasnrsquot the only one When Francis takes out his gun so does Larry but makes it clear he will not hurt Francis In the end Francis leaves and he hears the sound of Larry shooting himself
Chapter Fifteen
Francis finds out where Nicole lives from Sister Mathilde his old teacher
Chapter Sixteen
Francis goes to see Nicole who is studying in a convent She knows that Larry is dead She apologises to Francis for what she said to him after what happened She realized it wasnrsquot his fault and went to his Unclersquos house to talk to him but hersquod already joined up They talk and Nicole says that she thinks she is getting better Francis aasks if there is any chance of them staying in touch but even though she doesnrsquot say no there isnrsquot Nicole suggests he should become a writer At the end of the chapter he leaves
Chapter Seventeen
The book ends with Francis sitting at the railway station leaving Frenchtown thinking about what he could do now and thinking about the kids who went away to war who were the real heroes
Background
Pearl Harbour
Dancing in the Dark
Fred Astaire
Inspiration for book
Pearl Harbour
bull The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United Statesnaval base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii on the morning of December 7 1941 (December 8 in Japan) The attack led to the United States entry into World War IIbull Click for more detail - bull httpenwikipediaorgwikiAttack_on_Pearl_Harbor
Dancing in the Dark - Lyrics
bull Dancing in the dark til the tune endsWere dancing in the dark and it soon endsWere waltzing in the wonder of why were hereTime hurries by were here and were gone
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark
What - though love is oldWhat - though song is oldThrough them we can be young
bull Hear this heart of mineWailin all the timeDear one tell me that were one
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark dancing in the darkDancing in the dark
Chapter Six
Francis returns to the St Judersquos Club to ask if anyone has seen Larry LaSalle The bartender nicknamed the Strangler because he used to be a wrestler has kept a scrap book of all the men in Frenchtown who served in the war It turns out that Larry LaSalle won a silver star ndash like Francis ndash for knocking out a machine gun nest Nobody has seen himArthur recognizes Francisrsquo voice but promises Francis to keep his identity secret
Chapter Seven
Flashback Larry tells Francis he should take up table tennis and he trains Francis to a good level of skill Francis wins a table tennis tournament which Larry stages The other kids want Francis to play Larry and Larry plays so skillfuly that although it looks as if he is trying his best he actually lets Francis win Nicole makes it very clear that she likes Francis when he wins and calls him her champion The day after the tournament Japan attacks the US naval base at Pearl Harbour
Chapter Eight
In a very short chapter Francis meets Arthur in an alleyway at night Arthur is very upset because nobody in the St Judersquos Club ever really talks about the war only about the future He tells Francis how scared he was all the time and says ldquowe werenrsquot heroes we were only thererdquo
Chapter Nine
Flashback Larry joins the army Nicole starts coming round to see Francis in Laurierrsquos Drug Store where he works They talk and when Nicole says that she likes movies as well as books he asks her to go to the cinema with himOne afternoon they see on a newsreel that Larry LaSalle has become a hero for knocking out an enemy machine gun nest
Chapter Ten
Francis tells us of the way a little boy was scared of his appearance in London when he was having surgery He tells us that he doesnrsquot care now so long as he carries out his self imposed mission to kill Larry He burns the card with the address of Dr Abrams of Kansas City who promised to operate on him again and do more plastic surgery Then he thinks back to the day that Larry came home before
Chapter Eleven
Flashback Larry has leave and comes home to Frenchtown There is a big civic reception for him then a party in the Wreck Centre Eventually just Francis Larry and Nicole remain Larry insists that Francis goes and leaves him and Nicole to have one more dance to the song ldquoDancing in the Darkrdquo Nicole doesnrsquot want Francis to go but he eventually does He waits in the porch and listens while Larry rapes Nicole
Chapter Twelve
FlashbackLarry left town suddenly Francis tries to find Nicole and when he does she says that she knows he was there and asks why he didnrsquot do anything Francis has no answer Later in the week Francis goes to church and considers jumping from the tower and committing suicide He decides not to because it would be a sin and decides to seek a noble death by joining the army He altered his birth certificate and joined up the next day
Chapter Thirteen
Francis learns that Larry has returned to town when he overhears Mrs Belander talking about it to a neighbour He learns that he seems to be injured because he walks slowly as if his legs hurt and he also learns where Larry is staying
Chapter Fourteen
Francis goes to see Larry LaSalle Larry seems pleased to see him He tells Francis that he has lsquojungle feverrsquo Itrsquos a wasting disease that is gradually killing him He calls Francis a hero Francis explains that he only fell on the grenade because he wanted to die he didnrsquot care about saving his platoon When he asks why Francis tells him he knew about what Larry did to Nicole Larry doesnrsquot deny it and in fact she wasnrsquot the only one When Francis takes out his gun so does Larry but makes it clear he will not hurt Francis In the end Francis leaves and he hears the sound of Larry shooting himself
Chapter Fifteen
Francis finds out where Nicole lives from Sister Mathilde his old teacher
Chapter Sixteen
Francis goes to see Nicole who is studying in a convent She knows that Larry is dead She apologises to Francis for what she said to him after what happened She realized it wasnrsquot his fault and went to his Unclersquos house to talk to him but hersquod already joined up They talk and Nicole says that she thinks she is getting better Francis aasks if there is any chance of them staying in touch but even though she doesnrsquot say no there isnrsquot Nicole suggests he should become a writer At the end of the chapter he leaves
Chapter Seventeen
The book ends with Francis sitting at the railway station leaving Frenchtown thinking about what he could do now and thinking about the kids who went away to war who were the real heroes
Background
Pearl Harbour
Dancing in the Dark
Fred Astaire
Inspiration for book
Pearl Harbour
bull The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United Statesnaval base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii on the morning of December 7 1941 (December 8 in Japan) The attack led to the United States entry into World War IIbull Click for more detail - bull httpenwikipediaorgwikiAttack_on_Pearl_Harbor
Dancing in the Dark - Lyrics
bull Dancing in the dark til the tune endsWere dancing in the dark and it soon endsWere waltzing in the wonder of why were hereTime hurries by were here and were gone
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark
What - though love is oldWhat - though song is oldThrough them we can be young
bull Hear this heart of mineWailin all the timeDear one tell me that were one
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark dancing in the darkDancing in the dark
Chapter Seven
Flashback Larry tells Francis he should take up table tennis and he trains Francis to a good level of skill Francis wins a table tennis tournament which Larry stages The other kids want Francis to play Larry and Larry plays so skillfuly that although it looks as if he is trying his best he actually lets Francis win Nicole makes it very clear that she likes Francis when he wins and calls him her champion The day after the tournament Japan attacks the US naval base at Pearl Harbour
Chapter Eight
In a very short chapter Francis meets Arthur in an alleyway at night Arthur is very upset because nobody in the St Judersquos Club ever really talks about the war only about the future He tells Francis how scared he was all the time and says ldquowe werenrsquot heroes we were only thererdquo
Chapter Nine
Flashback Larry joins the army Nicole starts coming round to see Francis in Laurierrsquos Drug Store where he works They talk and when Nicole says that she likes movies as well as books he asks her to go to the cinema with himOne afternoon they see on a newsreel that Larry LaSalle has become a hero for knocking out an enemy machine gun nest
Chapter Ten
Francis tells us of the way a little boy was scared of his appearance in London when he was having surgery He tells us that he doesnrsquot care now so long as he carries out his self imposed mission to kill Larry He burns the card with the address of Dr Abrams of Kansas City who promised to operate on him again and do more plastic surgery Then he thinks back to the day that Larry came home before
Chapter Eleven
Flashback Larry has leave and comes home to Frenchtown There is a big civic reception for him then a party in the Wreck Centre Eventually just Francis Larry and Nicole remain Larry insists that Francis goes and leaves him and Nicole to have one more dance to the song ldquoDancing in the Darkrdquo Nicole doesnrsquot want Francis to go but he eventually does He waits in the porch and listens while Larry rapes Nicole
Chapter Twelve
FlashbackLarry left town suddenly Francis tries to find Nicole and when he does she says that she knows he was there and asks why he didnrsquot do anything Francis has no answer Later in the week Francis goes to church and considers jumping from the tower and committing suicide He decides not to because it would be a sin and decides to seek a noble death by joining the army He altered his birth certificate and joined up the next day
Chapter Thirteen
Francis learns that Larry has returned to town when he overhears Mrs Belander talking about it to a neighbour He learns that he seems to be injured because he walks slowly as if his legs hurt and he also learns where Larry is staying
Chapter Fourteen
Francis goes to see Larry LaSalle Larry seems pleased to see him He tells Francis that he has lsquojungle feverrsquo Itrsquos a wasting disease that is gradually killing him He calls Francis a hero Francis explains that he only fell on the grenade because he wanted to die he didnrsquot care about saving his platoon When he asks why Francis tells him he knew about what Larry did to Nicole Larry doesnrsquot deny it and in fact she wasnrsquot the only one When Francis takes out his gun so does Larry but makes it clear he will not hurt Francis In the end Francis leaves and he hears the sound of Larry shooting himself
Chapter Fifteen
Francis finds out where Nicole lives from Sister Mathilde his old teacher
Chapter Sixteen
Francis goes to see Nicole who is studying in a convent She knows that Larry is dead She apologises to Francis for what she said to him after what happened She realized it wasnrsquot his fault and went to his Unclersquos house to talk to him but hersquod already joined up They talk and Nicole says that she thinks she is getting better Francis aasks if there is any chance of them staying in touch but even though she doesnrsquot say no there isnrsquot Nicole suggests he should become a writer At the end of the chapter he leaves
Chapter Seventeen
The book ends with Francis sitting at the railway station leaving Frenchtown thinking about what he could do now and thinking about the kids who went away to war who were the real heroes
Background
Pearl Harbour
Dancing in the Dark
Fred Astaire
Inspiration for book
Pearl Harbour
bull The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United Statesnaval base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii on the morning of December 7 1941 (December 8 in Japan) The attack led to the United States entry into World War IIbull Click for more detail - bull httpenwikipediaorgwikiAttack_on_Pearl_Harbor
Dancing in the Dark - Lyrics
bull Dancing in the dark til the tune endsWere dancing in the dark and it soon endsWere waltzing in the wonder of why were hereTime hurries by were here and were gone
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark
What - though love is oldWhat - though song is oldThrough them we can be young
bull Hear this heart of mineWailin all the timeDear one tell me that were one
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark dancing in the darkDancing in the dark
Chapter Eight
In a very short chapter Francis meets Arthur in an alleyway at night Arthur is very upset because nobody in the St Judersquos Club ever really talks about the war only about the future He tells Francis how scared he was all the time and says ldquowe werenrsquot heroes we were only thererdquo
Chapter Nine
Flashback Larry joins the army Nicole starts coming round to see Francis in Laurierrsquos Drug Store where he works They talk and when Nicole says that she likes movies as well as books he asks her to go to the cinema with himOne afternoon they see on a newsreel that Larry LaSalle has become a hero for knocking out an enemy machine gun nest
Chapter Ten
Francis tells us of the way a little boy was scared of his appearance in London when he was having surgery He tells us that he doesnrsquot care now so long as he carries out his self imposed mission to kill Larry He burns the card with the address of Dr Abrams of Kansas City who promised to operate on him again and do more plastic surgery Then he thinks back to the day that Larry came home before
Chapter Eleven
Flashback Larry has leave and comes home to Frenchtown There is a big civic reception for him then a party in the Wreck Centre Eventually just Francis Larry and Nicole remain Larry insists that Francis goes and leaves him and Nicole to have one more dance to the song ldquoDancing in the Darkrdquo Nicole doesnrsquot want Francis to go but he eventually does He waits in the porch and listens while Larry rapes Nicole
Chapter Twelve
FlashbackLarry left town suddenly Francis tries to find Nicole and when he does she says that she knows he was there and asks why he didnrsquot do anything Francis has no answer Later in the week Francis goes to church and considers jumping from the tower and committing suicide He decides not to because it would be a sin and decides to seek a noble death by joining the army He altered his birth certificate and joined up the next day
Chapter Thirteen
Francis learns that Larry has returned to town when he overhears Mrs Belander talking about it to a neighbour He learns that he seems to be injured because he walks slowly as if his legs hurt and he also learns where Larry is staying
Chapter Fourteen
Francis goes to see Larry LaSalle Larry seems pleased to see him He tells Francis that he has lsquojungle feverrsquo Itrsquos a wasting disease that is gradually killing him He calls Francis a hero Francis explains that he only fell on the grenade because he wanted to die he didnrsquot care about saving his platoon When he asks why Francis tells him he knew about what Larry did to Nicole Larry doesnrsquot deny it and in fact she wasnrsquot the only one When Francis takes out his gun so does Larry but makes it clear he will not hurt Francis In the end Francis leaves and he hears the sound of Larry shooting himself
Chapter Fifteen
Francis finds out where Nicole lives from Sister Mathilde his old teacher
Chapter Sixteen
Francis goes to see Nicole who is studying in a convent She knows that Larry is dead She apologises to Francis for what she said to him after what happened She realized it wasnrsquot his fault and went to his Unclersquos house to talk to him but hersquod already joined up They talk and Nicole says that she thinks she is getting better Francis aasks if there is any chance of them staying in touch but even though she doesnrsquot say no there isnrsquot Nicole suggests he should become a writer At the end of the chapter he leaves
Chapter Seventeen
The book ends with Francis sitting at the railway station leaving Frenchtown thinking about what he could do now and thinking about the kids who went away to war who were the real heroes
Background
Pearl Harbour
Dancing in the Dark
Fred Astaire
Inspiration for book
Pearl Harbour
bull The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United Statesnaval base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii on the morning of December 7 1941 (December 8 in Japan) The attack led to the United States entry into World War IIbull Click for more detail - bull httpenwikipediaorgwikiAttack_on_Pearl_Harbor
Dancing in the Dark - Lyrics
bull Dancing in the dark til the tune endsWere dancing in the dark and it soon endsWere waltzing in the wonder of why were hereTime hurries by were here and were gone
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark
What - though love is oldWhat - though song is oldThrough them we can be young
bull Hear this heart of mineWailin all the timeDear one tell me that were one
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark dancing in the darkDancing in the dark
Chapter Nine
Flashback Larry joins the army Nicole starts coming round to see Francis in Laurierrsquos Drug Store where he works They talk and when Nicole says that she likes movies as well as books he asks her to go to the cinema with himOne afternoon they see on a newsreel that Larry LaSalle has become a hero for knocking out an enemy machine gun nest
Chapter Ten
Francis tells us of the way a little boy was scared of his appearance in London when he was having surgery He tells us that he doesnrsquot care now so long as he carries out his self imposed mission to kill Larry He burns the card with the address of Dr Abrams of Kansas City who promised to operate on him again and do more plastic surgery Then he thinks back to the day that Larry came home before
Chapter Eleven
Flashback Larry has leave and comes home to Frenchtown There is a big civic reception for him then a party in the Wreck Centre Eventually just Francis Larry and Nicole remain Larry insists that Francis goes and leaves him and Nicole to have one more dance to the song ldquoDancing in the Darkrdquo Nicole doesnrsquot want Francis to go but he eventually does He waits in the porch and listens while Larry rapes Nicole
Chapter Twelve
FlashbackLarry left town suddenly Francis tries to find Nicole and when he does she says that she knows he was there and asks why he didnrsquot do anything Francis has no answer Later in the week Francis goes to church and considers jumping from the tower and committing suicide He decides not to because it would be a sin and decides to seek a noble death by joining the army He altered his birth certificate and joined up the next day
Chapter Thirteen
Francis learns that Larry has returned to town when he overhears Mrs Belander talking about it to a neighbour He learns that he seems to be injured because he walks slowly as if his legs hurt and he also learns where Larry is staying
Chapter Fourteen
Francis goes to see Larry LaSalle Larry seems pleased to see him He tells Francis that he has lsquojungle feverrsquo Itrsquos a wasting disease that is gradually killing him He calls Francis a hero Francis explains that he only fell on the grenade because he wanted to die he didnrsquot care about saving his platoon When he asks why Francis tells him he knew about what Larry did to Nicole Larry doesnrsquot deny it and in fact she wasnrsquot the only one When Francis takes out his gun so does Larry but makes it clear he will not hurt Francis In the end Francis leaves and he hears the sound of Larry shooting himself
Chapter Fifteen
Francis finds out where Nicole lives from Sister Mathilde his old teacher
Chapter Sixteen
Francis goes to see Nicole who is studying in a convent She knows that Larry is dead She apologises to Francis for what she said to him after what happened She realized it wasnrsquot his fault and went to his Unclersquos house to talk to him but hersquod already joined up They talk and Nicole says that she thinks she is getting better Francis aasks if there is any chance of them staying in touch but even though she doesnrsquot say no there isnrsquot Nicole suggests he should become a writer At the end of the chapter he leaves
Chapter Seventeen
The book ends with Francis sitting at the railway station leaving Frenchtown thinking about what he could do now and thinking about the kids who went away to war who were the real heroes
Background
Pearl Harbour
Dancing in the Dark
Fred Astaire
Inspiration for book
Pearl Harbour
bull The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United Statesnaval base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii on the morning of December 7 1941 (December 8 in Japan) The attack led to the United States entry into World War IIbull Click for more detail - bull httpenwikipediaorgwikiAttack_on_Pearl_Harbor
Dancing in the Dark - Lyrics
bull Dancing in the dark til the tune endsWere dancing in the dark and it soon endsWere waltzing in the wonder of why were hereTime hurries by were here and were gone
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark
What - though love is oldWhat - though song is oldThrough them we can be young
bull Hear this heart of mineWailin all the timeDear one tell me that were one
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark dancing in the darkDancing in the dark
Chapter Ten
Francis tells us of the way a little boy was scared of his appearance in London when he was having surgery He tells us that he doesnrsquot care now so long as he carries out his self imposed mission to kill Larry He burns the card with the address of Dr Abrams of Kansas City who promised to operate on him again and do more plastic surgery Then he thinks back to the day that Larry came home before
Chapter Eleven
Flashback Larry has leave and comes home to Frenchtown There is a big civic reception for him then a party in the Wreck Centre Eventually just Francis Larry and Nicole remain Larry insists that Francis goes and leaves him and Nicole to have one more dance to the song ldquoDancing in the Darkrdquo Nicole doesnrsquot want Francis to go but he eventually does He waits in the porch and listens while Larry rapes Nicole
Chapter Twelve
FlashbackLarry left town suddenly Francis tries to find Nicole and when he does she says that she knows he was there and asks why he didnrsquot do anything Francis has no answer Later in the week Francis goes to church and considers jumping from the tower and committing suicide He decides not to because it would be a sin and decides to seek a noble death by joining the army He altered his birth certificate and joined up the next day
Chapter Thirteen
Francis learns that Larry has returned to town when he overhears Mrs Belander talking about it to a neighbour He learns that he seems to be injured because he walks slowly as if his legs hurt and he also learns where Larry is staying
Chapter Fourteen
Francis goes to see Larry LaSalle Larry seems pleased to see him He tells Francis that he has lsquojungle feverrsquo Itrsquos a wasting disease that is gradually killing him He calls Francis a hero Francis explains that he only fell on the grenade because he wanted to die he didnrsquot care about saving his platoon When he asks why Francis tells him he knew about what Larry did to Nicole Larry doesnrsquot deny it and in fact she wasnrsquot the only one When Francis takes out his gun so does Larry but makes it clear he will not hurt Francis In the end Francis leaves and he hears the sound of Larry shooting himself
Chapter Fifteen
Francis finds out where Nicole lives from Sister Mathilde his old teacher
Chapter Sixteen
Francis goes to see Nicole who is studying in a convent She knows that Larry is dead She apologises to Francis for what she said to him after what happened She realized it wasnrsquot his fault and went to his Unclersquos house to talk to him but hersquod already joined up They talk and Nicole says that she thinks she is getting better Francis aasks if there is any chance of them staying in touch but even though she doesnrsquot say no there isnrsquot Nicole suggests he should become a writer At the end of the chapter he leaves
Chapter Seventeen
The book ends with Francis sitting at the railway station leaving Frenchtown thinking about what he could do now and thinking about the kids who went away to war who were the real heroes
Background
Pearl Harbour
Dancing in the Dark
Fred Astaire
Inspiration for book
Pearl Harbour
bull The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United Statesnaval base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii on the morning of December 7 1941 (December 8 in Japan) The attack led to the United States entry into World War IIbull Click for more detail - bull httpenwikipediaorgwikiAttack_on_Pearl_Harbor
Dancing in the Dark - Lyrics
bull Dancing in the dark til the tune endsWere dancing in the dark and it soon endsWere waltzing in the wonder of why were hereTime hurries by were here and were gone
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark
What - though love is oldWhat - though song is oldThrough them we can be young
bull Hear this heart of mineWailin all the timeDear one tell me that were one
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark dancing in the darkDancing in the dark
Chapter Eleven
Flashback Larry has leave and comes home to Frenchtown There is a big civic reception for him then a party in the Wreck Centre Eventually just Francis Larry and Nicole remain Larry insists that Francis goes and leaves him and Nicole to have one more dance to the song ldquoDancing in the Darkrdquo Nicole doesnrsquot want Francis to go but he eventually does He waits in the porch and listens while Larry rapes Nicole
Chapter Twelve
FlashbackLarry left town suddenly Francis tries to find Nicole and when he does she says that she knows he was there and asks why he didnrsquot do anything Francis has no answer Later in the week Francis goes to church and considers jumping from the tower and committing suicide He decides not to because it would be a sin and decides to seek a noble death by joining the army He altered his birth certificate and joined up the next day
Chapter Thirteen
Francis learns that Larry has returned to town when he overhears Mrs Belander talking about it to a neighbour He learns that he seems to be injured because he walks slowly as if his legs hurt and he also learns where Larry is staying
Chapter Fourteen
Francis goes to see Larry LaSalle Larry seems pleased to see him He tells Francis that he has lsquojungle feverrsquo Itrsquos a wasting disease that is gradually killing him He calls Francis a hero Francis explains that he only fell on the grenade because he wanted to die he didnrsquot care about saving his platoon When he asks why Francis tells him he knew about what Larry did to Nicole Larry doesnrsquot deny it and in fact she wasnrsquot the only one When Francis takes out his gun so does Larry but makes it clear he will not hurt Francis In the end Francis leaves and he hears the sound of Larry shooting himself
Chapter Fifteen
Francis finds out where Nicole lives from Sister Mathilde his old teacher
Chapter Sixteen
Francis goes to see Nicole who is studying in a convent She knows that Larry is dead She apologises to Francis for what she said to him after what happened She realized it wasnrsquot his fault and went to his Unclersquos house to talk to him but hersquod already joined up They talk and Nicole says that she thinks she is getting better Francis aasks if there is any chance of them staying in touch but even though she doesnrsquot say no there isnrsquot Nicole suggests he should become a writer At the end of the chapter he leaves
Chapter Seventeen
The book ends with Francis sitting at the railway station leaving Frenchtown thinking about what he could do now and thinking about the kids who went away to war who were the real heroes
Background
Pearl Harbour
Dancing in the Dark
Fred Astaire
Inspiration for book
Pearl Harbour
bull The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United Statesnaval base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii on the morning of December 7 1941 (December 8 in Japan) The attack led to the United States entry into World War IIbull Click for more detail - bull httpenwikipediaorgwikiAttack_on_Pearl_Harbor
Dancing in the Dark - Lyrics
bull Dancing in the dark til the tune endsWere dancing in the dark and it soon endsWere waltzing in the wonder of why were hereTime hurries by were here and were gone
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark
What - though love is oldWhat - though song is oldThrough them we can be young
bull Hear this heart of mineWailin all the timeDear one tell me that were one
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark dancing in the darkDancing in the dark
Chapter Twelve
FlashbackLarry left town suddenly Francis tries to find Nicole and when he does she says that she knows he was there and asks why he didnrsquot do anything Francis has no answer Later in the week Francis goes to church and considers jumping from the tower and committing suicide He decides not to because it would be a sin and decides to seek a noble death by joining the army He altered his birth certificate and joined up the next day
Chapter Thirteen
Francis learns that Larry has returned to town when he overhears Mrs Belander talking about it to a neighbour He learns that he seems to be injured because he walks slowly as if his legs hurt and he also learns where Larry is staying
Chapter Fourteen
Francis goes to see Larry LaSalle Larry seems pleased to see him He tells Francis that he has lsquojungle feverrsquo Itrsquos a wasting disease that is gradually killing him He calls Francis a hero Francis explains that he only fell on the grenade because he wanted to die he didnrsquot care about saving his platoon When he asks why Francis tells him he knew about what Larry did to Nicole Larry doesnrsquot deny it and in fact she wasnrsquot the only one When Francis takes out his gun so does Larry but makes it clear he will not hurt Francis In the end Francis leaves and he hears the sound of Larry shooting himself
Chapter Fifteen
Francis finds out where Nicole lives from Sister Mathilde his old teacher
Chapter Sixteen
Francis goes to see Nicole who is studying in a convent She knows that Larry is dead She apologises to Francis for what she said to him after what happened She realized it wasnrsquot his fault and went to his Unclersquos house to talk to him but hersquod already joined up They talk and Nicole says that she thinks she is getting better Francis aasks if there is any chance of them staying in touch but even though she doesnrsquot say no there isnrsquot Nicole suggests he should become a writer At the end of the chapter he leaves
Chapter Seventeen
The book ends with Francis sitting at the railway station leaving Frenchtown thinking about what he could do now and thinking about the kids who went away to war who were the real heroes
Background
Pearl Harbour
Dancing in the Dark
Fred Astaire
Inspiration for book
Pearl Harbour
bull The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United Statesnaval base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii on the morning of December 7 1941 (December 8 in Japan) The attack led to the United States entry into World War IIbull Click for more detail - bull httpenwikipediaorgwikiAttack_on_Pearl_Harbor
Dancing in the Dark - Lyrics
bull Dancing in the dark til the tune endsWere dancing in the dark and it soon endsWere waltzing in the wonder of why were hereTime hurries by were here and were gone
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark
What - though love is oldWhat - though song is oldThrough them we can be young
bull Hear this heart of mineWailin all the timeDear one tell me that were one
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark dancing in the darkDancing in the dark
Chapter Thirteen
Francis learns that Larry has returned to town when he overhears Mrs Belander talking about it to a neighbour He learns that he seems to be injured because he walks slowly as if his legs hurt and he also learns where Larry is staying
Chapter Fourteen
Francis goes to see Larry LaSalle Larry seems pleased to see him He tells Francis that he has lsquojungle feverrsquo Itrsquos a wasting disease that is gradually killing him He calls Francis a hero Francis explains that he only fell on the grenade because he wanted to die he didnrsquot care about saving his platoon When he asks why Francis tells him he knew about what Larry did to Nicole Larry doesnrsquot deny it and in fact she wasnrsquot the only one When Francis takes out his gun so does Larry but makes it clear he will not hurt Francis In the end Francis leaves and he hears the sound of Larry shooting himself
Chapter Fifteen
Francis finds out where Nicole lives from Sister Mathilde his old teacher
Chapter Sixteen
Francis goes to see Nicole who is studying in a convent She knows that Larry is dead She apologises to Francis for what she said to him after what happened She realized it wasnrsquot his fault and went to his Unclersquos house to talk to him but hersquod already joined up They talk and Nicole says that she thinks she is getting better Francis aasks if there is any chance of them staying in touch but even though she doesnrsquot say no there isnrsquot Nicole suggests he should become a writer At the end of the chapter he leaves
Chapter Seventeen
The book ends with Francis sitting at the railway station leaving Frenchtown thinking about what he could do now and thinking about the kids who went away to war who were the real heroes
Background
Pearl Harbour
Dancing in the Dark
Fred Astaire
Inspiration for book
Pearl Harbour
bull The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United Statesnaval base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii on the morning of December 7 1941 (December 8 in Japan) The attack led to the United States entry into World War IIbull Click for more detail - bull httpenwikipediaorgwikiAttack_on_Pearl_Harbor
Dancing in the Dark - Lyrics
bull Dancing in the dark til the tune endsWere dancing in the dark and it soon endsWere waltzing in the wonder of why were hereTime hurries by were here and were gone
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark
What - though love is oldWhat - though song is oldThrough them we can be young
bull Hear this heart of mineWailin all the timeDear one tell me that were one
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark dancing in the darkDancing in the dark
Chapter Fourteen
Francis goes to see Larry LaSalle Larry seems pleased to see him He tells Francis that he has lsquojungle feverrsquo Itrsquos a wasting disease that is gradually killing him He calls Francis a hero Francis explains that he only fell on the grenade because he wanted to die he didnrsquot care about saving his platoon When he asks why Francis tells him he knew about what Larry did to Nicole Larry doesnrsquot deny it and in fact she wasnrsquot the only one When Francis takes out his gun so does Larry but makes it clear he will not hurt Francis In the end Francis leaves and he hears the sound of Larry shooting himself
Chapter Fifteen
Francis finds out where Nicole lives from Sister Mathilde his old teacher
Chapter Sixteen
Francis goes to see Nicole who is studying in a convent She knows that Larry is dead She apologises to Francis for what she said to him after what happened She realized it wasnrsquot his fault and went to his Unclersquos house to talk to him but hersquod already joined up They talk and Nicole says that she thinks she is getting better Francis aasks if there is any chance of them staying in touch but even though she doesnrsquot say no there isnrsquot Nicole suggests he should become a writer At the end of the chapter he leaves
Chapter Seventeen
The book ends with Francis sitting at the railway station leaving Frenchtown thinking about what he could do now and thinking about the kids who went away to war who were the real heroes
Background
Pearl Harbour
Dancing in the Dark
Fred Astaire
Inspiration for book
Pearl Harbour
bull The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United Statesnaval base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii on the morning of December 7 1941 (December 8 in Japan) The attack led to the United States entry into World War IIbull Click for more detail - bull httpenwikipediaorgwikiAttack_on_Pearl_Harbor
Dancing in the Dark - Lyrics
bull Dancing in the dark til the tune endsWere dancing in the dark and it soon endsWere waltzing in the wonder of why were hereTime hurries by were here and were gone
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark
What - though love is oldWhat - though song is oldThrough them we can be young
bull Hear this heart of mineWailin all the timeDear one tell me that were one
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark dancing in the darkDancing in the dark
Chapter Fifteen
Francis finds out where Nicole lives from Sister Mathilde his old teacher
Chapter Sixteen
Francis goes to see Nicole who is studying in a convent She knows that Larry is dead She apologises to Francis for what she said to him after what happened She realized it wasnrsquot his fault and went to his Unclersquos house to talk to him but hersquod already joined up They talk and Nicole says that she thinks she is getting better Francis aasks if there is any chance of them staying in touch but even though she doesnrsquot say no there isnrsquot Nicole suggests he should become a writer At the end of the chapter he leaves
Chapter Seventeen
The book ends with Francis sitting at the railway station leaving Frenchtown thinking about what he could do now and thinking about the kids who went away to war who were the real heroes
Background
Pearl Harbour
Dancing in the Dark
Fred Astaire
Inspiration for book
Pearl Harbour
bull The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United Statesnaval base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii on the morning of December 7 1941 (December 8 in Japan) The attack led to the United States entry into World War IIbull Click for more detail - bull httpenwikipediaorgwikiAttack_on_Pearl_Harbor
Dancing in the Dark - Lyrics
bull Dancing in the dark til the tune endsWere dancing in the dark and it soon endsWere waltzing in the wonder of why were hereTime hurries by were here and were gone
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark
What - though love is oldWhat - though song is oldThrough them we can be young
bull Hear this heart of mineWailin all the timeDear one tell me that were one
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark dancing in the darkDancing in the dark
Chapter Sixteen
Francis goes to see Nicole who is studying in a convent She knows that Larry is dead She apologises to Francis for what she said to him after what happened She realized it wasnrsquot his fault and went to his Unclersquos house to talk to him but hersquod already joined up They talk and Nicole says that she thinks she is getting better Francis aasks if there is any chance of them staying in touch but even though she doesnrsquot say no there isnrsquot Nicole suggests he should become a writer At the end of the chapter he leaves
Chapter Seventeen
The book ends with Francis sitting at the railway station leaving Frenchtown thinking about what he could do now and thinking about the kids who went away to war who were the real heroes
Background
Pearl Harbour
Dancing in the Dark
Fred Astaire
Inspiration for book
Pearl Harbour
bull The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United Statesnaval base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii on the morning of December 7 1941 (December 8 in Japan) The attack led to the United States entry into World War IIbull Click for more detail - bull httpenwikipediaorgwikiAttack_on_Pearl_Harbor
Dancing in the Dark - Lyrics
bull Dancing in the dark til the tune endsWere dancing in the dark and it soon endsWere waltzing in the wonder of why were hereTime hurries by were here and were gone
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark
What - though love is oldWhat - though song is oldThrough them we can be young
bull Hear this heart of mineWailin all the timeDear one tell me that were one
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark dancing in the darkDancing in the dark
Chapter Seventeen
The book ends with Francis sitting at the railway station leaving Frenchtown thinking about what he could do now and thinking about the kids who went away to war who were the real heroes
Background
Pearl Harbour
Dancing in the Dark
Fred Astaire
Inspiration for book
Pearl Harbour
bull The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United Statesnaval base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii on the morning of December 7 1941 (December 8 in Japan) The attack led to the United States entry into World War IIbull Click for more detail - bull httpenwikipediaorgwikiAttack_on_Pearl_Harbor
Dancing in the Dark - Lyrics
bull Dancing in the dark til the tune endsWere dancing in the dark and it soon endsWere waltzing in the wonder of why were hereTime hurries by were here and were gone
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark
What - though love is oldWhat - though song is oldThrough them we can be young
bull Hear this heart of mineWailin all the timeDear one tell me that were one
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark dancing in the darkDancing in the dark
Background
Pearl Harbour
Dancing in the Dark
Fred Astaire
Inspiration for book
Pearl Harbour
bull The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United Statesnaval base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii on the morning of December 7 1941 (December 8 in Japan) The attack led to the United States entry into World War IIbull Click for more detail - bull httpenwikipediaorgwikiAttack_on_Pearl_Harbor
Dancing in the Dark - Lyrics
bull Dancing in the dark til the tune endsWere dancing in the dark and it soon endsWere waltzing in the wonder of why were hereTime hurries by were here and were gone
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark
What - though love is oldWhat - though song is oldThrough them we can be young
bull Hear this heart of mineWailin all the timeDear one tell me that were one
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark dancing in the darkDancing in the dark
Pearl Harbour
bull The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United Statesnaval base at Pearl Harbor Hawaii on the morning of December 7 1941 (December 8 in Japan) The attack led to the United States entry into World War IIbull Click for more detail - bull httpenwikipediaorgwikiAttack_on_Pearl_Harbor
Dancing in the Dark - Lyrics
bull Dancing in the dark til the tune endsWere dancing in the dark and it soon endsWere waltzing in the wonder of why were hereTime hurries by were here and were gone
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark
What - though love is oldWhat - though song is oldThrough them we can be young
bull Hear this heart of mineWailin all the timeDear one tell me that were one
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark dancing in the darkDancing in the dark
Dancing in the Dark - Lyrics
bull Dancing in the dark til the tune endsWere dancing in the dark and it soon endsWere waltzing in the wonder of why were hereTime hurries by were here and were gone
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark
What - though love is oldWhat - though song is oldThrough them we can be young
bull Hear this heart of mineWailin all the timeDear one tell me that were one
Looking for the light of a new loveTo brighten up the night I have you loveAnd we can face the music togetherDancing in the dark dancing in the darkDancing in the dark
Fred Astaire
bull Larry LaSalle is compared to Fred Astaire Fred Astaire was an American film and Broadway stage dancer choreographer singer musician and actor His stage and subsequent film and television careers spanned a total of 76 years during which he made 31 musical films several award winning television specials and issued numerous recordings He was named the fifth Greatest Male Star of All Time by the American Film Institutebull Click to see a clip of Fred Astaire dancing to Dancing in the Darkbull httpwwwyoutubecomwatchv=wDHwJrbrp0Y
Robert Cormier
bull Backgroundbull Robert Cormier (1925-2000) was an American
novelist best known for his many young adult novels the most famous one being The Chocolate War He was born and brought up in Leominster in Massachusetts in the French-Canadian section of the town called French Hill It is this place which is loosely fictionalised in Heroes as Frenchtown
bull He was in his last years at high school when the USA joined the war ndash making him roughly the same age as Francis Cassavant in the novel Cormier had poor eyesight though and so could not join the army He studied and worked instead
Francis Cassavant
Disfigurement Psychological
Physical
Face
isolationobsession
guilt
familyOrphaned
Uncle
War
His motives
His experiencesSilver Star
RelationshipsLarry
Nicole
Revenge
Loveworship
Heroism
Guiltbull Part of Francisrsquo guilt seems to come
from his catholic background At the start of the book he he prays for Larry because he remembered Sister Mathilde saying that you should pray for those you donrsquot love Then he feels guilty for doing sobull It is also his religious guilt and
knowledge that suicide is a sin that stops him from committing suicide by throwing himself off the church
QuotationsP 6 ldquoI offer up an lsquoOur Fatherrsquo and lsquoHail Maryrsquo and lsquo Glory Bersquo for Larry LaSalle Then I am filled with guilt and shame knowing that I just prayed for the man I am going to killrdquo
P75rdquoSaying a prayer before committing the worst sin of all despairrdquo
Survivor Guiltbull Survivors guilt is a mental condition that
occurs when a person thinks they have done wrong by surviving a traumatic event when others did notbull We know that Francis actually wanted to
die in the war when he dived on top of the grenadebull This is made worse by the fact that
everyone thinks he is a hero for doing it because they do not know why he dived on top of the grenade He actually did it to punish himself for letting Larry rape Nicole
QuotationsP 80 ldquoI looked for chances to die and instead killed others and two of them kids like me When I fell on my grenade I wasnrsquot trying to save those GIs I saw my chance to end it all in a secondrdquo
Inspiration for the Book
bull Heroes was published in 1998 Robert Cormier said that he was inspired to write the book by the 50th anniversary celebrations of the D-Day landings of World War II and the desire to recognise the heroic acts of ordinary people
Themes
Heroism War
Loss of Innocence
Love
Forgiveness
Concealment revealment
Heroismbull There are different examples of people being made heroes in the book -bull Before they even go to war LaSalle is a hero to the kids of the Wreck
Centre He brings out the best in them and they adore him Even at the end he is still making Francis feel better about himself and prevents him from becoming a murderer Is this more or less heroic than his war record Francis is something of a peacetime hero as well ndash by becoming table tennis champion and beating LaSalle he becomes an icon to the other childrenbull The scrapbook kept by the lsquoStranglerrsquo at the St Judersquos club contains
newspaper clippings about all the lsquoheroesrsquo of Frenchtown including both LaSalle and Francis The other men regard it as something of a symbol something to be proud of but Francis is ambivalent
Silver Star
bull The Silver Star is the only medal awarded for lsquoheroismrsquo we are told Both LaSalle and Francis have been awarded this medal for saving the lives of their fellow soldiers LaSalle does so by taking out a machine gun nest Francis by falling on a grenade ndash the grenade that destroys his face Is it significant that one wins it by committing an act of violence whereas the other wins it by taking the damage himself It impresses the townsfolk ndash but Francis wants to remain anonymous
ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes we were only thererdquobull Francis finds Arthur drunk outside the back of the St Jude club one night
Arthur is crying because he is haunted by the war but nobody will talk about it He scoffs at the idea of lsquoheroesrsquo and says they were all just scared boys and that there was no glamour involved He says lsquoWe werenrsquot heroes We were only therersquobull This can be interpreted in two ways One is that it is wrong for people to call
them heroes because they didnrsquot act like heroes It was merely chance that they were there in the war But when Francis remembers Arthurrsquos words right at the end of the book it gives them a different interpretation Francis is suggesting that merely by being there they were heroes ndash scared or not they did what they had to do and did not run away
Is Francis really a herobull When Francis talks to LaSalle he admits that he fell on the grenade not out
of heroism but because he wanted to die so he is not a hero LaSalle counters this by telling Francis that deep down it was an heroic act driven by his instincts to save his fellow men But it is LaSalle telling him this ndash can he be trustedbull Francis tells us that he always wanted to be a hero like LaSalle but that
when he finds himself one he wants to get rid of the lsquofakeryrsquo For him being called a hero canrsquot disguise what he feels underneath the guilt at failing Nicole and the fact that he wanted to die so he feels like a coward This links to the question that LaSalle asks at the end lsquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all the good thingsrsquo The whole book questions whether people can really be heroes when they have all their human failings underneath
Heroism and Secrecy
bull Why do Francis and Nicole not tell everyone the truth about LaSalle Why does Francis tell no-one (apart from LaSalle) that he fell on the grenade because he wanted to die When Arthur is drunk and crying about his wartime experiences his two veteran friends pick him and take him home not wanting Arthur to talk about the war There seems to be a conspiracy not to reveal the heroes for what they are Is Cormier suggesting that we need heroes even if they are fakebull This is also suggested by the very positive effects of Francis beating LaSalle
at table tennis LaSalle knows that if the other children believe Francis has beaten him it will give them more self confidence Although LaSalle fakes the result Francis is a hero Cormier is suggesting that even fake heroes can have a positive value in society
The Real Heroes
bull Nicole tells Francis that he should write about it in order to find out what a hero really is This suggests the answer to the question is in the book But what is it In the train station Francis thinks of the soldiers in his platoon who were scared but stayed and fought anyway They died and were never awarded medals and he calls them the real heroes This is a straightforward way of looking back at those who died in the war
War
bull Francis dreams of the German soldiers that he killed but in his dreams they cry lsquoMamarsquo and he sees them as boys like him lsquotoo young to shaversquo In real life they didnrsquot have time to speak but the dream emphasises a common idea in war literature ndash that the soldiers on both sides often have more in common with each-other than with their commandersbull Throughout Francis never questions whether the war itself was just ndash he
describes it at the end as the lsquogood warrsquo However the depiction of violence and its effects is quite brutal The clinical and grotesque description of Francisrsquos facial injuries at the beginning of the novel is a good example of this War is presented as horrifying and terrifying with a massive effect on those who fight in it but Cormier is not concerned with the politics of the war nor does he make Heroes a pacifist novel
War ndash the Veterans
bull Arthurrsquos collapse behind the club one evening suggests that many of the veterans have similar issues to Francis ndash although Arthur appeared normal he is finding it very difficult to cope with the memories of what the war was like Because he is physically unharmed it is easier for him to pass as lsquonormalrsquo than it is for Francis but this episode shows that doesnrsquot mean the soldiers who came back in one piece are actually okay
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Americabull There are many points in the book which represent an ending of
childhood innocence One is a major event in American history ndash the bombing of Pearl Harbor Francis notes that lsquoWe had discovered in one moment on a Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymorersquo This was not just their discovery but the discovery of the whole United States that they could not remain in isolation from the rest of the world
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Francis bull When Francis confidently leaves Nicole alone with LaSalle in the Wreck Centre he
does so in complete innocence of the danger she is in Taking people at face value is something which the novel constantly warns us against ndash the apparently happy Arthur is found crying behind the St Jude club and the villainous LaSalle ends by doing something positive for Francis in affirming his heroism and refusing to let him become a murdererbull LaSallersquos rape of Nicole in the Wreck Centre is the end of innocence for both her
and Francis who waits in the dark knowing but unable to acknowledge what is happening to her It is also symbolic of the end of their innocent belief in goodness ndash something that the war ended for many peoplebull Francis going off to war with a faked age on his birth certificate is a significant
step out of childhood ndash like many soldiers who signed up underage he is forcing the issue He notices that other soldiers ndash even the Germans ndash are also very young
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Francis bull He maintains a certain innocence even after the grenade ndash going to
London with his face uncovered he doesnrsquot think that other people will notice until he makes a young boy cry When he is home in Frenchtown he appears to have become very cynical but at the end of the novel he has turned back a little from that perhaps coming to happy balance
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Nicole bull The fact that Nicole will not see Francis again after the meeting they
have at the end of the book also closes a door on the idea of there being a lsquohappily ever afterrsquo although she is surviving and continuing to recover she cannot go back to that state of innocence
Types of Love in Heroesbull Francisrsquos love for Nicole is highly romanticised ndash his first meeting with her is compared
to a knight kneeling at the feet of a saint He can barely get up the courage to speak to her although they do eventually go out and their relationship is sweet and innocentbull Later in the army he is motivated by both his love for her which has never gone away
and his guilt about his failure to help her when she was attacked During the war his love and desire for forgiveness turns into the only thing that makes his life worthwhile From the first chapter where he says lsquoit would always be Nicole Renardrsquo to the penultimate one where he tells us the reason he went to see Nicole was to see if she could still be his girl lsquowhich could maybe change my mind about the gun in my duffel bagrsquo This is verging on the obsessional and Francis realises as he talks to Nicole that the love they had ended a long time agobull There is the hero-worship the teens feel for LaSalle before the war and then that the
town feels for the returning heroes The scrapbook the reception for LaSalle and the toasting of the Silver Star heroes in the St Jude Club all evidence this kind of love and the need to find something or someone to admire to make life seem better
Types of love in Heroesbull Much of what LaSalle did for the kids of Frenchtown and Francis in
particular could be described as loving he makes Francis a more confident teenager and continues trying to make him feel better about himself even after Francis has threatened to kill him LaSalle also describes his sexual desire for young girls (lsquosweet young thingsrsquo) as love He says lsquowe love our sins We love the thing that makes us evilrsquo This is a darker side to what lsquoloversquo can mean to different peoplebull There is an element of brotherly or fraternal love in Francisrsquos memories of
his fellow soldiers in his remembrance of them every night His sacrifice of throwing himself on the grenade could also be seen as a loving one ndash certainly LaSalle thinks that Francisrsquos instinct was to save his fellow soldiers not to kill himself There is a sense in which all the veterans are bound together by their experiences which forms a kind of brotherly bond between them
Revenge and Forgiveness
bull Francis is intent on taking revenge on Larry LaSalle rather than forgiving him He does not offer any forgiveness when LaSalle asks if his one evil act can erase all the good he did Francis coldly tells him to lsquoask Nicolersquo However he does allow LaSalle to redeem himself a little by letting him take his own life Is Francisrsquos drive to revenge more about LaSallersquos guilt or his own
Guilt and forgiveness
bull Francis is driven by the need to find forgiveness for having let Nicole down by leaving her alone with LaSalle The guilt of the action and the fact that she blamed him for it are almost overwhelming He wants to die and closes lsquodoors to the futurersquo because he doesnrsquot feel he deserves either recognition as a hero or to live
Larry and Forgiveness
bull Ironically LaSalle gives Francis a measure of forgiveness when he tells him that he couldnrsquot have stopped the rape ndash he was just a lsquochildrsquo
Nicole and Forgiveness
bull Nicole offers Francis forgiveness in a very understated way As it turns out she regrets blaming him for the rape and tried to tell him so many years ago but he had already left for the army It is somewhat of an anti-climax but the real person he needs forgiveness from is himself
Francis and Concealment
bull Francis arrives in Frenchtown with his face wrapped up and concealed On one level hersquos hiding his injuries from sight to stop them horrifying others like they did the small boy in London who cried The idea of a face wrapped up in bandages recalls horror films of the early part of the twentieth century It may deliberately recall the image of the Invisible Manbull Hersquos also concealing his identity ndash he lies to Mrs Belander about how
he knows her name and the wrappings conceal whatever might be recognised Francis is therefore able to walk around town completely unrecognised except as a war veteran
Larry and Concealment
bull Larry LaSalle also has a secret concealed in his past ndash the mysterious reason as to why he had left his showbiz career to become a youth worker We never find out what this reason is but it is implied by LaSallersquos referring to lsquosweet young thingsrsquo in the plural in his last encounter with Francis that it was for something similar to his rape of Nicole In the beginning this mystery seems attractive adding to his lsquoglamourrsquo
Novel structure
bull This theme is exemplified by the structure of the novel which weaves the three timelines together Cormier uses foreshadowing extensively to create tension in the novel ndash such as when Francis tells us in the first chapter that he has lsquojust prayed for the man [he is] going to killrsquo Then he gradually reveals different morsels of information about Francisrsquos war experience and the pre-war life in Frenchtown
Psychological Disfigurement
bull Francisrsquo physical disfigurement is more obvious than his psychological problems but these are still very serious Francis is already a shy and fragile individual before the war through the loss of his parents What happens to Nicole inflicts terrible guilt upon him and he develops a lsquodeath-wishrsquo which means he joins the army in order to diebull His experiences in the army killing boys no older than himself traumatize
him further bull He returns to Frenchtown obsessed with the idea of killing Larry LaSalle with
not thought for the future and only his desire for revenge to keep him goingbull He seems unwilling or unable to enter into relationships with other people
now
Obsession
bull Francis spends the whole book waiting for LaSallersquos return to Frenchtown so that he can seek revenge Yet when the moment comes his hand is shaking and he is overwhelmed In the end LaSalle takes his own life ndash but it seems unlikely that Francis could actually have gone through with it despite his plans and protestationsbull He does do his best to ensure that he has no future by burning the
contact details of his friend from the hospital in England and of the doctor who says he will repair his face He calls this lsquoclosing doors to the futurersquo He seems to be doing this to leave himself no option but to go through with this plan Hope returns to the novel in the final chapter when he thinks about tracking them down again
Isolation
bull Francis feels he has to keep his identity secret because of what he is planning to do But you also get the idea this is how he wants it to be anyway There is a huge contrast between him and the other veterans in the St Judersquos Club ndash he clearly doesnrsquot fit Itrsquos ironic that he is actually still too young to drink in the St Judersquos Club bull It is worth noting that everyone Francis ever loves in the book ndash his
parents ndash his Uncle ndash Nicole and even Larry are either dead or beyond his reach by the end of the book
Francis and Larry1
bull Francisrsquo feelings for Larry are complicated The first thing he tells us about Larry is that he has come back to Frenchtown to kill himbull Yet when he first describes Larry
there is more than an element of hero worshipbull Larry is everything Francis isnrsquot but
would like to be ndash confident full of skills and charisma and attractive
QuotationsP 6 ldquoI am filled with guilt and shame knowing that I just prayed for the man I am going to killrdquo
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Francis and Larry2
bull He feels gratitude for Larry making him a champion through the table tennis However he also feels jealousy at Larryrsquos physical intimacy with Nicole when they are dancing
QuotationsP 42 ldquothen caught her pressing her close their faces almost touching their lips only an inch or so from a kissrdquo
Francis and Larry3
bull Larry understands Francisrsquo feelings of gratitude and his inability to stand up to him and he uses these to manipulate Francis on the night that he rapes Nicole
QuotationsP 66 ldquoI saw Larry raising his eyebrows at me the way he looked at me when I made a stupid move at table tennis Get going rdquo
Francis and Larry4
bull Larry turns out to have had no idea of how his rape of Nicole would affect Francis bull In the end he tries to help Francis
come to terms with his own feelings of guiltbull He cannot come to terms with losing
Francisrsquo respect
QuotationsP 81 ldquoOh Francis yoursquore too hard on yourself You couldnrsquot have stopped me anyway Francis You were just a childrdquo
P82 ldquoDonrsquot look at me like that If I could have one thing it would be to have you look at me again the way you did at the Wreck Centre When I was the big hero you say I wasrdquo
Francis and Larry5
bull In the end Larry does the one thing he can do for Francis which is to save him from having to either pull the trigger and become a murderer ro to fail in his mission by letting Francis know that he is about to kill himself bull Does this make him Francisrsquo real hero
after all
QuotationsP 84 rdquoDownstairs at last after what seems like a long time I pause at the outside door The sound of a pistol shot cracks the airrdquo
Larry LaSalle
Heroic qualities
His past
Relationships His death
Physical appearence
Physical abilities
Courage ndash silver star
Ability to inspire others
Dark hints and rumours Stage career
What he tells Francis
Other people
Francis
NicoleDisease Motives
Suicide
Hero or Villain
Larry - Courage
bull LaSalle joins up the very first morning after war is declared his actions in the war lead to him being awarded a Silver Star medal and when he returns home on leave he is given a herorsquos welcome by the townspeople and the members of the Wreck Centrebull He never discuss his innermost reasons for
joining up Is it possible that his motives are similar to Francisbull Does his reputation as a war hero help him
do what he does to Nicole
QuotationsP 51 ldquoAs we were about to cheer his announcement he held up his handrdquoNone of that kidsIrsquom just doing what millions of others are doingrdquo
P56 ldquoA New England marine is one of the great heroes of Pacific action receiving the Silver Star ldquo
Larry - Courage
bull Is it courage that allows him to talk calmly to Francis to talk him out of becoming a murderer and to kill himself so that Francis has not failed
QuotationsP 83 ldquoSo lower your gun Francis One gun is enough for what has to be donerdquo
Larry ndash Physical Abilities
bull It is clear that Larry has admirable physical abilities He is an excellent sportsman and a dancer who is compared to Fred Astaire Whatever the kids in the Wreck Centre do he can usually do it betterbull His appearance and physical abilities
are things which inspire admiration and hero worship in others
QuotationsP 29 ldquo Had the borad shoulders of an athlete and the narrow hips of a dancer He swung the bat with authority He was also a dancer with a touch of Fred Astaire in his walk his feet barely touching the floorrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull The first thing about Larry that Francis describes is his appearance It is not accidental that he compares him to a film star Film stars are actors ndash so is Larry to the extent that his physical appearance conceals what he really is
Quotations
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull Itrsquos ironic that Larryrsquos illness removes his physical attractiveness at the endbull Is this a sign of his sins catching up with
him
Quotations
P78 ldquoHe is pale eyes sunk into the sockets And he seems fragile now as if caught in an old photograph that has faded and yellowed with agerdquo
Larryrsquos Inspirational Qualitiesbull Larry consistently has the ability to
inspire the children around him to want to do more and to learn things and become things You can argue that for MOST of the children at the Wreck Centre he makes them better people bull Even at the end he is trying to make
sure that Francis doesnrsquot do the wrong thing by becoming a murderer
Quotations
P31 ldquoHe tamed the notorious school bully Butch Bartoneau convincing him that he could sing Under Larry LaSallersquos guidance Edna Beauchene tall and gawky and shy became the hit of the showrdquo
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Robert Cormier
bull Backgroundbull Robert Cormier (1925-2000) was an American
novelist best known for his many young adult novels the most famous one being The Chocolate War He was born and brought up in Leominster in Massachusetts in the French-Canadian section of the town called French Hill It is this place which is loosely fictionalised in Heroes as Frenchtown
bull He was in his last years at high school when the USA joined the war ndash making him roughly the same age as Francis Cassavant in the novel Cormier had poor eyesight though and so could not join the army He studied and worked instead
Francis Cassavant
Disfigurement Psychological
Physical
Face
isolationobsession
guilt
familyOrphaned
Uncle
War
His motives
His experiencesSilver Star
RelationshipsLarry
Nicole
Revenge
Loveworship
Heroism
Guiltbull Part of Francisrsquo guilt seems to come
from his catholic background At the start of the book he he prays for Larry because he remembered Sister Mathilde saying that you should pray for those you donrsquot love Then he feels guilty for doing sobull It is also his religious guilt and
knowledge that suicide is a sin that stops him from committing suicide by throwing himself off the church
QuotationsP 6 ldquoI offer up an lsquoOur Fatherrsquo and lsquoHail Maryrsquo and lsquo Glory Bersquo for Larry LaSalle Then I am filled with guilt and shame knowing that I just prayed for the man I am going to killrdquo
P75rdquoSaying a prayer before committing the worst sin of all despairrdquo
Survivor Guiltbull Survivors guilt is a mental condition that
occurs when a person thinks they have done wrong by surviving a traumatic event when others did notbull We know that Francis actually wanted to
die in the war when he dived on top of the grenadebull This is made worse by the fact that
everyone thinks he is a hero for doing it because they do not know why he dived on top of the grenade He actually did it to punish himself for letting Larry rape Nicole
QuotationsP 80 ldquoI looked for chances to die and instead killed others and two of them kids like me When I fell on my grenade I wasnrsquot trying to save those GIs I saw my chance to end it all in a secondrdquo
Inspiration for the Book
bull Heroes was published in 1998 Robert Cormier said that he was inspired to write the book by the 50th anniversary celebrations of the D-Day landings of World War II and the desire to recognise the heroic acts of ordinary people
Themes
Heroism War
Loss of Innocence
Love
Forgiveness
Concealment revealment
Heroismbull There are different examples of people being made heroes in the book -bull Before they even go to war LaSalle is a hero to the kids of the Wreck
Centre He brings out the best in them and they adore him Even at the end he is still making Francis feel better about himself and prevents him from becoming a murderer Is this more or less heroic than his war record Francis is something of a peacetime hero as well ndash by becoming table tennis champion and beating LaSalle he becomes an icon to the other childrenbull The scrapbook kept by the lsquoStranglerrsquo at the St Judersquos club contains
newspaper clippings about all the lsquoheroesrsquo of Frenchtown including both LaSalle and Francis The other men regard it as something of a symbol something to be proud of but Francis is ambivalent
Silver Star
bull The Silver Star is the only medal awarded for lsquoheroismrsquo we are told Both LaSalle and Francis have been awarded this medal for saving the lives of their fellow soldiers LaSalle does so by taking out a machine gun nest Francis by falling on a grenade ndash the grenade that destroys his face Is it significant that one wins it by committing an act of violence whereas the other wins it by taking the damage himself It impresses the townsfolk ndash but Francis wants to remain anonymous
ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes we were only thererdquobull Francis finds Arthur drunk outside the back of the St Jude club one night
Arthur is crying because he is haunted by the war but nobody will talk about it He scoffs at the idea of lsquoheroesrsquo and says they were all just scared boys and that there was no glamour involved He says lsquoWe werenrsquot heroes We were only therersquobull This can be interpreted in two ways One is that it is wrong for people to call
them heroes because they didnrsquot act like heroes It was merely chance that they were there in the war But when Francis remembers Arthurrsquos words right at the end of the book it gives them a different interpretation Francis is suggesting that merely by being there they were heroes ndash scared or not they did what they had to do and did not run away
Is Francis really a herobull When Francis talks to LaSalle he admits that he fell on the grenade not out
of heroism but because he wanted to die so he is not a hero LaSalle counters this by telling Francis that deep down it was an heroic act driven by his instincts to save his fellow men But it is LaSalle telling him this ndash can he be trustedbull Francis tells us that he always wanted to be a hero like LaSalle but that
when he finds himself one he wants to get rid of the lsquofakeryrsquo For him being called a hero canrsquot disguise what he feels underneath the guilt at failing Nicole and the fact that he wanted to die so he feels like a coward This links to the question that LaSalle asks at the end lsquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all the good thingsrsquo The whole book questions whether people can really be heroes when they have all their human failings underneath
Heroism and Secrecy
bull Why do Francis and Nicole not tell everyone the truth about LaSalle Why does Francis tell no-one (apart from LaSalle) that he fell on the grenade because he wanted to die When Arthur is drunk and crying about his wartime experiences his two veteran friends pick him and take him home not wanting Arthur to talk about the war There seems to be a conspiracy not to reveal the heroes for what they are Is Cormier suggesting that we need heroes even if they are fakebull This is also suggested by the very positive effects of Francis beating LaSalle
at table tennis LaSalle knows that if the other children believe Francis has beaten him it will give them more self confidence Although LaSalle fakes the result Francis is a hero Cormier is suggesting that even fake heroes can have a positive value in society
The Real Heroes
bull Nicole tells Francis that he should write about it in order to find out what a hero really is This suggests the answer to the question is in the book But what is it In the train station Francis thinks of the soldiers in his platoon who were scared but stayed and fought anyway They died and were never awarded medals and he calls them the real heroes This is a straightforward way of looking back at those who died in the war
War
bull Francis dreams of the German soldiers that he killed but in his dreams they cry lsquoMamarsquo and he sees them as boys like him lsquotoo young to shaversquo In real life they didnrsquot have time to speak but the dream emphasises a common idea in war literature ndash that the soldiers on both sides often have more in common with each-other than with their commandersbull Throughout Francis never questions whether the war itself was just ndash he
describes it at the end as the lsquogood warrsquo However the depiction of violence and its effects is quite brutal The clinical and grotesque description of Francisrsquos facial injuries at the beginning of the novel is a good example of this War is presented as horrifying and terrifying with a massive effect on those who fight in it but Cormier is not concerned with the politics of the war nor does he make Heroes a pacifist novel
War ndash the Veterans
bull Arthurrsquos collapse behind the club one evening suggests that many of the veterans have similar issues to Francis ndash although Arthur appeared normal he is finding it very difficult to cope with the memories of what the war was like Because he is physically unharmed it is easier for him to pass as lsquonormalrsquo than it is for Francis but this episode shows that doesnrsquot mean the soldiers who came back in one piece are actually okay
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Americabull There are many points in the book which represent an ending of
childhood innocence One is a major event in American history ndash the bombing of Pearl Harbor Francis notes that lsquoWe had discovered in one moment on a Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymorersquo This was not just their discovery but the discovery of the whole United States that they could not remain in isolation from the rest of the world
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Francis bull When Francis confidently leaves Nicole alone with LaSalle in the Wreck Centre he
does so in complete innocence of the danger she is in Taking people at face value is something which the novel constantly warns us against ndash the apparently happy Arthur is found crying behind the St Jude club and the villainous LaSalle ends by doing something positive for Francis in affirming his heroism and refusing to let him become a murdererbull LaSallersquos rape of Nicole in the Wreck Centre is the end of innocence for both her
and Francis who waits in the dark knowing but unable to acknowledge what is happening to her It is also symbolic of the end of their innocent belief in goodness ndash something that the war ended for many peoplebull Francis going off to war with a faked age on his birth certificate is a significant
step out of childhood ndash like many soldiers who signed up underage he is forcing the issue He notices that other soldiers ndash even the Germans ndash are also very young
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Francis bull He maintains a certain innocence even after the grenade ndash going to
London with his face uncovered he doesnrsquot think that other people will notice until he makes a young boy cry When he is home in Frenchtown he appears to have become very cynical but at the end of the novel he has turned back a little from that perhaps coming to happy balance
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Nicole bull The fact that Nicole will not see Francis again after the meeting they
have at the end of the book also closes a door on the idea of there being a lsquohappily ever afterrsquo although she is surviving and continuing to recover she cannot go back to that state of innocence
Types of Love in Heroesbull Francisrsquos love for Nicole is highly romanticised ndash his first meeting with her is compared
to a knight kneeling at the feet of a saint He can barely get up the courage to speak to her although they do eventually go out and their relationship is sweet and innocentbull Later in the army he is motivated by both his love for her which has never gone away
and his guilt about his failure to help her when she was attacked During the war his love and desire for forgiveness turns into the only thing that makes his life worthwhile From the first chapter where he says lsquoit would always be Nicole Renardrsquo to the penultimate one where he tells us the reason he went to see Nicole was to see if she could still be his girl lsquowhich could maybe change my mind about the gun in my duffel bagrsquo This is verging on the obsessional and Francis realises as he talks to Nicole that the love they had ended a long time agobull There is the hero-worship the teens feel for LaSalle before the war and then that the
town feels for the returning heroes The scrapbook the reception for LaSalle and the toasting of the Silver Star heroes in the St Jude Club all evidence this kind of love and the need to find something or someone to admire to make life seem better
Types of love in Heroesbull Much of what LaSalle did for the kids of Frenchtown and Francis in
particular could be described as loving he makes Francis a more confident teenager and continues trying to make him feel better about himself even after Francis has threatened to kill him LaSalle also describes his sexual desire for young girls (lsquosweet young thingsrsquo) as love He says lsquowe love our sins We love the thing that makes us evilrsquo This is a darker side to what lsquoloversquo can mean to different peoplebull There is an element of brotherly or fraternal love in Francisrsquos memories of
his fellow soldiers in his remembrance of them every night His sacrifice of throwing himself on the grenade could also be seen as a loving one ndash certainly LaSalle thinks that Francisrsquos instinct was to save his fellow soldiers not to kill himself There is a sense in which all the veterans are bound together by their experiences which forms a kind of brotherly bond between them
Revenge and Forgiveness
bull Francis is intent on taking revenge on Larry LaSalle rather than forgiving him He does not offer any forgiveness when LaSalle asks if his one evil act can erase all the good he did Francis coldly tells him to lsquoask Nicolersquo However he does allow LaSalle to redeem himself a little by letting him take his own life Is Francisrsquos drive to revenge more about LaSallersquos guilt or his own
Guilt and forgiveness
bull Francis is driven by the need to find forgiveness for having let Nicole down by leaving her alone with LaSalle The guilt of the action and the fact that she blamed him for it are almost overwhelming He wants to die and closes lsquodoors to the futurersquo because he doesnrsquot feel he deserves either recognition as a hero or to live
Larry and Forgiveness
bull Ironically LaSalle gives Francis a measure of forgiveness when he tells him that he couldnrsquot have stopped the rape ndash he was just a lsquochildrsquo
Nicole and Forgiveness
bull Nicole offers Francis forgiveness in a very understated way As it turns out she regrets blaming him for the rape and tried to tell him so many years ago but he had already left for the army It is somewhat of an anti-climax but the real person he needs forgiveness from is himself
Francis and Concealment
bull Francis arrives in Frenchtown with his face wrapped up and concealed On one level hersquos hiding his injuries from sight to stop them horrifying others like they did the small boy in London who cried The idea of a face wrapped up in bandages recalls horror films of the early part of the twentieth century It may deliberately recall the image of the Invisible Manbull Hersquos also concealing his identity ndash he lies to Mrs Belander about how
he knows her name and the wrappings conceal whatever might be recognised Francis is therefore able to walk around town completely unrecognised except as a war veteran
Larry and Concealment
bull Larry LaSalle also has a secret concealed in his past ndash the mysterious reason as to why he had left his showbiz career to become a youth worker We never find out what this reason is but it is implied by LaSallersquos referring to lsquosweet young thingsrsquo in the plural in his last encounter with Francis that it was for something similar to his rape of Nicole In the beginning this mystery seems attractive adding to his lsquoglamourrsquo
Novel structure
bull This theme is exemplified by the structure of the novel which weaves the three timelines together Cormier uses foreshadowing extensively to create tension in the novel ndash such as when Francis tells us in the first chapter that he has lsquojust prayed for the man [he is] going to killrsquo Then he gradually reveals different morsels of information about Francisrsquos war experience and the pre-war life in Frenchtown
Psychological Disfigurement
bull Francisrsquo physical disfigurement is more obvious than his psychological problems but these are still very serious Francis is already a shy and fragile individual before the war through the loss of his parents What happens to Nicole inflicts terrible guilt upon him and he develops a lsquodeath-wishrsquo which means he joins the army in order to diebull His experiences in the army killing boys no older than himself traumatize
him further bull He returns to Frenchtown obsessed with the idea of killing Larry LaSalle with
not thought for the future and only his desire for revenge to keep him goingbull He seems unwilling or unable to enter into relationships with other people
now
Obsession
bull Francis spends the whole book waiting for LaSallersquos return to Frenchtown so that he can seek revenge Yet when the moment comes his hand is shaking and he is overwhelmed In the end LaSalle takes his own life ndash but it seems unlikely that Francis could actually have gone through with it despite his plans and protestationsbull He does do his best to ensure that he has no future by burning the
contact details of his friend from the hospital in England and of the doctor who says he will repair his face He calls this lsquoclosing doors to the futurersquo He seems to be doing this to leave himself no option but to go through with this plan Hope returns to the novel in the final chapter when he thinks about tracking them down again
Isolation
bull Francis feels he has to keep his identity secret because of what he is planning to do But you also get the idea this is how he wants it to be anyway There is a huge contrast between him and the other veterans in the St Judersquos Club ndash he clearly doesnrsquot fit Itrsquos ironic that he is actually still too young to drink in the St Judersquos Club bull It is worth noting that everyone Francis ever loves in the book ndash his
parents ndash his Uncle ndash Nicole and even Larry are either dead or beyond his reach by the end of the book
Francis and Larry1
bull Francisrsquo feelings for Larry are complicated The first thing he tells us about Larry is that he has come back to Frenchtown to kill himbull Yet when he first describes Larry
there is more than an element of hero worshipbull Larry is everything Francis isnrsquot but
would like to be ndash confident full of skills and charisma and attractive
QuotationsP 6 ldquoI am filled with guilt and shame knowing that I just prayed for the man I am going to killrdquo
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Francis and Larry2
bull He feels gratitude for Larry making him a champion through the table tennis However he also feels jealousy at Larryrsquos physical intimacy with Nicole when they are dancing
QuotationsP 42 ldquothen caught her pressing her close their faces almost touching their lips only an inch or so from a kissrdquo
Francis and Larry3
bull Larry understands Francisrsquo feelings of gratitude and his inability to stand up to him and he uses these to manipulate Francis on the night that he rapes Nicole
QuotationsP 66 ldquoI saw Larry raising his eyebrows at me the way he looked at me when I made a stupid move at table tennis Get going rdquo
Francis and Larry4
bull Larry turns out to have had no idea of how his rape of Nicole would affect Francis bull In the end he tries to help Francis
come to terms with his own feelings of guiltbull He cannot come to terms with losing
Francisrsquo respect
QuotationsP 81 ldquoOh Francis yoursquore too hard on yourself You couldnrsquot have stopped me anyway Francis You were just a childrdquo
P82 ldquoDonrsquot look at me like that If I could have one thing it would be to have you look at me again the way you did at the Wreck Centre When I was the big hero you say I wasrdquo
Francis and Larry5
bull In the end Larry does the one thing he can do for Francis which is to save him from having to either pull the trigger and become a murderer ro to fail in his mission by letting Francis know that he is about to kill himself bull Does this make him Francisrsquo real hero
after all
QuotationsP 84 rdquoDownstairs at last after what seems like a long time I pause at the outside door The sound of a pistol shot cracks the airrdquo
Larry LaSalle
Heroic qualities
His past
Relationships His death
Physical appearence
Physical abilities
Courage ndash silver star
Ability to inspire others
Dark hints and rumours Stage career
What he tells Francis
Other people
Francis
NicoleDisease Motives
Suicide
Hero or Villain
Larry - Courage
bull LaSalle joins up the very first morning after war is declared his actions in the war lead to him being awarded a Silver Star medal and when he returns home on leave he is given a herorsquos welcome by the townspeople and the members of the Wreck Centrebull He never discuss his innermost reasons for
joining up Is it possible that his motives are similar to Francisbull Does his reputation as a war hero help him
do what he does to Nicole
QuotationsP 51 ldquoAs we were about to cheer his announcement he held up his handrdquoNone of that kidsIrsquom just doing what millions of others are doingrdquo
P56 ldquoA New England marine is one of the great heroes of Pacific action receiving the Silver Star ldquo
Larry - Courage
bull Is it courage that allows him to talk calmly to Francis to talk him out of becoming a murderer and to kill himself so that Francis has not failed
QuotationsP 83 ldquoSo lower your gun Francis One gun is enough for what has to be donerdquo
Larry ndash Physical Abilities
bull It is clear that Larry has admirable physical abilities He is an excellent sportsman and a dancer who is compared to Fred Astaire Whatever the kids in the Wreck Centre do he can usually do it betterbull His appearance and physical abilities
are things which inspire admiration and hero worship in others
QuotationsP 29 ldquo Had the borad shoulders of an athlete and the narrow hips of a dancer He swung the bat with authority He was also a dancer with a touch of Fred Astaire in his walk his feet barely touching the floorrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull The first thing about Larry that Francis describes is his appearance It is not accidental that he compares him to a film star Film stars are actors ndash so is Larry to the extent that his physical appearance conceals what he really is
Quotations
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull Itrsquos ironic that Larryrsquos illness removes his physical attractiveness at the endbull Is this a sign of his sins catching up with
him
Quotations
P78 ldquoHe is pale eyes sunk into the sockets And he seems fragile now as if caught in an old photograph that has faded and yellowed with agerdquo
Larryrsquos Inspirational Qualitiesbull Larry consistently has the ability to
inspire the children around him to want to do more and to learn things and become things You can argue that for MOST of the children at the Wreck Centre he makes them better people bull Even at the end he is trying to make
sure that Francis doesnrsquot do the wrong thing by becoming a murderer
Quotations
P31 ldquoHe tamed the notorious school bully Butch Bartoneau convincing him that he could sing Under Larry LaSallersquos guidance Edna Beauchene tall and gawky and shy became the hit of the showrdquo
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Francis Cassavant
Disfigurement Psychological
Physical
Face
isolationobsession
guilt
familyOrphaned
Uncle
War
His motives
His experiencesSilver Star
RelationshipsLarry
Nicole
Revenge
Loveworship
Heroism
Guiltbull Part of Francisrsquo guilt seems to come
from his catholic background At the start of the book he he prays for Larry because he remembered Sister Mathilde saying that you should pray for those you donrsquot love Then he feels guilty for doing sobull It is also his religious guilt and
knowledge that suicide is a sin that stops him from committing suicide by throwing himself off the church
QuotationsP 6 ldquoI offer up an lsquoOur Fatherrsquo and lsquoHail Maryrsquo and lsquo Glory Bersquo for Larry LaSalle Then I am filled with guilt and shame knowing that I just prayed for the man I am going to killrdquo
P75rdquoSaying a prayer before committing the worst sin of all despairrdquo
Survivor Guiltbull Survivors guilt is a mental condition that
occurs when a person thinks they have done wrong by surviving a traumatic event when others did notbull We know that Francis actually wanted to
die in the war when he dived on top of the grenadebull This is made worse by the fact that
everyone thinks he is a hero for doing it because they do not know why he dived on top of the grenade He actually did it to punish himself for letting Larry rape Nicole
QuotationsP 80 ldquoI looked for chances to die and instead killed others and two of them kids like me When I fell on my grenade I wasnrsquot trying to save those GIs I saw my chance to end it all in a secondrdquo
Inspiration for the Book
bull Heroes was published in 1998 Robert Cormier said that he was inspired to write the book by the 50th anniversary celebrations of the D-Day landings of World War II and the desire to recognise the heroic acts of ordinary people
Themes
Heroism War
Loss of Innocence
Love
Forgiveness
Concealment revealment
Heroismbull There are different examples of people being made heroes in the book -bull Before they even go to war LaSalle is a hero to the kids of the Wreck
Centre He brings out the best in them and they adore him Even at the end he is still making Francis feel better about himself and prevents him from becoming a murderer Is this more or less heroic than his war record Francis is something of a peacetime hero as well ndash by becoming table tennis champion and beating LaSalle he becomes an icon to the other childrenbull The scrapbook kept by the lsquoStranglerrsquo at the St Judersquos club contains
newspaper clippings about all the lsquoheroesrsquo of Frenchtown including both LaSalle and Francis The other men regard it as something of a symbol something to be proud of but Francis is ambivalent
Silver Star
bull The Silver Star is the only medal awarded for lsquoheroismrsquo we are told Both LaSalle and Francis have been awarded this medal for saving the lives of their fellow soldiers LaSalle does so by taking out a machine gun nest Francis by falling on a grenade ndash the grenade that destroys his face Is it significant that one wins it by committing an act of violence whereas the other wins it by taking the damage himself It impresses the townsfolk ndash but Francis wants to remain anonymous
ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes we were only thererdquobull Francis finds Arthur drunk outside the back of the St Jude club one night
Arthur is crying because he is haunted by the war but nobody will talk about it He scoffs at the idea of lsquoheroesrsquo and says they were all just scared boys and that there was no glamour involved He says lsquoWe werenrsquot heroes We were only therersquobull This can be interpreted in two ways One is that it is wrong for people to call
them heroes because they didnrsquot act like heroes It was merely chance that they were there in the war But when Francis remembers Arthurrsquos words right at the end of the book it gives them a different interpretation Francis is suggesting that merely by being there they were heroes ndash scared or not they did what they had to do and did not run away
Is Francis really a herobull When Francis talks to LaSalle he admits that he fell on the grenade not out
of heroism but because he wanted to die so he is not a hero LaSalle counters this by telling Francis that deep down it was an heroic act driven by his instincts to save his fellow men But it is LaSalle telling him this ndash can he be trustedbull Francis tells us that he always wanted to be a hero like LaSalle but that
when he finds himself one he wants to get rid of the lsquofakeryrsquo For him being called a hero canrsquot disguise what he feels underneath the guilt at failing Nicole and the fact that he wanted to die so he feels like a coward This links to the question that LaSalle asks at the end lsquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all the good thingsrsquo The whole book questions whether people can really be heroes when they have all their human failings underneath
Heroism and Secrecy
bull Why do Francis and Nicole not tell everyone the truth about LaSalle Why does Francis tell no-one (apart from LaSalle) that he fell on the grenade because he wanted to die When Arthur is drunk and crying about his wartime experiences his two veteran friends pick him and take him home not wanting Arthur to talk about the war There seems to be a conspiracy not to reveal the heroes for what they are Is Cormier suggesting that we need heroes even if they are fakebull This is also suggested by the very positive effects of Francis beating LaSalle
at table tennis LaSalle knows that if the other children believe Francis has beaten him it will give them more self confidence Although LaSalle fakes the result Francis is a hero Cormier is suggesting that even fake heroes can have a positive value in society
The Real Heroes
bull Nicole tells Francis that he should write about it in order to find out what a hero really is This suggests the answer to the question is in the book But what is it In the train station Francis thinks of the soldiers in his platoon who were scared but stayed and fought anyway They died and were never awarded medals and he calls them the real heroes This is a straightforward way of looking back at those who died in the war
War
bull Francis dreams of the German soldiers that he killed but in his dreams they cry lsquoMamarsquo and he sees them as boys like him lsquotoo young to shaversquo In real life they didnrsquot have time to speak but the dream emphasises a common idea in war literature ndash that the soldiers on both sides often have more in common with each-other than with their commandersbull Throughout Francis never questions whether the war itself was just ndash he
describes it at the end as the lsquogood warrsquo However the depiction of violence and its effects is quite brutal The clinical and grotesque description of Francisrsquos facial injuries at the beginning of the novel is a good example of this War is presented as horrifying and terrifying with a massive effect on those who fight in it but Cormier is not concerned with the politics of the war nor does he make Heroes a pacifist novel
War ndash the Veterans
bull Arthurrsquos collapse behind the club one evening suggests that many of the veterans have similar issues to Francis ndash although Arthur appeared normal he is finding it very difficult to cope with the memories of what the war was like Because he is physically unharmed it is easier for him to pass as lsquonormalrsquo than it is for Francis but this episode shows that doesnrsquot mean the soldiers who came back in one piece are actually okay
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Americabull There are many points in the book which represent an ending of
childhood innocence One is a major event in American history ndash the bombing of Pearl Harbor Francis notes that lsquoWe had discovered in one moment on a Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymorersquo This was not just their discovery but the discovery of the whole United States that they could not remain in isolation from the rest of the world
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Francis bull When Francis confidently leaves Nicole alone with LaSalle in the Wreck Centre he
does so in complete innocence of the danger she is in Taking people at face value is something which the novel constantly warns us against ndash the apparently happy Arthur is found crying behind the St Jude club and the villainous LaSalle ends by doing something positive for Francis in affirming his heroism and refusing to let him become a murdererbull LaSallersquos rape of Nicole in the Wreck Centre is the end of innocence for both her
and Francis who waits in the dark knowing but unable to acknowledge what is happening to her It is also symbolic of the end of their innocent belief in goodness ndash something that the war ended for many peoplebull Francis going off to war with a faked age on his birth certificate is a significant
step out of childhood ndash like many soldiers who signed up underage he is forcing the issue He notices that other soldiers ndash even the Germans ndash are also very young
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Francis bull He maintains a certain innocence even after the grenade ndash going to
London with his face uncovered he doesnrsquot think that other people will notice until he makes a young boy cry When he is home in Frenchtown he appears to have become very cynical but at the end of the novel he has turned back a little from that perhaps coming to happy balance
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Nicole bull The fact that Nicole will not see Francis again after the meeting they
have at the end of the book also closes a door on the idea of there being a lsquohappily ever afterrsquo although she is surviving and continuing to recover she cannot go back to that state of innocence
Types of Love in Heroesbull Francisrsquos love for Nicole is highly romanticised ndash his first meeting with her is compared
to a knight kneeling at the feet of a saint He can barely get up the courage to speak to her although they do eventually go out and their relationship is sweet and innocentbull Later in the army he is motivated by both his love for her which has never gone away
and his guilt about his failure to help her when she was attacked During the war his love and desire for forgiveness turns into the only thing that makes his life worthwhile From the first chapter where he says lsquoit would always be Nicole Renardrsquo to the penultimate one where he tells us the reason he went to see Nicole was to see if she could still be his girl lsquowhich could maybe change my mind about the gun in my duffel bagrsquo This is verging on the obsessional and Francis realises as he talks to Nicole that the love they had ended a long time agobull There is the hero-worship the teens feel for LaSalle before the war and then that the
town feels for the returning heroes The scrapbook the reception for LaSalle and the toasting of the Silver Star heroes in the St Jude Club all evidence this kind of love and the need to find something or someone to admire to make life seem better
Types of love in Heroesbull Much of what LaSalle did for the kids of Frenchtown and Francis in
particular could be described as loving he makes Francis a more confident teenager and continues trying to make him feel better about himself even after Francis has threatened to kill him LaSalle also describes his sexual desire for young girls (lsquosweet young thingsrsquo) as love He says lsquowe love our sins We love the thing that makes us evilrsquo This is a darker side to what lsquoloversquo can mean to different peoplebull There is an element of brotherly or fraternal love in Francisrsquos memories of
his fellow soldiers in his remembrance of them every night His sacrifice of throwing himself on the grenade could also be seen as a loving one ndash certainly LaSalle thinks that Francisrsquos instinct was to save his fellow soldiers not to kill himself There is a sense in which all the veterans are bound together by their experiences which forms a kind of brotherly bond between them
Revenge and Forgiveness
bull Francis is intent on taking revenge on Larry LaSalle rather than forgiving him He does not offer any forgiveness when LaSalle asks if his one evil act can erase all the good he did Francis coldly tells him to lsquoask Nicolersquo However he does allow LaSalle to redeem himself a little by letting him take his own life Is Francisrsquos drive to revenge more about LaSallersquos guilt or his own
Guilt and forgiveness
bull Francis is driven by the need to find forgiveness for having let Nicole down by leaving her alone with LaSalle The guilt of the action and the fact that she blamed him for it are almost overwhelming He wants to die and closes lsquodoors to the futurersquo because he doesnrsquot feel he deserves either recognition as a hero or to live
Larry and Forgiveness
bull Ironically LaSalle gives Francis a measure of forgiveness when he tells him that he couldnrsquot have stopped the rape ndash he was just a lsquochildrsquo
Nicole and Forgiveness
bull Nicole offers Francis forgiveness in a very understated way As it turns out she regrets blaming him for the rape and tried to tell him so many years ago but he had already left for the army It is somewhat of an anti-climax but the real person he needs forgiveness from is himself
Francis and Concealment
bull Francis arrives in Frenchtown with his face wrapped up and concealed On one level hersquos hiding his injuries from sight to stop them horrifying others like they did the small boy in London who cried The idea of a face wrapped up in bandages recalls horror films of the early part of the twentieth century It may deliberately recall the image of the Invisible Manbull Hersquos also concealing his identity ndash he lies to Mrs Belander about how
he knows her name and the wrappings conceal whatever might be recognised Francis is therefore able to walk around town completely unrecognised except as a war veteran
Larry and Concealment
bull Larry LaSalle also has a secret concealed in his past ndash the mysterious reason as to why he had left his showbiz career to become a youth worker We never find out what this reason is but it is implied by LaSallersquos referring to lsquosweet young thingsrsquo in the plural in his last encounter with Francis that it was for something similar to his rape of Nicole In the beginning this mystery seems attractive adding to his lsquoglamourrsquo
Novel structure
bull This theme is exemplified by the structure of the novel which weaves the three timelines together Cormier uses foreshadowing extensively to create tension in the novel ndash such as when Francis tells us in the first chapter that he has lsquojust prayed for the man [he is] going to killrsquo Then he gradually reveals different morsels of information about Francisrsquos war experience and the pre-war life in Frenchtown
Psychological Disfigurement
bull Francisrsquo physical disfigurement is more obvious than his psychological problems but these are still very serious Francis is already a shy and fragile individual before the war through the loss of his parents What happens to Nicole inflicts terrible guilt upon him and he develops a lsquodeath-wishrsquo which means he joins the army in order to diebull His experiences in the army killing boys no older than himself traumatize
him further bull He returns to Frenchtown obsessed with the idea of killing Larry LaSalle with
not thought for the future and only his desire for revenge to keep him goingbull He seems unwilling or unable to enter into relationships with other people
now
Obsession
bull Francis spends the whole book waiting for LaSallersquos return to Frenchtown so that he can seek revenge Yet when the moment comes his hand is shaking and he is overwhelmed In the end LaSalle takes his own life ndash but it seems unlikely that Francis could actually have gone through with it despite his plans and protestationsbull He does do his best to ensure that he has no future by burning the
contact details of his friend from the hospital in England and of the doctor who says he will repair his face He calls this lsquoclosing doors to the futurersquo He seems to be doing this to leave himself no option but to go through with this plan Hope returns to the novel in the final chapter when he thinks about tracking them down again
Isolation
bull Francis feels he has to keep his identity secret because of what he is planning to do But you also get the idea this is how he wants it to be anyway There is a huge contrast between him and the other veterans in the St Judersquos Club ndash he clearly doesnrsquot fit Itrsquos ironic that he is actually still too young to drink in the St Judersquos Club bull It is worth noting that everyone Francis ever loves in the book ndash his
parents ndash his Uncle ndash Nicole and even Larry are either dead or beyond his reach by the end of the book
Francis and Larry1
bull Francisrsquo feelings for Larry are complicated The first thing he tells us about Larry is that he has come back to Frenchtown to kill himbull Yet when he first describes Larry
there is more than an element of hero worshipbull Larry is everything Francis isnrsquot but
would like to be ndash confident full of skills and charisma and attractive
QuotationsP 6 ldquoI am filled with guilt and shame knowing that I just prayed for the man I am going to killrdquo
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Francis and Larry2
bull He feels gratitude for Larry making him a champion through the table tennis However he also feels jealousy at Larryrsquos physical intimacy with Nicole when they are dancing
QuotationsP 42 ldquothen caught her pressing her close their faces almost touching their lips only an inch or so from a kissrdquo
Francis and Larry3
bull Larry understands Francisrsquo feelings of gratitude and his inability to stand up to him and he uses these to manipulate Francis on the night that he rapes Nicole
QuotationsP 66 ldquoI saw Larry raising his eyebrows at me the way he looked at me when I made a stupid move at table tennis Get going rdquo
Francis and Larry4
bull Larry turns out to have had no idea of how his rape of Nicole would affect Francis bull In the end he tries to help Francis
come to terms with his own feelings of guiltbull He cannot come to terms with losing
Francisrsquo respect
QuotationsP 81 ldquoOh Francis yoursquore too hard on yourself You couldnrsquot have stopped me anyway Francis You were just a childrdquo
P82 ldquoDonrsquot look at me like that If I could have one thing it would be to have you look at me again the way you did at the Wreck Centre When I was the big hero you say I wasrdquo
Francis and Larry5
bull In the end Larry does the one thing he can do for Francis which is to save him from having to either pull the trigger and become a murderer ro to fail in his mission by letting Francis know that he is about to kill himself bull Does this make him Francisrsquo real hero
after all
QuotationsP 84 rdquoDownstairs at last after what seems like a long time I pause at the outside door The sound of a pistol shot cracks the airrdquo
Larry LaSalle
Heroic qualities
His past
Relationships His death
Physical appearence
Physical abilities
Courage ndash silver star
Ability to inspire others
Dark hints and rumours Stage career
What he tells Francis
Other people
Francis
NicoleDisease Motives
Suicide
Hero or Villain
Larry - Courage
bull LaSalle joins up the very first morning after war is declared his actions in the war lead to him being awarded a Silver Star medal and when he returns home on leave he is given a herorsquos welcome by the townspeople and the members of the Wreck Centrebull He never discuss his innermost reasons for
joining up Is it possible that his motives are similar to Francisbull Does his reputation as a war hero help him
do what he does to Nicole
QuotationsP 51 ldquoAs we were about to cheer his announcement he held up his handrdquoNone of that kidsIrsquom just doing what millions of others are doingrdquo
P56 ldquoA New England marine is one of the great heroes of Pacific action receiving the Silver Star ldquo
Larry - Courage
bull Is it courage that allows him to talk calmly to Francis to talk him out of becoming a murderer and to kill himself so that Francis has not failed
QuotationsP 83 ldquoSo lower your gun Francis One gun is enough for what has to be donerdquo
Larry ndash Physical Abilities
bull It is clear that Larry has admirable physical abilities He is an excellent sportsman and a dancer who is compared to Fred Astaire Whatever the kids in the Wreck Centre do he can usually do it betterbull His appearance and physical abilities
are things which inspire admiration and hero worship in others
QuotationsP 29 ldquo Had the borad shoulders of an athlete and the narrow hips of a dancer He swung the bat with authority He was also a dancer with a touch of Fred Astaire in his walk his feet barely touching the floorrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull The first thing about Larry that Francis describes is his appearance It is not accidental that he compares him to a film star Film stars are actors ndash so is Larry to the extent that his physical appearance conceals what he really is
Quotations
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull Itrsquos ironic that Larryrsquos illness removes his physical attractiveness at the endbull Is this a sign of his sins catching up with
him
Quotations
P78 ldquoHe is pale eyes sunk into the sockets And he seems fragile now as if caught in an old photograph that has faded and yellowed with agerdquo
Larryrsquos Inspirational Qualitiesbull Larry consistently has the ability to
inspire the children around him to want to do more and to learn things and become things You can argue that for MOST of the children at the Wreck Centre he makes them better people bull Even at the end he is trying to make
sure that Francis doesnrsquot do the wrong thing by becoming a murderer
Quotations
P31 ldquoHe tamed the notorious school bully Butch Bartoneau convincing him that he could sing Under Larry LaSallersquos guidance Edna Beauchene tall and gawky and shy became the hit of the showrdquo
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Guiltbull Part of Francisrsquo guilt seems to come
from his catholic background At the start of the book he he prays for Larry because he remembered Sister Mathilde saying that you should pray for those you donrsquot love Then he feels guilty for doing sobull It is also his religious guilt and
knowledge that suicide is a sin that stops him from committing suicide by throwing himself off the church
QuotationsP 6 ldquoI offer up an lsquoOur Fatherrsquo and lsquoHail Maryrsquo and lsquo Glory Bersquo for Larry LaSalle Then I am filled with guilt and shame knowing that I just prayed for the man I am going to killrdquo
P75rdquoSaying a prayer before committing the worst sin of all despairrdquo
Survivor Guiltbull Survivors guilt is a mental condition that
occurs when a person thinks they have done wrong by surviving a traumatic event when others did notbull We know that Francis actually wanted to
die in the war when he dived on top of the grenadebull This is made worse by the fact that
everyone thinks he is a hero for doing it because they do not know why he dived on top of the grenade He actually did it to punish himself for letting Larry rape Nicole
QuotationsP 80 ldquoI looked for chances to die and instead killed others and two of them kids like me When I fell on my grenade I wasnrsquot trying to save those GIs I saw my chance to end it all in a secondrdquo
Inspiration for the Book
bull Heroes was published in 1998 Robert Cormier said that he was inspired to write the book by the 50th anniversary celebrations of the D-Day landings of World War II and the desire to recognise the heroic acts of ordinary people
Themes
Heroism War
Loss of Innocence
Love
Forgiveness
Concealment revealment
Heroismbull There are different examples of people being made heroes in the book -bull Before they even go to war LaSalle is a hero to the kids of the Wreck
Centre He brings out the best in them and they adore him Even at the end he is still making Francis feel better about himself and prevents him from becoming a murderer Is this more or less heroic than his war record Francis is something of a peacetime hero as well ndash by becoming table tennis champion and beating LaSalle he becomes an icon to the other childrenbull The scrapbook kept by the lsquoStranglerrsquo at the St Judersquos club contains
newspaper clippings about all the lsquoheroesrsquo of Frenchtown including both LaSalle and Francis The other men regard it as something of a symbol something to be proud of but Francis is ambivalent
Silver Star
bull The Silver Star is the only medal awarded for lsquoheroismrsquo we are told Both LaSalle and Francis have been awarded this medal for saving the lives of their fellow soldiers LaSalle does so by taking out a machine gun nest Francis by falling on a grenade ndash the grenade that destroys his face Is it significant that one wins it by committing an act of violence whereas the other wins it by taking the damage himself It impresses the townsfolk ndash but Francis wants to remain anonymous
ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes we were only thererdquobull Francis finds Arthur drunk outside the back of the St Jude club one night
Arthur is crying because he is haunted by the war but nobody will talk about it He scoffs at the idea of lsquoheroesrsquo and says they were all just scared boys and that there was no glamour involved He says lsquoWe werenrsquot heroes We were only therersquobull This can be interpreted in two ways One is that it is wrong for people to call
them heroes because they didnrsquot act like heroes It was merely chance that they were there in the war But when Francis remembers Arthurrsquos words right at the end of the book it gives them a different interpretation Francis is suggesting that merely by being there they were heroes ndash scared or not they did what they had to do and did not run away
Is Francis really a herobull When Francis talks to LaSalle he admits that he fell on the grenade not out
of heroism but because he wanted to die so he is not a hero LaSalle counters this by telling Francis that deep down it was an heroic act driven by his instincts to save his fellow men But it is LaSalle telling him this ndash can he be trustedbull Francis tells us that he always wanted to be a hero like LaSalle but that
when he finds himself one he wants to get rid of the lsquofakeryrsquo For him being called a hero canrsquot disguise what he feels underneath the guilt at failing Nicole and the fact that he wanted to die so he feels like a coward This links to the question that LaSalle asks at the end lsquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all the good thingsrsquo The whole book questions whether people can really be heroes when they have all their human failings underneath
Heroism and Secrecy
bull Why do Francis and Nicole not tell everyone the truth about LaSalle Why does Francis tell no-one (apart from LaSalle) that he fell on the grenade because he wanted to die When Arthur is drunk and crying about his wartime experiences his two veteran friends pick him and take him home not wanting Arthur to talk about the war There seems to be a conspiracy not to reveal the heroes for what they are Is Cormier suggesting that we need heroes even if they are fakebull This is also suggested by the very positive effects of Francis beating LaSalle
at table tennis LaSalle knows that if the other children believe Francis has beaten him it will give them more self confidence Although LaSalle fakes the result Francis is a hero Cormier is suggesting that even fake heroes can have a positive value in society
The Real Heroes
bull Nicole tells Francis that he should write about it in order to find out what a hero really is This suggests the answer to the question is in the book But what is it In the train station Francis thinks of the soldiers in his platoon who were scared but stayed and fought anyway They died and were never awarded medals and he calls them the real heroes This is a straightforward way of looking back at those who died in the war
War
bull Francis dreams of the German soldiers that he killed but in his dreams they cry lsquoMamarsquo and he sees them as boys like him lsquotoo young to shaversquo In real life they didnrsquot have time to speak but the dream emphasises a common idea in war literature ndash that the soldiers on both sides often have more in common with each-other than with their commandersbull Throughout Francis never questions whether the war itself was just ndash he
describes it at the end as the lsquogood warrsquo However the depiction of violence and its effects is quite brutal The clinical and grotesque description of Francisrsquos facial injuries at the beginning of the novel is a good example of this War is presented as horrifying and terrifying with a massive effect on those who fight in it but Cormier is not concerned with the politics of the war nor does he make Heroes a pacifist novel
War ndash the Veterans
bull Arthurrsquos collapse behind the club one evening suggests that many of the veterans have similar issues to Francis ndash although Arthur appeared normal he is finding it very difficult to cope with the memories of what the war was like Because he is physically unharmed it is easier for him to pass as lsquonormalrsquo than it is for Francis but this episode shows that doesnrsquot mean the soldiers who came back in one piece are actually okay
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Americabull There are many points in the book which represent an ending of
childhood innocence One is a major event in American history ndash the bombing of Pearl Harbor Francis notes that lsquoWe had discovered in one moment on a Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymorersquo This was not just their discovery but the discovery of the whole United States that they could not remain in isolation from the rest of the world
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Francis bull When Francis confidently leaves Nicole alone with LaSalle in the Wreck Centre he
does so in complete innocence of the danger she is in Taking people at face value is something which the novel constantly warns us against ndash the apparently happy Arthur is found crying behind the St Jude club and the villainous LaSalle ends by doing something positive for Francis in affirming his heroism and refusing to let him become a murdererbull LaSallersquos rape of Nicole in the Wreck Centre is the end of innocence for both her
and Francis who waits in the dark knowing but unable to acknowledge what is happening to her It is also symbolic of the end of their innocent belief in goodness ndash something that the war ended for many peoplebull Francis going off to war with a faked age on his birth certificate is a significant
step out of childhood ndash like many soldiers who signed up underage he is forcing the issue He notices that other soldiers ndash even the Germans ndash are also very young
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Francis bull He maintains a certain innocence even after the grenade ndash going to
London with his face uncovered he doesnrsquot think that other people will notice until he makes a young boy cry When he is home in Frenchtown he appears to have become very cynical but at the end of the novel he has turned back a little from that perhaps coming to happy balance
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Nicole bull The fact that Nicole will not see Francis again after the meeting they
have at the end of the book also closes a door on the idea of there being a lsquohappily ever afterrsquo although she is surviving and continuing to recover she cannot go back to that state of innocence
Types of Love in Heroesbull Francisrsquos love for Nicole is highly romanticised ndash his first meeting with her is compared
to a knight kneeling at the feet of a saint He can barely get up the courage to speak to her although they do eventually go out and their relationship is sweet and innocentbull Later in the army he is motivated by both his love for her which has never gone away
and his guilt about his failure to help her when she was attacked During the war his love and desire for forgiveness turns into the only thing that makes his life worthwhile From the first chapter where he says lsquoit would always be Nicole Renardrsquo to the penultimate one where he tells us the reason he went to see Nicole was to see if she could still be his girl lsquowhich could maybe change my mind about the gun in my duffel bagrsquo This is verging on the obsessional and Francis realises as he talks to Nicole that the love they had ended a long time agobull There is the hero-worship the teens feel for LaSalle before the war and then that the
town feels for the returning heroes The scrapbook the reception for LaSalle and the toasting of the Silver Star heroes in the St Jude Club all evidence this kind of love and the need to find something or someone to admire to make life seem better
Types of love in Heroesbull Much of what LaSalle did for the kids of Frenchtown and Francis in
particular could be described as loving he makes Francis a more confident teenager and continues trying to make him feel better about himself even after Francis has threatened to kill him LaSalle also describes his sexual desire for young girls (lsquosweet young thingsrsquo) as love He says lsquowe love our sins We love the thing that makes us evilrsquo This is a darker side to what lsquoloversquo can mean to different peoplebull There is an element of brotherly or fraternal love in Francisrsquos memories of
his fellow soldiers in his remembrance of them every night His sacrifice of throwing himself on the grenade could also be seen as a loving one ndash certainly LaSalle thinks that Francisrsquos instinct was to save his fellow soldiers not to kill himself There is a sense in which all the veterans are bound together by their experiences which forms a kind of brotherly bond between them
Revenge and Forgiveness
bull Francis is intent on taking revenge on Larry LaSalle rather than forgiving him He does not offer any forgiveness when LaSalle asks if his one evil act can erase all the good he did Francis coldly tells him to lsquoask Nicolersquo However he does allow LaSalle to redeem himself a little by letting him take his own life Is Francisrsquos drive to revenge more about LaSallersquos guilt or his own
Guilt and forgiveness
bull Francis is driven by the need to find forgiveness for having let Nicole down by leaving her alone with LaSalle The guilt of the action and the fact that she blamed him for it are almost overwhelming He wants to die and closes lsquodoors to the futurersquo because he doesnrsquot feel he deserves either recognition as a hero or to live
Larry and Forgiveness
bull Ironically LaSalle gives Francis a measure of forgiveness when he tells him that he couldnrsquot have stopped the rape ndash he was just a lsquochildrsquo
Nicole and Forgiveness
bull Nicole offers Francis forgiveness in a very understated way As it turns out she regrets blaming him for the rape and tried to tell him so many years ago but he had already left for the army It is somewhat of an anti-climax but the real person he needs forgiveness from is himself
Francis and Concealment
bull Francis arrives in Frenchtown with his face wrapped up and concealed On one level hersquos hiding his injuries from sight to stop them horrifying others like they did the small boy in London who cried The idea of a face wrapped up in bandages recalls horror films of the early part of the twentieth century It may deliberately recall the image of the Invisible Manbull Hersquos also concealing his identity ndash he lies to Mrs Belander about how
he knows her name and the wrappings conceal whatever might be recognised Francis is therefore able to walk around town completely unrecognised except as a war veteran
Larry and Concealment
bull Larry LaSalle also has a secret concealed in his past ndash the mysterious reason as to why he had left his showbiz career to become a youth worker We never find out what this reason is but it is implied by LaSallersquos referring to lsquosweet young thingsrsquo in the plural in his last encounter with Francis that it was for something similar to his rape of Nicole In the beginning this mystery seems attractive adding to his lsquoglamourrsquo
Novel structure
bull This theme is exemplified by the structure of the novel which weaves the three timelines together Cormier uses foreshadowing extensively to create tension in the novel ndash such as when Francis tells us in the first chapter that he has lsquojust prayed for the man [he is] going to killrsquo Then he gradually reveals different morsels of information about Francisrsquos war experience and the pre-war life in Frenchtown
Psychological Disfigurement
bull Francisrsquo physical disfigurement is more obvious than his psychological problems but these are still very serious Francis is already a shy and fragile individual before the war through the loss of his parents What happens to Nicole inflicts terrible guilt upon him and he develops a lsquodeath-wishrsquo which means he joins the army in order to diebull His experiences in the army killing boys no older than himself traumatize
him further bull He returns to Frenchtown obsessed with the idea of killing Larry LaSalle with
not thought for the future and only his desire for revenge to keep him goingbull He seems unwilling or unable to enter into relationships with other people
now
Obsession
bull Francis spends the whole book waiting for LaSallersquos return to Frenchtown so that he can seek revenge Yet when the moment comes his hand is shaking and he is overwhelmed In the end LaSalle takes his own life ndash but it seems unlikely that Francis could actually have gone through with it despite his plans and protestationsbull He does do his best to ensure that he has no future by burning the
contact details of his friend from the hospital in England and of the doctor who says he will repair his face He calls this lsquoclosing doors to the futurersquo He seems to be doing this to leave himself no option but to go through with this plan Hope returns to the novel in the final chapter when he thinks about tracking them down again
Isolation
bull Francis feels he has to keep his identity secret because of what he is planning to do But you also get the idea this is how he wants it to be anyway There is a huge contrast between him and the other veterans in the St Judersquos Club ndash he clearly doesnrsquot fit Itrsquos ironic that he is actually still too young to drink in the St Judersquos Club bull It is worth noting that everyone Francis ever loves in the book ndash his
parents ndash his Uncle ndash Nicole and even Larry are either dead or beyond his reach by the end of the book
Francis and Larry1
bull Francisrsquo feelings for Larry are complicated The first thing he tells us about Larry is that he has come back to Frenchtown to kill himbull Yet when he first describes Larry
there is more than an element of hero worshipbull Larry is everything Francis isnrsquot but
would like to be ndash confident full of skills and charisma and attractive
QuotationsP 6 ldquoI am filled with guilt and shame knowing that I just prayed for the man I am going to killrdquo
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Francis and Larry2
bull He feels gratitude for Larry making him a champion through the table tennis However he also feels jealousy at Larryrsquos physical intimacy with Nicole when they are dancing
QuotationsP 42 ldquothen caught her pressing her close their faces almost touching their lips only an inch or so from a kissrdquo
Francis and Larry3
bull Larry understands Francisrsquo feelings of gratitude and his inability to stand up to him and he uses these to manipulate Francis on the night that he rapes Nicole
QuotationsP 66 ldquoI saw Larry raising his eyebrows at me the way he looked at me when I made a stupid move at table tennis Get going rdquo
Francis and Larry4
bull Larry turns out to have had no idea of how his rape of Nicole would affect Francis bull In the end he tries to help Francis
come to terms with his own feelings of guiltbull He cannot come to terms with losing
Francisrsquo respect
QuotationsP 81 ldquoOh Francis yoursquore too hard on yourself You couldnrsquot have stopped me anyway Francis You were just a childrdquo
P82 ldquoDonrsquot look at me like that If I could have one thing it would be to have you look at me again the way you did at the Wreck Centre When I was the big hero you say I wasrdquo
Francis and Larry5
bull In the end Larry does the one thing he can do for Francis which is to save him from having to either pull the trigger and become a murderer ro to fail in his mission by letting Francis know that he is about to kill himself bull Does this make him Francisrsquo real hero
after all
QuotationsP 84 rdquoDownstairs at last after what seems like a long time I pause at the outside door The sound of a pistol shot cracks the airrdquo
Larry LaSalle
Heroic qualities
His past
Relationships His death
Physical appearence
Physical abilities
Courage ndash silver star
Ability to inspire others
Dark hints and rumours Stage career
What he tells Francis
Other people
Francis
NicoleDisease Motives
Suicide
Hero or Villain
Larry - Courage
bull LaSalle joins up the very first morning after war is declared his actions in the war lead to him being awarded a Silver Star medal and when he returns home on leave he is given a herorsquos welcome by the townspeople and the members of the Wreck Centrebull He never discuss his innermost reasons for
joining up Is it possible that his motives are similar to Francisbull Does his reputation as a war hero help him
do what he does to Nicole
QuotationsP 51 ldquoAs we were about to cheer his announcement he held up his handrdquoNone of that kidsIrsquom just doing what millions of others are doingrdquo
P56 ldquoA New England marine is one of the great heroes of Pacific action receiving the Silver Star ldquo
Larry - Courage
bull Is it courage that allows him to talk calmly to Francis to talk him out of becoming a murderer and to kill himself so that Francis has not failed
QuotationsP 83 ldquoSo lower your gun Francis One gun is enough for what has to be donerdquo
Larry ndash Physical Abilities
bull It is clear that Larry has admirable physical abilities He is an excellent sportsman and a dancer who is compared to Fred Astaire Whatever the kids in the Wreck Centre do he can usually do it betterbull His appearance and physical abilities
are things which inspire admiration and hero worship in others
QuotationsP 29 ldquo Had the borad shoulders of an athlete and the narrow hips of a dancer He swung the bat with authority He was also a dancer with a touch of Fred Astaire in his walk his feet barely touching the floorrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull The first thing about Larry that Francis describes is his appearance It is not accidental that he compares him to a film star Film stars are actors ndash so is Larry to the extent that his physical appearance conceals what he really is
Quotations
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull Itrsquos ironic that Larryrsquos illness removes his physical attractiveness at the endbull Is this a sign of his sins catching up with
him
Quotations
P78 ldquoHe is pale eyes sunk into the sockets And he seems fragile now as if caught in an old photograph that has faded and yellowed with agerdquo
Larryrsquos Inspirational Qualitiesbull Larry consistently has the ability to
inspire the children around him to want to do more and to learn things and become things You can argue that for MOST of the children at the Wreck Centre he makes them better people bull Even at the end he is trying to make
sure that Francis doesnrsquot do the wrong thing by becoming a murderer
Quotations
P31 ldquoHe tamed the notorious school bully Butch Bartoneau convincing him that he could sing Under Larry LaSallersquos guidance Edna Beauchene tall and gawky and shy became the hit of the showrdquo
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Survivor Guiltbull Survivors guilt is a mental condition that
occurs when a person thinks they have done wrong by surviving a traumatic event when others did notbull We know that Francis actually wanted to
die in the war when he dived on top of the grenadebull This is made worse by the fact that
everyone thinks he is a hero for doing it because they do not know why he dived on top of the grenade He actually did it to punish himself for letting Larry rape Nicole
QuotationsP 80 ldquoI looked for chances to die and instead killed others and two of them kids like me When I fell on my grenade I wasnrsquot trying to save those GIs I saw my chance to end it all in a secondrdquo
Inspiration for the Book
bull Heroes was published in 1998 Robert Cormier said that he was inspired to write the book by the 50th anniversary celebrations of the D-Day landings of World War II and the desire to recognise the heroic acts of ordinary people
Themes
Heroism War
Loss of Innocence
Love
Forgiveness
Concealment revealment
Heroismbull There are different examples of people being made heroes in the book -bull Before they even go to war LaSalle is a hero to the kids of the Wreck
Centre He brings out the best in them and they adore him Even at the end he is still making Francis feel better about himself and prevents him from becoming a murderer Is this more or less heroic than his war record Francis is something of a peacetime hero as well ndash by becoming table tennis champion and beating LaSalle he becomes an icon to the other childrenbull The scrapbook kept by the lsquoStranglerrsquo at the St Judersquos club contains
newspaper clippings about all the lsquoheroesrsquo of Frenchtown including both LaSalle and Francis The other men regard it as something of a symbol something to be proud of but Francis is ambivalent
Silver Star
bull The Silver Star is the only medal awarded for lsquoheroismrsquo we are told Both LaSalle and Francis have been awarded this medal for saving the lives of their fellow soldiers LaSalle does so by taking out a machine gun nest Francis by falling on a grenade ndash the grenade that destroys his face Is it significant that one wins it by committing an act of violence whereas the other wins it by taking the damage himself It impresses the townsfolk ndash but Francis wants to remain anonymous
ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes we were only thererdquobull Francis finds Arthur drunk outside the back of the St Jude club one night
Arthur is crying because he is haunted by the war but nobody will talk about it He scoffs at the idea of lsquoheroesrsquo and says they were all just scared boys and that there was no glamour involved He says lsquoWe werenrsquot heroes We were only therersquobull This can be interpreted in two ways One is that it is wrong for people to call
them heroes because they didnrsquot act like heroes It was merely chance that they were there in the war But when Francis remembers Arthurrsquos words right at the end of the book it gives them a different interpretation Francis is suggesting that merely by being there they were heroes ndash scared or not they did what they had to do and did not run away
Is Francis really a herobull When Francis talks to LaSalle he admits that he fell on the grenade not out
of heroism but because he wanted to die so he is not a hero LaSalle counters this by telling Francis that deep down it was an heroic act driven by his instincts to save his fellow men But it is LaSalle telling him this ndash can he be trustedbull Francis tells us that he always wanted to be a hero like LaSalle but that
when he finds himself one he wants to get rid of the lsquofakeryrsquo For him being called a hero canrsquot disguise what he feels underneath the guilt at failing Nicole and the fact that he wanted to die so he feels like a coward This links to the question that LaSalle asks at the end lsquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all the good thingsrsquo The whole book questions whether people can really be heroes when they have all their human failings underneath
Heroism and Secrecy
bull Why do Francis and Nicole not tell everyone the truth about LaSalle Why does Francis tell no-one (apart from LaSalle) that he fell on the grenade because he wanted to die When Arthur is drunk and crying about his wartime experiences his two veteran friends pick him and take him home not wanting Arthur to talk about the war There seems to be a conspiracy not to reveal the heroes for what they are Is Cormier suggesting that we need heroes even if they are fakebull This is also suggested by the very positive effects of Francis beating LaSalle
at table tennis LaSalle knows that if the other children believe Francis has beaten him it will give them more self confidence Although LaSalle fakes the result Francis is a hero Cormier is suggesting that even fake heroes can have a positive value in society
The Real Heroes
bull Nicole tells Francis that he should write about it in order to find out what a hero really is This suggests the answer to the question is in the book But what is it In the train station Francis thinks of the soldiers in his platoon who were scared but stayed and fought anyway They died and were never awarded medals and he calls them the real heroes This is a straightforward way of looking back at those who died in the war
War
bull Francis dreams of the German soldiers that he killed but in his dreams they cry lsquoMamarsquo and he sees them as boys like him lsquotoo young to shaversquo In real life they didnrsquot have time to speak but the dream emphasises a common idea in war literature ndash that the soldiers on both sides often have more in common with each-other than with their commandersbull Throughout Francis never questions whether the war itself was just ndash he
describes it at the end as the lsquogood warrsquo However the depiction of violence and its effects is quite brutal The clinical and grotesque description of Francisrsquos facial injuries at the beginning of the novel is a good example of this War is presented as horrifying and terrifying with a massive effect on those who fight in it but Cormier is not concerned with the politics of the war nor does he make Heroes a pacifist novel
War ndash the Veterans
bull Arthurrsquos collapse behind the club one evening suggests that many of the veterans have similar issues to Francis ndash although Arthur appeared normal he is finding it very difficult to cope with the memories of what the war was like Because he is physically unharmed it is easier for him to pass as lsquonormalrsquo than it is for Francis but this episode shows that doesnrsquot mean the soldiers who came back in one piece are actually okay
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Americabull There are many points in the book which represent an ending of
childhood innocence One is a major event in American history ndash the bombing of Pearl Harbor Francis notes that lsquoWe had discovered in one moment on a Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymorersquo This was not just their discovery but the discovery of the whole United States that they could not remain in isolation from the rest of the world
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Francis bull When Francis confidently leaves Nicole alone with LaSalle in the Wreck Centre he
does so in complete innocence of the danger she is in Taking people at face value is something which the novel constantly warns us against ndash the apparently happy Arthur is found crying behind the St Jude club and the villainous LaSalle ends by doing something positive for Francis in affirming his heroism and refusing to let him become a murdererbull LaSallersquos rape of Nicole in the Wreck Centre is the end of innocence for both her
and Francis who waits in the dark knowing but unable to acknowledge what is happening to her It is also symbolic of the end of their innocent belief in goodness ndash something that the war ended for many peoplebull Francis going off to war with a faked age on his birth certificate is a significant
step out of childhood ndash like many soldiers who signed up underage he is forcing the issue He notices that other soldiers ndash even the Germans ndash are also very young
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Francis bull He maintains a certain innocence even after the grenade ndash going to
London with his face uncovered he doesnrsquot think that other people will notice until he makes a young boy cry When he is home in Frenchtown he appears to have become very cynical but at the end of the novel he has turned back a little from that perhaps coming to happy balance
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Nicole bull The fact that Nicole will not see Francis again after the meeting they
have at the end of the book also closes a door on the idea of there being a lsquohappily ever afterrsquo although she is surviving and continuing to recover she cannot go back to that state of innocence
Types of Love in Heroesbull Francisrsquos love for Nicole is highly romanticised ndash his first meeting with her is compared
to a knight kneeling at the feet of a saint He can barely get up the courage to speak to her although they do eventually go out and their relationship is sweet and innocentbull Later in the army he is motivated by both his love for her which has never gone away
and his guilt about his failure to help her when she was attacked During the war his love and desire for forgiveness turns into the only thing that makes his life worthwhile From the first chapter where he says lsquoit would always be Nicole Renardrsquo to the penultimate one where he tells us the reason he went to see Nicole was to see if she could still be his girl lsquowhich could maybe change my mind about the gun in my duffel bagrsquo This is verging on the obsessional and Francis realises as he talks to Nicole that the love they had ended a long time agobull There is the hero-worship the teens feel for LaSalle before the war and then that the
town feels for the returning heroes The scrapbook the reception for LaSalle and the toasting of the Silver Star heroes in the St Jude Club all evidence this kind of love and the need to find something or someone to admire to make life seem better
Types of love in Heroesbull Much of what LaSalle did for the kids of Frenchtown and Francis in
particular could be described as loving he makes Francis a more confident teenager and continues trying to make him feel better about himself even after Francis has threatened to kill him LaSalle also describes his sexual desire for young girls (lsquosweet young thingsrsquo) as love He says lsquowe love our sins We love the thing that makes us evilrsquo This is a darker side to what lsquoloversquo can mean to different peoplebull There is an element of brotherly or fraternal love in Francisrsquos memories of
his fellow soldiers in his remembrance of them every night His sacrifice of throwing himself on the grenade could also be seen as a loving one ndash certainly LaSalle thinks that Francisrsquos instinct was to save his fellow soldiers not to kill himself There is a sense in which all the veterans are bound together by their experiences which forms a kind of brotherly bond between them
Revenge and Forgiveness
bull Francis is intent on taking revenge on Larry LaSalle rather than forgiving him He does not offer any forgiveness when LaSalle asks if his one evil act can erase all the good he did Francis coldly tells him to lsquoask Nicolersquo However he does allow LaSalle to redeem himself a little by letting him take his own life Is Francisrsquos drive to revenge more about LaSallersquos guilt or his own
Guilt and forgiveness
bull Francis is driven by the need to find forgiveness for having let Nicole down by leaving her alone with LaSalle The guilt of the action and the fact that she blamed him for it are almost overwhelming He wants to die and closes lsquodoors to the futurersquo because he doesnrsquot feel he deserves either recognition as a hero or to live
Larry and Forgiveness
bull Ironically LaSalle gives Francis a measure of forgiveness when he tells him that he couldnrsquot have stopped the rape ndash he was just a lsquochildrsquo
Nicole and Forgiveness
bull Nicole offers Francis forgiveness in a very understated way As it turns out she regrets blaming him for the rape and tried to tell him so many years ago but he had already left for the army It is somewhat of an anti-climax but the real person he needs forgiveness from is himself
Francis and Concealment
bull Francis arrives in Frenchtown with his face wrapped up and concealed On one level hersquos hiding his injuries from sight to stop them horrifying others like they did the small boy in London who cried The idea of a face wrapped up in bandages recalls horror films of the early part of the twentieth century It may deliberately recall the image of the Invisible Manbull Hersquos also concealing his identity ndash he lies to Mrs Belander about how
he knows her name and the wrappings conceal whatever might be recognised Francis is therefore able to walk around town completely unrecognised except as a war veteran
Larry and Concealment
bull Larry LaSalle also has a secret concealed in his past ndash the mysterious reason as to why he had left his showbiz career to become a youth worker We never find out what this reason is but it is implied by LaSallersquos referring to lsquosweet young thingsrsquo in the plural in his last encounter with Francis that it was for something similar to his rape of Nicole In the beginning this mystery seems attractive adding to his lsquoglamourrsquo
Novel structure
bull This theme is exemplified by the structure of the novel which weaves the three timelines together Cormier uses foreshadowing extensively to create tension in the novel ndash such as when Francis tells us in the first chapter that he has lsquojust prayed for the man [he is] going to killrsquo Then he gradually reveals different morsels of information about Francisrsquos war experience and the pre-war life in Frenchtown
Psychological Disfigurement
bull Francisrsquo physical disfigurement is more obvious than his psychological problems but these are still very serious Francis is already a shy and fragile individual before the war through the loss of his parents What happens to Nicole inflicts terrible guilt upon him and he develops a lsquodeath-wishrsquo which means he joins the army in order to diebull His experiences in the army killing boys no older than himself traumatize
him further bull He returns to Frenchtown obsessed with the idea of killing Larry LaSalle with
not thought for the future and only his desire for revenge to keep him goingbull He seems unwilling or unable to enter into relationships with other people
now
Obsession
bull Francis spends the whole book waiting for LaSallersquos return to Frenchtown so that he can seek revenge Yet when the moment comes his hand is shaking and he is overwhelmed In the end LaSalle takes his own life ndash but it seems unlikely that Francis could actually have gone through with it despite his plans and protestationsbull He does do his best to ensure that he has no future by burning the
contact details of his friend from the hospital in England and of the doctor who says he will repair his face He calls this lsquoclosing doors to the futurersquo He seems to be doing this to leave himself no option but to go through with this plan Hope returns to the novel in the final chapter when he thinks about tracking them down again
Isolation
bull Francis feels he has to keep his identity secret because of what he is planning to do But you also get the idea this is how he wants it to be anyway There is a huge contrast between him and the other veterans in the St Judersquos Club ndash he clearly doesnrsquot fit Itrsquos ironic that he is actually still too young to drink in the St Judersquos Club bull It is worth noting that everyone Francis ever loves in the book ndash his
parents ndash his Uncle ndash Nicole and even Larry are either dead or beyond his reach by the end of the book
Francis and Larry1
bull Francisrsquo feelings for Larry are complicated The first thing he tells us about Larry is that he has come back to Frenchtown to kill himbull Yet when he first describes Larry
there is more than an element of hero worshipbull Larry is everything Francis isnrsquot but
would like to be ndash confident full of skills and charisma and attractive
QuotationsP 6 ldquoI am filled with guilt and shame knowing that I just prayed for the man I am going to killrdquo
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Francis and Larry2
bull He feels gratitude for Larry making him a champion through the table tennis However he also feels jealousy at Larryrsquos physical intimacy with Nicole when they are dancing
QuotationsP 42 ldquothen caught her pressing her close their faces almost touching their lips only an inch or so from a kissrdquo
Francis and Larry3
bull Larry understands Francisrsquo feelings of gratitude and his inability to stand up to him and he uses these to manipulate Francis on the night that he rapes Nicole
QuotationsP 66 ldquoI saw Larry raising his eyebrows at me the way he looked at me when I made a stupid move at table tennis Get going rdquo
Francis and Larry4
bull Larry turns out to have had no idea of how his rape of Nicole would affect Francis bull In the end he tries to help Francis
come to terms with his own feelings of guiltbull He cannot come to terms with losing
Francisrsquo respect
QuotationsP 81 ldquoOh Francis yoursquore too hard on yourself You couldnrsquot have stopped me anyway Francis You were just a childrdquo
P82 ldquoDonrsquot look at me like that If I could have one thing it would be to have you look at me again the way you did at the Wreck Centre When I was the big hero you say I wasrdquo
Francis and Larry5
bull In the end Larry does the one thing he can do for Francis which is to save him from having to either pull the trigger and become a murderer ro to fail in his mission by letting Francis know that he is about to kill himself bull Does this make him Francisrsquo real hero
after all
QuotationsP 84 rdquoDownstairs at last after what seems like a long time I pause at the outside door The sound of a pistol shot cracks the airrdquo
Larry LaSalle
Heroic qualities
His past
Relationships His death
Physical appearence
Physical abilities
Courage ndash silver star
Ability to inspire others
Dark hints and rumours Stage career
What he tells Francis
Other people
Francis
NicoleDisease Motives
Suicide
Hero or Villain
Larry - Courage
bull LaSalle joins up the very first morning after war is declared his actions in the war lead to him being awarded a Silver Star medal and when he returns home on leave he is given a herorsquos welcome by the townspeople and the members of the Wreck Centrebull He never discuss his innermost reasons for
joining up Is it possible that his motives are similar to Francisbull Does his reputation as a war hero help him
do what he does to Nicole
QuotationsP 51 ldquoAs we were about to cheer his announcement he held up his handrdquoNone of that kidsIrsquom just doing what millions of others are doingrdquo
P56 ldquoA New England marine is one of the great heroes of Pacific action receiving the Silver Star ldquo
Larry - Courage
bull Is it courage that allows him to talk calmly to Francis to talk him out of becoming a murderer and to kill himself so that Francis has not failed
QuotationsP 83 ldquoSo lower your gun Francis One gun is enough for what has to be donerdquo
Larry ndash Physical Abilities
bull It is clear that Larry has admirable physical abilities He is an excellent sportsman and a dancer who is compared to Fred Astaire Whatever the kids in the Wreck Centre do he can usually do it betterbull His appearance and physical abilities
are things which inspire admiration and hero worship in others
QuotationsP 29 ldquo Had the borad shoulders of an athlete and the narrow hips of a dancer He swung the bat with authority He was also a dancer with a touch of Fred Astaire in his walk his feet barely touching the floorrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull The first thing about Larry that Francis describes is his appearance It is not accidental that he compares him to a film star Film stars are actors ndash so is Larry to the extent that his physical appearance conceals what he really is
Quotations
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull Itrsquos ironic that Larryrsquos illness removes his physical attractiveness at the endbull Is this a sign of his sins catching up with
him
Quotations
P78 ldquoHe is pale eyes sunk into the sockets And he seems fragile now as if caught in an old photograph that has faded and yellowed with agerdquo
Larryrsquos Inspirational Qualitiesbull Larry consistently has the ability to
inspire the children around him to want to do more and to learn things and become things You can argue that for MOST of the children at the Wreck Centre he makes them better people bull Even at the end he is trying to make
sure that Francis doesnrsquot do the wrong thing by becoming a murderer
Quotations
P31 ldquoHe tamed the notorious school bully Butch Bartoneau convincing him that he could sing Under Larry LaSallersquos guidance Edna Beauchene tall and gawky and shy became the hit of the showrdquo
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Inspiration for the Book
bull Heroes was published in 1998 Robert Cormier said that he was inspired to write the book by the 50th anniversary celebrations of the D-Day landings of World War II and the desire to recognise the heroic acts of ordinary people
Themes
Heroism War
Loss of Innocence
Love
Forgiveness
Concealment revealment
Heroismbull There are different examples of people being made heroes in the book -bull Before they even go to war LaSalle is a hero to the kids of the Wreck
Centre He brings out the best in them and they adore him Even at the end he is still making Francis feel better about himself and prevents him from becoming a murderer Is this more or less heroic than his war record Francis is something of a peacetime hero as well ndash by becoming table tennis champion and beating LaSalle he becomes an icon to the other childrenbull The scrapbook kept by the lsquoStranglerrsquo at the St Judersquos club contains
newspaper clippings about all the lsquoheroesrsquo of Frenchtown including both LaSalle and Francis The other men regard it as something of a symbol something to be proud of but Francis is ambivalent
Silver Star
bull The Silver Star is the only medal awarded for lsquoheroismrsquo we are told Both LaSalle and Francis have been awarded this medal for saving the lives of their fellow soldiers LaSalle does so by taking out a machine gun nest Francis by falling on a grenade ndash the grenade that destroys his face Is it significant that one wins it by committing an act of violence whereas the other wins it by taking the damage himself It impresses the townsfolk ndash but Francis wants to remain anonymous
ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes we were only thererdquobull Francis finds Arthur drunk outside the back of the St Jude club one night
Arthur is crying because he is haunted by the war but nobody will talk about it He scoffs at the idea of lsquoheroesrsquo and says they were all just scared boys and that there was no glamour involved He says lsquoWe werenrsquot heroes We were only therersquobull This can be interpreted in two ways One is that it is wrong for people to call
them heroes because they didnrsquot act like heroes It was merely chance that they were there in the war But when Francis remembers Arthurrsquos words right at the end of the book it gives them a different interpretation Francis is suggesting that merely by being there they were heroes ndash scared or not they did what they had to do and did not run away
Is Francis really a herobull When Francis talks to LaSalle he admits that he fell on the grenade not out
of heroism but because he wanted to die so he is not a hero LaSalle counters this by telling Francis that deep down it was an heroic act driven by his instincts to save his fellow men But it is LaSalle telling him this ndash can he be trustedbull Francis tells us that he always wanted to be a hero like LaSalle but that
when he finds himself one he wants to get rid of the lsquofakeryrsquo For him being called a hero canrsquot disguise what he feels underneath the guilt at failing Nicole and the fact that he wanted to die so he feels like a coward This links to the question that LaSalle asks at the end lsquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all the good thingsrsquo The whole book questions whether people can really be heroes when they have all their human failings underneath
Heroism and Secrecy
bull Why do Francis and Nicole not tell everyone the truth about LaSalle Why does Francis tell no-one (apart from LaSalle) that he fell on the grenade because he wanted to die When Arthur is drunk and crying about his wartime experiences his two veteran friends pick him and take him home not wanting Arthur to talk about the war There seems to be a conspiracy not to reveal the heroes for what they are Is Cormier suggesting that we need heroes even if they are fakebull This is also suggested by the very positive effects of Francis beating LaSalle
at table tennis LaSalle knows that if the other children believe Francis has beaten him it will give them more self confidence Although LaSalle fakes the result Francis is a hero Cormier is suggesting that even fake heroes can have a positive value in society
The Real Heroes
bull Nicole tells Francis that he should write about it in order to find out what a hero really is This suggests the answer to the question is in the book But what is it In the train station Francis thinks of the soldiers in his platoon who were scared but stayed and fought anyway They died and were never awarded medals and he calls them the real heroes This is a straightforward way of looking back at those who died in the war
War
bull Francis dreams of the German soldiers that he killed but in his dreams they cry lsquoMamarsquo and he sees them as boys like him lsquotoo young to shaversquo In real life they didnrsquot have time to speak but the dream emphasises a common idea in war literature ndash that the soldiers on both sides often have more in common with each-other than with their commandersbull Throughout Francis never questions whether the war itself was just ndash he
describes it at the end as the lsquogood warrsquo However the depiction of violence and its effects is quite brutal The clinical and grotesque description of Francisrsquos facial injuries at the beginning of the novel is a good example of this War is presented as horrifying and terrifying with a massive effect on those who fight in it but Cormier is not concerned with the politics of the war nor does he make Heroes a pacifist novel
War ndash the Veterans
bull Arthurrsquos collapse behind the club one evening suggests that many of the veterans have similar issues to Francis ndash although Arthur appeared normal he is finding it very difficult to cope with the memories of what the war was like Because he is physically unharmed it is easier for him to pass as lsquonormalrsquo than it is for Francis but this episode shows that doesnrsquot mean the soldiers who came back in one piece are actually okay
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Americabull There are many points in the book which represent an ending of
childhood innocence One is a major event in American history ndash the bombing of Pearl Harbor Francis notes that lsquoWe had discovered in one moment on a Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymorersquo This was not just their discovery but the discovery of the whole United States that they could not remain in isolation from the rest of the world
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Francis bull When Francis confidently leaves Nicole alone with LaSalle in the Wreck Centre he
does so in complete innocence of the danger she is in Taking people at face value is something which the novel constantly warns us against ndash the apparently happy Arthur is found crying behind the St Jude club and the villainous LaSalle ends by doing something positive for Francis in affirming his heroism and refusing to let him become a murdererbull LaSallersquos rape of Nicole in the Wreck Centre is the end of innocence for both her
and Francis who waits in the dark knowing but unable to acknowledge what is happening to her It is also symbolic of the end of their innocent belief in goodness ndash something that the war ended for many peoplebull Francis going off to war with a faked age on his birth certificate is a significant
step out of childhood ndash like many soldiers who signed up underage he is forcing the issue He notices that other soldiers ndash even the Germans ndash are also very young
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Francis bull He maintains a certain innocence even after the grenade ndash going to
London with his face uncovered he doesnrsquot think that other people will notice until he makes a young boy cry When he is home in Frenchtown he appears to have become very cynical but at the end of the novel he has turned back a little from that perhaps coming to happy balance
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Nicole bull The fact that Nicole will not see Francis again after the meeting they
have at the end of the book also closes a door on the idea of there being a lsquohappily ever afterrsquo although she is surviving and continuing to recover she cannot go back to that state of innocence
Types of Love in Heroesbull Francisrsquos love for Nicole is highly romanticised ndash his first meeting with her is compared
to a knight kneeling at the feet of a saint He can barely get up the courage to speak to her although they do eventually go out and their relationship is sweet and innocentbull Later in the army he is motivated by both his love for her which has never gone away
and his guilt about his failure to help her when she was attacked During the war his love and desire for forgiveness turns into the only thing that makes his life worthwhile From the first chapter where he says lsquoit would always be Nicole Renardrsquo to the penultimate one where he tells us the reason he went to see Nicole was to see if she could still be his girl lsquowhich could maybe change my mind about the gun in my duffel bagrsquo This is verging on the obsessional and Francis realises as he talks to Nicole that the love they had ended a long time agobull There is the hero-worship the teens feel for LaSalle before the war and then that the
town feels for the returning heroes The scrapbook the reception for LaSalle and the toasting of the Silver Star heroes in the St Jude Club all evidence this kind of love and the need to find something or someone to admire to make life seem better
Types of love in Heroesbull Much of what LaSalle did for the kids of Frenchtown and Francis in
particular could be described as loving he makes Francis a more confident teenager and continues trying to make him feel better about himself even after Francis has threatened to kill him LaSalle also describes his sexual desire for young girls (lsquosweet young thingsrsquo) as love He says lsquowe love our sins We love the thing that makes us evilrsquo This is a darker side to what lsquoloversquo can mean to different peoplebull There is an element of brotherly or fraternal love in Francisrsquos memories of
his fellow soldiers in his remembrance of them every night His sacrifice of throwing himself on the grenade could also be seen as a loving one ndash certainly LaSalle thinks that Francisrsquos instinct was to save his fellow soldiers not to kill himself There is a sense in which all the veterans are bound together by their experiences which forms a kind of brotherly bond between them
Revenge and Forgiveness
bull Francis is intent on taking revenge on Larry LaSalle rather than forgiving him He does not offer any forgiveness when LaSalle asks if his one evil act can erase all the good he did Francis coldly tells him to lsquoask Nicolersquo However he does allow LaSalle to redeem himself a little by letting him take his own life Is Francisrsquos drive to revenge more about LaSallersquos guilt or his own
Guilt and forgiveness
bull Francis is driven by the need to find forgiveness for having let Nicole down by leaving her alone with LaSalle The guilt of the action and the fact that she blamed him for it are almost overwhelming He wants to die and closes lsquodoors to the futurersquo because he doesnrsquot feel he deserves either recognition as a hero or to live
Larry and Forgiveness
bull Ironically LaSalle gives Francis a measure of forgiveness when he tells him that he couldnrsquot have stopped the rape ndash he was just a lsquochildrsquo
Nicole and Forgiveness
bull Nicole offers Francis forgiveness in a very understated way As it turns out she regrets blaming him for the rape and tried to tell him so many years ago but he had already left for the army It is somewhat of an anti-climax but the real person he needs forgiveness from is himself
Francis and Concealment
bull Francis arrives in Frenchtown with his face wrapped up and concealed On one level hersquos hiding his injuries from sight to stop them horrifying others like they did the small boy in London who cried The idea of a face wrapped up in bandages recalls horror films of the early part of the twentieth century It may deliberately recall the image of the Invisible Manbull Hersquos also concealing his identity ndash he lies to Mrs Belander about how
he knows her name and the wrappings conceal whatever might be recognised Francis is therefore able to walk around town completely unrecognised except as a war veteran
Larry and Concealment
bull Larry LaSalle also has a secret concealed in his past ndash the mysterious reason as to why he had left his showbiz career to become a youth worker We never find out what this reason is but it is implied by LaSallersquos referring to lsquosweet young thingsrsquo in the plural in his last encounter with Francis that it was for something similar to his rape of Nicole In the beginning this mystery seems attractive adding to his lsquoglamourrsquo
Novel structure
bull This theme is exemplified by the structure of the novel which weaves the three timelines together Cormier uses foreshadowing extensively to create tension in the novel ndash such as when Francis tells us in the first chapter that he has lsquojust prayed for the man [he is] going to killrsquo Then he gradually reveals different morsels of information about Francisrsquos war experience and the pre-war life in Frenchtown
Psychological Disfigurement
bull Francisrsquo physical disfigurement is more obvious than his psychological problems but these are still very serious Francis is already a shy and fragile individual before the war through the loss of his parents What happens to Nicole inflicts terrible guilt upon him and he develops a lsquodeath-wishrsquo which means he joins the army in order to diebull His experiences in the army killing boys no older than himself traumatize
him further bull He returns to Frenchtown obsessed with the idea of killing Larry LaSalle with
not thought for the future and only his desire for revenge to keep him goingbull He seems unwilling or unable to enter into relationships with other people
now
Obsession
bull Francis spends the whole book waiting for LaSallersquos return to Frenchtown so that he can seek revenge Yet when the moment comes his hand is shaking and he is overwhelmed In the end LaSalle takes his own life ndash but it seems unlikely that Francis could actually have gone through with it despite his plans and protestationsbull He does do his best to ensure that he has no future by burning the
contact details of his friend from the hospital in England and of the doctor who says he will repair his face He calls this lsquoclosing doors to the futurersquo He seems to be doing this to leave himself no option but to go through with this plan Hope returns to the novel in the final chapter when he thinks about tracking them down again
Isolation
bull Francis feels he has to keep his identity secret because of what he is planning to do But you also get the idea this is how he wants it to be anyway There is a huge contrast between him and the other veterans in the St Judersquos Club ndash he clearly doesnrsquot fit Itrsquos ironic that he is actually still too young to drink in the St Judersquos Club bull It is worth noting that everyone Francis ever loves in the book ndash his
parents ndash his Uncle ndash Nicole and even Larry are either dead or beyond his reach by the end of the book
Francis and Larry1
bull Francisrsquo feelings for Larry are complicated The first thing he tells us about Larry is that he has come back to Frenchtown to kill himbull Yet when he first describes Larry
there is more than an element of hero worshipbull Larry is everything Francis isnrsquot but
would like to be ndash confident full of skills and charisma and attractive
QuotationsP 6 ldquoI am filled with guilt and shame knowing that I just prayed for the man I am going to killrdquo
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Francis and Larry2
bull He feels gratitude for Larry making him a champion through the table tennis However he also feels jealousy at Larryrsquos physical intimacy with Nicole when they are dancing
QuotationsP 42 ldquothen caught her pressing her close their faces almost touching their lips only an inch or so from a kissrdquo
Francis and Larry3
bull Larry understands Francisrsquo feelings of gratitude and his inability to stand up to him and he uses these to manipulate Francis on the night that he rapes Nicole
QuotationsP 66 ldquoI saw Larry raising his eyebrows at me the way he looked at me when I made a stupid move at table tennis Get going rdquo
Francis and Larry4
bull Larry turns out to have had no idea of how his rape of Nicole would affect Francis bull In the end he tries to help Francis
come to terms with his own feelings of guiltbull He cannot come to terms with losing
Francisrsquo respect
QuotationsP 81 ldquoOh Francis yoursquore too hard on yourself You couldnrsquot have stopped me anyway Francis You were just a childrdquo
P82 ldquoDonrsquot look at me like that If I could have one thing it would be to have you look at me again the way you did at the Wreck Centre When I was the big hero you say I wasrdquo
Francis and Larry5
bull In the end Larry does the one thing he can do for Francis which is to save him from having to either pull the trigger and become a murderer ro to fail in his mission by letting Francis know that he is about to kill himself bull Does this make him Francisrsquo real hero
after all
QuotationsP 84 rdquoDownstairs at last after what seems like a long time I pause at the outside door The sound of a pistol shot cracks the airrdquo
Larry LaSalle
Heroic qualities
His past
Relationships His death
Physical appearence
Physical abilities
Courage ndash silver star
Ability to inspire others
Dark hints and rumours Stage career
What he tells Francis
Other people
Francis
NicoleDisease Motives
Suicide
Hero or Villain
Larry - Courage
bull LaSalle joins up the very first morning after war is declared his actions in the war lead to him being awarded a Silver Star medal and when he returns home on leave he is given a herorsquos welcome by the townspeople and the members of the Wreck Centrebull He never discuss his innermost reasons for
joining up Is it possible that his motives are similar to Francisbull Does his reputation as a war hero help him
do what he does to Nicole
QuotationsP 51 ldquoAs we were about to cheer his announcement he held up his handrdquoNone of that kidsIrsquom just doing what millions of others are doingrdquo
P56 ldquoA New England marine is one of the great heroes of Pacific action receiving the Silver Star ldquo
Larry - Courage
bull Is it courage that allows him to talk calmly to Francis to talk him out of becoming a murderer and to kill himself so that Francis has not failed
QuotationsP 83 ldquoSo lower your gun Francis One gun is enough for what has to be donerdquo
Larry ndash Physical Abilities
bull It is clear that Larry has admirable physical abilities He is an excellent sportsman and a dancer who is compared to Fred Astaire Whatever the kids in the Wreck Centre do he can usually do it betterbull His appearance and physical abilities
are things which inspire admiration and hero worship in others
QuotationsP 29 ldquo Had the borad shoulders of an athlete and the narrow hips of a dancer He swung the bat with authority He was also a dancer with a touch of Fred Astaire in his walk his feet barely touching the floorrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull The first thing about Larry that Francis describes is his appearance It is not accidental that he compares him to a film star Film stars are actors ndash so is Larry to the extent that his physical appearance conceals what he really is
Quotations
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull Itrsquos ironic that Larryrsquos illness removes his physical attractiveness at the endbull Is this a sign of his sins catching up with
him
Quotations
P78 ldquoHe is pale eyes sunk into the sockets And he seems fragile now as if caught in an old photograph that has faded and yellowed with agerdquo
Larryrsquos Inspirational Qualitiesbull Larry consistently has the ability to
inspire the children around him to want to do more and to learn things and become things You can argue that for MOST of the children at the Wreck Centre he makes them better people bull Even at the end he is trying to make
sure that Francis doesnrsquot do the wrong thing by becoming a murderer
Quotations
P31 ldquoHe tamed the notorious school bully Butch Bartoneau convincing him that he could sing Under Larry LaSallersquos guidance Edna Beauchene tall and gawky and shy became the hit of the showrdquo
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Themes
Heroism War
Loss of Innocence
Love
Forgiveness
Concealment revealment
Heroismbull There are different examples of people being made heroes in the book -bull Before they even go to war LaSalle is a hero to the kids of the Wreck
Centre He brings out the best in them and they adore him Even at the end he is still making Francis feel better about himself and prevents him from becoming a murderer Is this more or less heroic than his war record Francis is something of a peacetime hero as well ndash by becoming table tennis champion and beating LaSalle he becomes an icon to the other childrenbull The scrapbook kept by the lsquoStranglerrsquo at the St Judersquos club contains
newspaper clippings about all the lsquoheroesrsquo of Frenchtown including both LaSalle and Francis The other men regard it as something of a symbol something to be proud of but Francis is ambivalent
Silver Star
bull The Silver Star is the only medal awarded for lsquoheroismrsquo we are told Both LaSalle and Francis have been awarded this medal for saving the lives of their fellow soldiers LaSalle does so by taking out a machine gun nest Francis by falling on a grenade ndash the grenade that destroys his face Is it significant that one wins it by committing an act of violence whereas the other wins it by taking the damage himself It impresses the townsfolk ndash but Francis wants to remain anonymous
ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes we were only thererdquobull Francis finds Arthur drunk outside the back of the St Jude club one night
Arthur is crying because he is haunted by the war but nobody will talk about it He scoffs at the idea of lsquoheroesrsquo and says they were all just scared boys and that there was no glamour involved He says lsquoWe werenrsquot heroes We were only therersquobull This can be interpreted in two ways One is that it is wrong for people to call
them heroes because they didnrsquot act like heroes It was merely chance that they were there in the war But when Francis remembers Arthurrsquos words right at the end of the book it gives them a different interpretation Francis is suggesting that merely by being there they were heroes ndash scared or not they did what they had to do and did not run away
Is Francis really a herobull When Francis talks to LaSalle he admits that he fell on the grenade not out
of heroism but because he wanted to die so he is not a hero LaSalle counters this by telling Francis that deep down it was an heroic act driven by his instincts to save his fellow men But it is LaSalle telling him this ndash can he be trustedbull Francis tells us that he always wanted to be a hero like LaSalle but that
when he finds himself one he wants to get rid of the lsquofakeryrsquo For him being called a hero canrsquot disguise what he feels underneath the guilt at failing Nicole and the fact that he wanted to die so he feels like a coward This links to the question that LaSalle asks at the end lsquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all the good thingsrsquo The whole book questions whether people can really be heroes when they have all their human failings underneath
Heroism and Secrecy
bull Why do Francis and Nicole not tell everyone the truth about LaSalle Why does Francis tell no-one (apart from LaSalle) that he fell on the grenade because he wanted to die When Arthur is drunk and crying about his wartime experiences his two veteran friends pick him and take him home not wanting Arthur to talk about the war There seems to be a conspiracy not to reveal the heroes for what they are Is Cormier suggesting that we need heroes even if they are fakebull This is also suggested by the very positive effects of Francis beating LaSalle
at table tennis LaSalle knows that if the other children believe Francis has beaten him it will give them more self confidence Although LaSalle fakes the result Francis is a hero Cormier is suggesting that even fake heroes can have a positive value in society
The Real Heroes
bull Nicole tells Francis that he should write about it in order to find out what a hero really is This suggests the answer to the question is in the book But what is it In the train station Francis thinks of the soldiers in his platoon who were scared but stayed and fought anyway They died and were never awarded medals and he calls them the real heroes This is a straightforward way of looking back at those who died in the war
War
bull Francis dreams of the German soldiers that he killed but in his dreams they cry lsquoMamarsquo and he sees them as boys like him lsquotoo young to shaversquo In real life they didnrsquot have time to speak but the dream emphasises a common idea in war literature ndash that the soldiers on both sides often have more in common with each-other than with their commandersbull Throughout Francis never questions whether the war itself was just ndash he
describes it at the end as the lsquogood warrsquo However the depiction of violence and its effects is quite brutal The clinical and grotesque description of Francisrsquos facial injuries at the beginning of the novel is a good example of this War is presented as horrifying and terrifying with a massive effect on those who fight in it but Cormier is not concerned with the politics of the war nor does he make Heroes a pacifist novel
War ndash the Veterans
bull Arthurrsquos collapse behind the club one evening suggests that many of the veterans have similar issues to Francis ndash although Arthur appeared normal he is finding it very difficult to cope with the memories of what the war was like Because he is physically unharmed it is easier for him to pass as lsquonormalrsquo than it is for Francis but this episode shows that doesnrsquot mean the soldiers who came back in one piece are actually okay
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Americabull There are many points in the book which represent an ending of
childhood innocence One is a major event in American history ndash the bombing of Pearl Harbor Francis notes that lsquoWe had discovered in one moment on a Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymorersquo This was not just their discovery but the discovery of the whole United States that they could not remain in isolation from the rest of the world
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Francis bull When Francis confidently leaves Nicole alone with LaSalle in the Wreck Centre he
does so in complete innocence of the danger she is in Taking people at face value is something which the novel constantly warns us against ndash the apparently happy Arthur is found crying behind the St Jude club and the villainous LaSalle ends by doing something positive for Francis in affirming his heroism and refusing to let him become a murdererbull LaSallersquos rape of Nicole in the Wreck Centre is the end of innocence for both her
and Francis who waits in the dark knowing but unable to acknowledge what is happening to her It is also symbolic of the end of their innocent belief in goodness ndash something that the war ended for many peoplebull Francis going off to war with a faked age on his birth certificate is a significant
step out of childhood ndash like many soldiers who signed up underage he is forcing the issue He notices that other soldiers ndash even the Germans ndash are also very young
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Francis bull He maintains a certain innocence even after the grenade ndash going to
London with his face uncovered he doesnrsquot think that other people will notice until he makes a young boy cry When he is home in Frenchtown he appears to have become very cynical but at the end of the novel he has turned back a little from that perhaps coming to happy balance
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Nicole bull The fact that Nicole will not see Francis again after the meeting they
have at the end of the book also closes a door on the idea of there being a lsquohappily ever afterrsquo although she is surviving and continuing to recover she cannot go back to that state of innocence
Types of Love in Heroesbull Francisrsquos love for Nicole is highly romanticised ndash his first meeting with her is compared
to a knight kneeling at the feet of a saint He can barely get up the courage to speak to her although they do eventually go out and their relationship is sweet and innocentbull Later in the army he is motivated by both his love for her which has never gone away
and his guilt about his failure to help her when she was attacked During the war his love and desire for forgiveness turns into the only thing that makes his life worthwhile From the first chapter where he says lsquoit would always be Nicole Renardrsquo to the penultimate one where he tells us the reason he went to see Nicole was to see if she could still be his girl lsquowhich could maybe change my mind about the gun in my duffel bagrsquo This is verging on the obsessional and Francis realises as he talks to Nicole that the love they had ended a long time agobull There is the hero-worship the teens feel for LaSalle before the war and then that the
town feels for the returning heroes The scrapbook the reception for LaSalle and the toasting of the Silver Star heroes in the St Jude Club all evidence this kind of love and the need to find something or someone to admire to make life seem better
Types of love in Heroesbull Much of what LaSalle did for the kids of Frenchtown and Francis in
particular could be described as loving he makes Francis a more confident teenager and continues trying to make him feel better about himself even after Francis has threatened to kill him LaSalle also describes his sexual desire for young girls (lsquosweet young thingsrsquo) as love He says lsquowe love our sins We love the thing that makes us evilrsquo This is a darker side to what lsquoloversquo can mean to different peoplebull There is an element of brotherly or fraternal love in Francisrsquos memories of
his fellow soldiers in his remembrance of them every night His sacrifice of throwing himself on the grenade could also be seen as a loving one ndash certainly LaSalle thinks that Francisrsquos instinct was to save his fellow soldiers not to kill himself There is a sense in which all the veterans are bound together by their experiences which forms a kind of brotherly bond between them
Revenge and Forgiveness
bull Francis is intent on taking revenge on Larry LaSalle rather than forgiving him He does not offer any forgiveness when LaSalle asks if his one evil act can erase all the good he did Francis coldly tells him to lsquoask Nicolersquo However he does allow LaSalle to redeem himself a little by letting him take his own life Is Francisrsquos drive to revenge more about LaSallersquos guilt or his own
Guilt and forgiveness
bull Francis is driven by the need to find forgiveness for having let Nicole down by leaving her alone with LaSalle The guilt of the action and the fact that she blamed him for it are almost overwhelming He wants to die and closes lsquodoors to the futurersquo because he doesnrsquot feel he deserves either recognition as a hero or to live
Larry and Forgiveness
bull Ironically LaSalle gives Francis a measure of forgiveness when he tells him that he couldnrsquot have stopped the rape ndash he was just a lsquochildrsquo
Nicole and Forgiveness
bull Nicole offers Francis forgiveness in a very understated way As it turns out she regrets blaming him for the rape and tried to tell him so many years ago but he had already left for the army It is somewhat of an anti-climax but the real person he needs forgiveness from is himself
Francis and Concealment
bull Francis arrives in Frenchtown with his face wrapped up and concealed On one level hersquos hiding his injuries from sight to stop them horrifying others like they did the small boy in London who cried The idea of a face wrapped up in bandages recalls horror films of the early part of the twentieth century It may deliberately recall the image of the Invisible Manbull Hersquos also concealing his identity ndash he lies to Mrs Belander about how
he knows her name and the wrappings conceal whatever might be recognised Francis is therefore able to walk around town completely unrecognised except as a war veteran
Larry and Concealment
bull Larry LaSalle also has a secret concealed in his past ndash the mysterious reason as to why he had left his showbiz career to become a youth worker We never find out what this reason is but it is implied by LaSallersquos referring to lsquosweet young thingsrsquo in the plural in his last encounter with Francis that it was for something similar to his rape of Nicole In the beginning this mystery seems attractive adding to his lsquoglamourrsquo
Novel structure
bull This theme is exemplified by the structure of the novel which weaves the three timelines together Cormier uses foreshadowing extensively to create tension in the novel ndash such as when Francis tells us in the first chapter that he has lsquojust prayed for the man [he is] going to killrsquo Then he gradually reveals different morsels of information about Francisrsquos war experience and the pre-war life in Frenchtown
Psychological Disfigurement
bull Francisrsquo physical disfigurement is more obvious than his psychological problems but these are still very serious Francis is already a shy and fragile individual before the war through the loss of his parents What happens to Nicole inflicts terrible guilt upon him and he develops a lsquodeath-wishrsquo which means he joins the army in order to diebull His experiences in the army killing boys no older than himself traumatize
him further bull He returns to Frenchtown obsessed with the idea of killing Larry LaSalle with
not thought for the future and only his desire for revenge to keep him goingbull He seems unwilling or unable to enter into relationships with other people
now
Obsession
bull Francis spends the whole book waiting for LaSallersquos return to Frenchtown so that he can seek revenge Yet when the moment comes his hand is shaking and he is overwhelmed In the end LaSalle takes his own life ndash but it seems unlikely that Francis could actually have gone through with it despite his plans and protestationsbull He does do his best to ensure that he has no future by burning the
contact details of his friend from the hospital in England and of the doctor who says he will repair his face He calls this lsquoclosing doors to the futurersquo He seems to be doing this to leave himself no option but to go through with this plan Hope returns to the novel in the final chapter when he thinks about tracking them down again
Isolation
bull Francis feels he has to keep his identity secret because of what he is planning to do But you also get the idea this is how he wants it to be anyway There is a huge contrast between him and the other veterans in the St Judersquos Club ndash he clearly doesnrsquot fit Itrsquos ironic that he is actually still too young to drink in the St Judersquos Club bull It is worth noting that everyone Francis ever loves in the book ndash his
parents ndash his Uncle ndash Nicole and even Larry are either dead or beyond his reach by the end of the book
Francis and Larry1
bull Francisrsquo feelings for Larry are complicated The first thing he tells us about Larry is that he has come back to Frenchtown to kill himbull Yet when he first describes Larry
there is more than an element of hero worshipbull Larry is everything Francis isnrsquot but
would like to be ndash confident full of skills and charisma and attractive
QuotationsP 6 ldquoI am filled with guilt and shame knowing that I just prayed for the man I am going to killrdquo
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Francis and Larry2
bull He feels gratitude for Larry making him a champion through the table tennis However he also feels jealousy at Larryrsquos physical intimacy with Nicole when they are dancing
QuotationsP 42 ldquothen caught her pressing her close their faces almost touching their lips only an inch or so from a kissrdquo
Francis and Larry3
bull Larry understands Francisrsquo feelings of gratitude and his inability to stand up to him and he uses these to manipulate Francis on the night that he rapes Nicole
QuotationsP 66 ldquoI saw Larry raising his eyebrows at me the way he looked at me when I made a stupid move at table tennis Get going rdquo
Francis and Larry4
bull Larry turns out to have had no idea of how his rape of Nicole would affect Francis bull In the end he tries to help Francis
come to terms with his own feelings of guiltbull He cannot come to terms with losing
Francisrsquo respect
QuotationsP 81 ldquoOh Francis yoursquore too hard on yourself You couldnrsquot have stopped me anyway Francis You were just a childrdquo
P82 ldquoDonrsquot look at me like that If I could have one thing it would be to have you look at me again the way you did at the Wreck Centre When I was the big hero you say I wasrdquo
Francis and Larry5
bull In the end Larry does the one thing he can do for Francis which is to save him from having to either pull the trigger and become a murderer ro to fail in his mission by letting Francis know that he is about to kill himself bull Does this make him Francisrsquo real hero
after all
QuotationsP 84 rdquoDownstairs at last after what seems like a long time I pause at the outside door The sound of a pistol shot cracks the airrdquo
Larry LaSalle
Heroic qualities
His past
Relationships His death
Physical appearence
Physical abilities
Courage ndash silver star
Ability to inspire others
Dark hints and rumours Stage career
What he tells Francis
Other people
Francis
NicoleDisease Motives
Suicide
Hero or Villain
Larry - Courage
bull LaSalle joins up the very first morning after war is declared his actions in the war lead to him being awarded a Silver Star medal and when he returns home on leave he is given a herorsquos welcome by the townspeople and the members of the Wreck Centrebull He never discuss his innermost reasons for
joining up Is it possible that his motives are similar to Francisbull Does his reputation as a war hero help him
do what he does to Nicole
QuotationsP 51 ldquoAs we were about to cheer his announcement he held up his handrdquoNone of that kidsIrsquom just doing what millions of others are doingrdquo
P56 ldquoA New England marine is one of the great heroes of Pacific action receiving the Silver Star ldquo
Larry - Courage
bull Is it courage that allows him to talk calmly to Francis to talk him out of becoming a murderer and to kill himself so that Francis has not failed
QuotationsP 83 ldquoSo lower your gun Francis One gun is enough for what has to be donerdquo
Larry ndash Physical Abilities
bull It is clear that Larry has admirable physical abilities He is an excellent sportsman and a dancer who is compared to Fred Astaire Whatever the kids in the Wreck Centre do he can usually do it betterbull His appearance and physical abilities
are things which inspire admiration and hero worship in others
QuotationsP 29 ldquo Had the borad shoulders of an athlete and the narrow hips of a dancer He swung the bat with authority He was also a dancer with a touch of Fred Astaire in his walk his feet barely touching the floorrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull The first thing about Larry that Francis describes is his appearance It is not accidental that he compares him to a film star Film stars are actors ndash so is Larry to the extent that his physical appearance conceals what he really is
Quotations
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull Itrsquos ironic that Larryrsquos illness removes his physical attractiveness at the endbull Is this a sign of his sins catching up with
him
Quotations
P78 ldquoHe is pale eyes sunk into the sockets And he seems fragile now as if caught in an old photograph that has faded and yellowed with agerdquo
Larryrsquos Inspirational Qualitiesbull Larry consistently has the ability to
inspire the children around him to want to do more and to learn things and become things You can argue that for MOST of the children at the Wreck Centre he makes them better people bull Even at the end he is trying to make
sure that Francis doesnrsquot do the wrong thing by becoming a murderer
Quotations
P31 ldquoHe tamed the notorious school bully Butch Bartoneau convincing him that he could sing Under Larry LaSallersquos guidance Edna Beauchene tall and gawky and shy became the hit of the showrdquo
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Heroismbull There are different examples of people being made heroes in the book -bull Before they even go to war LaSalle is a hero to the kids of the Wreck
Centre He brings out the best in them and they adore him Even at the end he is still making Francis feel better about himself and prevents him from becoming a murderer Is this more or less heroic than his war record Francis is something of a peacetime hero as well ndash by becoming table tennis champion and beating LaSalle he becomes an icon to the other childrenbull The scrapbook kept by the lsquoStranglerrsquo at the St Judersquos club contains
newspaper clippings about all the lsquoheroesrsquo of Frenchtown including both LaSalle and Francis The other men regard it as something of a symbol something to be proud of but Francis is ambivalent
Silver Star
bull The Silver Star is the only medal awarded for lsquoheroismrsquo we are told Both LaSalle and Francis have been awarded this medal for saving the lives of their fellow soldiers LaSalle does so by taking out a machine gun nest Francis by falling on a grenade ndash the grenade that destroys his face Is it significant that one wins it by committing an act of violence whereas the other wins it by taking the damage himself It impresses the townsfolk ndash but Francis wants to remain anonymous
ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes we were only thererdquobull Francis finds Arthur drunk outside the back of the St Jude club one night
Arthur is crying because he is haunted by the war but nobody will talk about it He scoffs at the idea of lsquoheroesrsquo and says they were all just scared boys and that there was no glamour involved He says lsquoWe werenrsquot heroes We were only therersquobull This can be interpreted in two ways One is that it is wrong for people to call
them heroes because they didnrsquot act like heroes It was merely chance that they were there in the war But when Francis remembers Arthurrsquos words right at the end of the book it gives them a different interpretation Francis is suggesting that merely by being there they were heroes ndash scared or not they did what they had to do and did not run away
Is Francis really a herobull When Francis talks to LaSalle he admits that he fell on the grenade not out
of heroism but because he wanted to die so he is not a hero LaSalle counters this by telling Francis that deep down it was an heroic act driven by his instincts to save his fellow men But it is LaSalle telling him this ndash can he be trustedbull Francis tells us that he always wanted to be a hero like LaSalle but that
when he finds himself one he wants to get rid of the lsquofakeryrsquo For him being called a hero canrsquot disguise what he feels underneath the guilt at failing Nicole and the fact that he wanted to die so he feels like a coward This links to the question that LaSalle asks at the end lsquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all the good thingsrsquo The whole book questions whether people can really be heroes when they have all their human failings underneath
Heroism and Secrecy
bull Why do Francis and Nicole not tell everyone the truth about LaSalle Why does Francis tell no-one (apart from LaSalle) that he fell on the grenade because he wanted to die When Arthur is drunk and crying about his wartime experiences his two veteran friends pick him and take him home not wanting Arthur to talk about the war There seems to be a conspiracy not to reveal the heroes for what they are Is Cormier suggesting that we need heroes even if they are fakebull This is also suggested by the very positive effects of Francis beating LaSalle
at table tennis LaSalle knows that if the other children believe Francis has beaten him it will give them more self confidence Although LaSalle fakes the result Francis is a hero Cormier is suggesting that even fake heroes can have a positive value in society
The Real Heroes
bull Nicole tells Francis that he should write about it in order to find out what a hero really is This suggests the answer to the question is in the book But what is it In the train station Francis thinks of the soldiers in his platoon who were scared but stayed and fought anyway They died and were never awarded medals and he calls them the real heroes This is a straightforward way of looking back at those who died in the war
War
bull Francis dreams of the German soldiers that he killed but in his dreams they cry lsquoMamarsquo and he sees them as boys like him lsquotoo young to shaversquo In real life they didnrsquot have time to speak but the dream emphasises a common idea in war literature ndash that the soldiers on both sides often have more in common with each-other than with their commandersbull Throughout Francis never questions whether the war itself was just ndash he
describes it at the end as the lsquogood warrsquo However the depiction of violence and its effects is quite brutal The clinical and grotesque description of Francisrsquos facial injuries at the beginning of the novel is a good example of this War is presented as horrifying and terrifying with a massive effect on those who fight in it but Cormier is not concerned with the politics of the war nor does he make Heroes a pacifist novel
War ndash the Veterans
bull Arthurrsquos collapse behind the club one evening suggests that many of the veterans have similar issues to Francis ndash although Arthur appeared normal he is finding it very difficult to cope with the memories of what the war was like Because he is physically unharmed it is easier for him to pass as lsquonormalrsquo than it is for Francis but this episode shows that doesnrsquot mean the soldiers who came back in one piece are actually okay
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Americabull There are many points in the book which represent an ending of
childhood innocence One is a major event in American history ndash the bombing of Pearl Harbor Francis notes that lsquoWe had discovered in one moment on a Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymorersquo This was not just their discovery but the discovery of the whole United States that they could not remain in isolation from the rest of the world
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Francis bull When Francis confidently leaves Nicole alone with LaSalle in the Wreck Centre he
does so in complete innocence of the danger she is in Taking people at face value is something which the novel constantly warns us against ndash the apparently happy Arthur is found crying behind the St Jude club and the villainous LaSalle ends by doing something positive for Francis in affirming his heroism and refusing to let him become a murdererbull LaSallersquos rape of Nicole in the Wreck Centre is the end of innocence for both her
and Francis who waits in the dark knowing but unable to acknowledge what is happening to her It is also symbolic of the end of their innocent belief in goodness ndash something that the war ended for many peoplebull Francis going off to war with a faked age on his birth certificate is a significant
step out of childhood ndash like many soldiers who signed up underage he is forcing the issue He notices that other soldiers ndash even the Germans ndash are also very young
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Francis bull He maintains a certain innocence even after the grenade ndash going to
London with his face uncovered he doesnrsquot think that other people will notice until he makes a young boy cry When he is home in Frenchtown he appears to have become very cynical but at the end of the novel he has turned back a little from that perhaps coming to happy balance
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Nicole bull The fact that Nicole will not see Francis again after the meeting they
have at the end of the book also closes a door on the idea of there being a lsquohappily ever afterrsquo although she is surviving and continuing to recover she cannot go back to that state of innocence
Types of Love in Heroesbull Francisrsquos love for Nicole is highly romanticised ndash his first meeting with her is compared
to a knight kneeling at the feet of a saint He can barely get up the courage to speak to her although they do eventually go out and their relationship is sweet and innocentbull Later in the army he is motivated by both his love for her which has never gone away
and his guilt about his failure to help her when she was attacked During the war his love and desire for forgiveness turns into the only thing that makes his life worthwhile From the first chapter where he says lsquoit would always be Nicole Renardrsquo to the penultimate one where he tells us the reason he went to see Nicole was to see if she could still be his girl lsquowhich could maybe change my mind about the gun in my duffel bagrsquo This is verging on the obsessional and Francis realises as he talks to Nicole that the love they had ended a long time agobull There is the hero-worship the teens feel for LaSalle before the war and then that the
town feels for the returning heroes The scrapbook the reception for LaSalle and the toasting of the Silver Star heroes in the St Jude Club all evidence this kind of love and the need to find something or someone to admire to make life seem better
Types of love in Heroesbull Much of what LaSalle did for the kids of Frenchtown and Francis in
particular could be described as loving he makes Francis a more confident teenager and continues trying to make him feel better about himself even after Francis has threatened to kill him LaSalle also describes his sexual desire for young girls (lsquosweet young thingsrsquo) as love He says lsquowe love our sins We love the thing that makes us evilrsquo This is a darker side to what lsquoloversquo can mean to different peoplebull There is an element of brotherly or fraternal love in Francisrsquos memories of
his fellow soldiers in his remembrance of them every night His sacrifice of throwing himself on the grenade could also be seen as a loving one ndash certainly LaSalle thinks that Francisrsquos instinct was to save his fellow soldiers not to kill himself There is a sense in which all the veterans are bound together by their experiences which forms a kind of brotherly bond between them
Revenge and Forgiveness
bull Francis is intent on taking revenge on Larry LaSalle rather than forgiving him He does not offer any forgiveness when LaSalle asks if his one evil act can erase all the good he did Francis coldly tells him to lsquoask Nicolersquo However he does allow LaSalle to redeem himself a little by letting him take his own life Is Francisrsquos drive to revenge more about LaSallersquos guilt or his own
Guilt and forgiveness
bull Francis is driven by the need to find forgiveness for having let Nicole down by leaving her alone with LaSalle The guilt of the action and the fact that she blamed him for it are almost overwhelming He wants to die and closes lsquodoors to the futurersquo because he doesnrsquot feel he deserves either recognition as a hero or to live
Larry and Forgiveness
bull Ironically LaSalle gives Francis a measure of forgiveness when he tells him that he couldnrsquot have stopped the rape ndash he was just a lsquochildrsquo
Nicole and Forgiveness
bull Nicole offers Francis forgiveness in a very understated way As it turns out she regrets blaming him for the rape and tried to tell him so many years ago but he had already left for the army It is somewhat of an anti-climax but the real person he needs forgiveness from is himself
Francis and Concealment
bull Francis arrives in Frenchtown with his face wrapped up and concealed On one level hersquos hiding his injuries from sight to stop them horrifying others like they did the small boy in London who cried The idea of a face wrapped up in bandages recalls horror films of the early part of the twentieth century It may deliberately recall the image of the Invisible Manbull Hersquos also concealing his identity ndash he lies to Mrs Belander about how
he knows her name and the wrappings conceal whatever might be recognised Francis is therefore able to walk around town completely unrecognised except as a war veteran
Larry and Concealment
bull Larry LaSalle also has a secret concealed in his past ndash the mysterious reason as to why he had left his showbiz career to become a youth worker We never find out what this reason is but it is implied by LaSallersquos referring to lsquosweet young thingsrsquo in the plural in his last encounter with Francis that it was for something similar to his rape of Nicole In the beginning this mystery seems attractive adding to his lsquoglamourrsquo
Novel structure
bull This theme is exemplified by the structure of the novel which weaves the three timelines together Cormier uses foreshadowing extensively to create tension in the novel ndash such as when Francis tells us in the first chapter that he has lsquojust prayed for the man [he is] going to killrsquo Then he gradually reveals different morsels of information about Francisrsquos war experience and the pre-war life in Frenchtown
Psychological Disfigurement
bull Francisrsquo physical disfigurement is more obvious than his psychological problems but these are still very serious Francis is already a shy and fragile individual before the war through the loss of his parents What happens to Nicole inflicts terrible guilt upon him and he develops a lsquodeath-wishrsquo which means he joins the army in order to diebull His experiences in the army killing boys no older than himself traumatize
him further bull He returns to Frenchtown obsessed with the idea of killing Larry LaSalle with
not thought for the future and only his desire for revenge to keep him goingbull He seems unwilling or unable to enter into relationships with other people
now
Obsession
bull Francis spends the whole book waiting for LaSallersquos return to Frenchtown so that he can seek revenge Yet when the moment comes his hand is shaking and he is overwhelmed In the end LaSalle takes his own life ndash but it seems unlikely that Francis could actually have gone through with it despite his plans and protestationsbull He does do his best to ensure that he has no future by burning the
contact details of his friend from the hospital in England and of the doctor who says he will repair his face He calls this lsquoclosing doors to the futurersquo He seems to be doing this to leave himself no option but to go through with this plan Hope returns to the novel in the final chapter when he thinks about tracking them down again
Isolation
bull Francis feels he has to keep his identity secret because of what he is planning to do But you also get the idea this is how he wants it to be anyway There is a huge contrast between him and the other veterans in the St Judersquos Club ndash he clearly doesnrsquot fit Itrsquos ironic that he is actually still too young to drink in the St Judersquos Club bull It is worth noting that everyone Francis ever loves in the book ndash his
parents ndash his Uncle ndash Nicole and even Larry are either dead or beyond his reach by the end of the book
Francis and Larry1
bull Francisrsquo feelings for Larry are complicated The first thing he tells us about Larry is that he has come back to Frenchtown to kill himbull Yet when he first describes Larry
there is more than an element of hero worshipbull Larry is everything Francis isnrsquot but
would like to be ndash confident full of skills and charisma and attractive
QuotationsP 6 ldquoI am filled with guilt and shame knowing that I just prayed for the man I am going to killrdquo
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Francis and Larry2
bull He feels gratitude for Larry making him a champion through the table tennis However he also feels jealousy at Larryrsquos physical intimacy with Nicole when they are dancing
QuotationsP 42 ldquothen caught her pressing her close their faces almost touching their lips only an inch or so from a kissrdquo
Francis and Larry3
bull Larry understands Francisrsquo feelings of gratitude and his inability to stand up to him and he uses these to manipulate Francis on the night that he rapes Nicole
QuotationsP 66 ldquoI saw Larry raising his eyebrows at me the way he looked at me when I made a stupid move at table tennis Get going rdquo
Francis and Larry4
bull Larry turns out to have had no idea of how his rape of Nicole would affect Francis bull In the end he tries to help Francis
come to terms with his own feelings of guiltbull He cannot come to terms with losing
Francisrsquo respect
QuotationsP 81 ldquoOh Francis yoursquore too hard on yourself You couldnrsquot have stopped me anyway Francis You were just a childrdquo
P82 ldquoDonrsquot look at me like that If I could have one thing it would be to have you look at me again the way you did at the Wreck Centre When I was the big hero you say I wasrdquo
Francis and Larry5
bull In the end Larry does the one thing he can do for Francis which is to save him from having to either pull the trigger and become a murderer ro to fail in his mission by letting Francis know that he is about to kill himself bull Does this make him Francisrsquo real hero
after all
QuotationsP 84 rdquoDownstairs at last after what seems like a long time I pause at the outside door The sound of a pistol shot cracks the airrdquo
Larry LaSalle
Heroic qualities
His past
Relationships His death
Physical appearence
Physical abilities
Courage ndash silver star
Ability to inspire others
Dark hints and rumours Stage career
What he tells Francis
Other people
Francis
NicoleDisease Motives
Suicide
Hero or Villain
Larry - Courage
bull LaSalle joins up the very first morning after war is declared his actions in the war lead to him being awarded a Silver Star medal and when he returns home on leave he is given a herorsquos welcome by the townspeople and the members of the Wreck Centrebull He never discuss his innermost reasons for
joining up Is it possible that his motives are similar to Francisbull Does his reputation as a war hero help him
do what he does to Nicole
QuotationsP 51 ldquoAs we were about to cheer his announcement he held up his handrdquoNone of that kidsIrsquom just doing what millions of others are doingrdquo
P56 ldquoA New England marine is one of the great heroes of Pacific action receiving the Silver Star ldquo
Larry - Courage
bull Is it courage that allows him to talk calmly to Francis to talk him out of becoming a murderer and to kill himself so that Francis has not failed
QuotationsP 83 ldquoSo lower your gun Francis One gun is enough for what has to be donerdquo
Larry ndash Physical Abilities
bull It is clear that Larry has admirable physical abilities He is an excellent sportsman and a dancer who is compared to Fred Astaire Whatever the kids in the Wreck Centre do he can usually do it betterbull His appearance and physical abilities
are things which inspire admiration and hero worship in others
QuotationsP 29 ldquo Had the borad shoulders of an athlete and the narrow hips of a dancer He swung the bat with authority He was also a dancer with a touch of Fred Astaire in his walk his feet barely touching the floorrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull The first thing about Larry that Francis describes is his appearance It is not accidental that he compares him to a film star Film stars are actors ndash so is Larry to the extent that his physical appearance conceals what he really is
Quotations
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull Itrsquos ironic that Larryrsquos illness removes his physical attractiveness at the endbull Is this a sign of his sins catching up with
him
Quotations
P78 ldquoHe is pale eyes sunk into the sockets And he seems fragile now as if caught in an old photograph that has faded and yellowed with agerdquo
Larryrsquos Inspirational Qualitiesbull Larry consistently has the ability to
inspire the children around him to want to do more and to learn things and become things You can argue that for MOST of the children at the Wreck Centre he makes them better people bull Even at the end he is trying to make
sure that Francis doesnrsquot do the wrong thing by becoming a murderer
Quotations
P31 ldquoHe tamed the notorious school bully Butch Bartoneau convincing him that he could sing Under Larry LaSallersquos guidance Edna Beauchene tall and gawky and shy became the hit of the showrdquo
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Silver Star
bull The Silver Star is the only medal awarded for lsquoheroismrsquo we are told Both LaSalle and Francis have been awarded this medal for saving the lives of their fellow soldiers LaSalle does so by taking out a machine gun nest Francis by falling on a grenade ndash the grenade that destroys his face Is it significant that one wins it by committing an act of violence whereas the other wins it by taking the damage himself It impresses the townsfolk ndash but Francis wants to remain anonymous
ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes we were only thererdquobull Francis finds Arthur drunk outside the back of the St Jude club one night
Arthur is crying because he is haunted by the war but nobody will talk about it He scoffs at the idea of lsquoheroesrsquo and says they were all just scared boys and that there was no glamour involved He says lsquoWe werenrsquot heroes We were only therersquobull This can be interpreted in two ways One is that it is wrong for people to call
them heroes because they didnrsquot act like heroes It was merely chance that they were there in the war But when Francis remembers Arthurrsquos words right at the end of the book it gives them a different interpretation Francis is suggesting that merely by being there they were heroes ndash scared or not they did what they had to do and did not run away
Is Francis really a herobull When Francis talks to LaSalle he admits that he fell on the grenade not out
of heroism but because he wanted to die so he is not a hero LaSalle counters this by telling Francis that deep down it was an heroic act driven by his instincts to save his fellow men But it is LaSalle telling him this ndash can he be trustedbull Francis tells us that he always wanted to be a hero like LaSalle but that
when he finds himself one he wants to get rid of the lsquofakeryrsquo For him being called a hero canrsquot disguise what he feels underneath the guilt at failing Nicole and the fact that he wanted to die so he feels like a coward This links to the question that LaSalle asks at the end lsquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all the good thingsrsquo The whole book questions whether people can really be heroes when they have all their human failings underneath
Heroism and Secrecy
bull Why do Francis and Nicole not tell everyone the truth about LaSalle Why does Francis tell no-one (apart from LaSalle) that he fell on the grenade because he wanted to die When Arthur is drunk and crying about his wartime experiences his two veteran friends pick him and take him home not wanting Arthur to talk about the war There seems to be a conspiracy not to reveal the heroes for what they are Is Cormier suggesting that we need heroes even if they are fakebull This is also suggested by the very positive effects of Francis beating LaSalle
at table tennis LaSalle knows that if the other children believe Francis has beaten him it will give them more self confidence Although LaSalle fakes the result Francis is a hero Cormier is suggesting that even fake heroes can have a positive value in society
The Real Heroes
bull Nicole tells Francis that he should write about it in order to find out what a hero really is This suggests the answer to the question is in the book But what is it In the train station Francis thinks of the soldiers in his platoon who were scared but stayed and fought anyway They died and were never awarded medals and he calls them the real heroes This is a straightforward way of looking back at those who died in the war
War
bull Francis dreams of the German soldiers that he killed but in his dreams they cry lsquoMamarsquo and he sees them as boys like him lsquotoo young to shaversquo In real life they didnrsquot have time to speak but the dream emphasises a common idea in war literature ndash that the soldiers on both sides often have more in common with each-other than with their commandersbull Throughout Francis never questions whether the war itself was just ndash he
describes it at the end as the lsquogood warrsquo However the depiction of violence and its effects is quite brutal The clinical and grotesque description of Francisrsquos facial injuries at the beginning of the novel is a good example of this War is presented as horrifying and terrifying with a massive effect on those who fight in it but Cormier is not concerned with the politics of the war nor does he make Heroes a pacifist novel
War ndash the Veterans
bull Arthurrsquos collapse behind the club one evening suggests that many of the veterans have similar issues to Francis ndash although Arthur appeared normal he is finding it very difficult to cope with the memories of what the war was like Because he is physically unharmed it is easier for him to pass as lsquonormalrsquo than it is for Francis but this episode shows that doesnrsquot mean the soldiers who came back in one piece are actually okay
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Americabull There are many points in the book which represent an ending of
childhood innocence One is a major event in American history ndash the bombing of Pearl Harbor Francis notes that lsquoWe had discovered in one moment on a Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymorersquo This was not just their discovery but the discovery of the whole United States that they could not remain in isolation from the rest of the world
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Francis bull When Francis confidently leaves Nicole alone with LaSalle in the Wreck Centre he
does so in complete innocence of the danger she is in Taking people at face value is something which the novel constantly warns us against ndash the apparently happy Arthur is found crying behind the St Jude club and the villainous LaSalle ends by doing something positive for Francis in affirming his heroism and refusing to let him become a murdererbull LaSallersquos rape of Nicole in the Wreck Centre is the end of innocence for both her
and Francis who waits in the dark knowing but unable to acknowledge what is happening to her It is also symbolic of the end of their innocent belief in goodness ndash something that the war ended for many peoplebull Francis going off to war with a faked age on his birth certificate is a significant
step out of childhood ndash like many soldiers who signed up underage he is forcing the issue He notices that other soldiers ndash even the Germans ndash are also very young
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Francis bull He maintains a certain innocence even after the grenade ndash going to
London with his face uncovered he doesnrsquot think that other people will notice until he makes a young boy cry When he is home in Frenchtown he appears to have become very cynical but at the end of the novel he has turned back a little from that perhaps coming to happy balance
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Nicole bull The fact that Nicole will not see Francis again after the meeting they
have at the end of the book also closes a door on the idea of there being a lsquohappily ever afterrsquo although she is surviving and continuing to recover she cannot go back to that state of innocence
Types of Love in Heroesbull Francisrsquos love for Nicole is highly romanticised ndash his first meeting with her is compared
to a knight kneeling at the feet of a saint He can barely get up the courage to speak to her although they do eventually go out and their relationship is sweet and innocentbull Later in the army he is motivated by both his love for her which has never gone away
and his guilt about his failure to help her when she was attacked During the war his love and desire for forgiveness turns into the only thing that makes his life worthwhile From the first chapter where he says lsquoit would always be Nicole Renardrsquo to the penultimate one where he tells us the reason he went to see Nicole was to see if she could still be his girl lsquowhich could maybe change my mind about the gun in my duffel bagrsquo This is verging on the obsessional and Francis realises as he talks to Nicole that the love they had ended a long time agobull There is the hero-worship the teens feel for LaSalle before the war and then that the
town feels for the returning heroes The scrapbook the reception for LaSalle and the toasting of the Silver Star heroes in the St Jude Club all evidence this kind of love and the need to find something or someone to admire to make life seem better
Types of love in Heroesbull Much of what LaSalle did for the kids of Frenchtown and Francis in
particular could be described as loving he makes Francis a more confident teenager and continues trying to make him feel better about himself even after Francis has threatened to kill him LaSalle also describes his sexual desire for young girls (lsquosweet young thingsrsquo) as love He says lsquowe love our sins We love the thing that makes us evilrsquo This is a darker side to what lsquoloversquo can mean to different peoplebull There is an element of brotherly or fraternal love in Francisrsquos memories of
his fellow soldiers in his remembrance of them every night His sacrifice of throwing himself on the grenade could also be seen as a loving one ndash certainly LaSalle thinks that Francisrsquos instinct was to save his fellow soldiers not to kill himself There is a sense in which all the veterans are bound together by their experiences which forms a kind of brotherly bond between them
Revenge and Forgiveness
bull Francis is intent on taking revenge on Larry LaSalle rather than forgiving him He does not offer any forgiveness when LaSalle asks if his one evil act can erase all the good he did Francis coldly tells him to lsquoask Nicolersquo However he does allow LaSalle to redeem himself a little by letting him take his own life Is Francisrsquos drive to revenge more about LaSallersquos guilt or his own
Guilt and forgiveness
bull Francis is driven by the need to find forgiveness for having let Nicole down by leaving her alone with LaSalle The guilt of the action and the fact that she blamed him for it are almost overwhelming He wants to die and closes lsquodoors to the futurersquo because he doesnrsquot feel he deserves either recognition as a hero or to live
Larry and Forgiveness
bull Ironically LaSalle gives Francis a measure of forgiveness when he tells him that he couldnrsquot have stopped the rape ndash he was just a lsquochildrsquo
Nicole and Forgiveness
bull Nicole offers Francis forgiveness in a very understated way As it turns out she regrets blaming him for the rape and tried to tell him so many years ago but he had already left for the army It is somewhat of an anti-climax but the real person he needs forgiveness from is himself
Francis and Concealment
bull Francis arrives in Frenchtown with his face wrapped up and concealed On one level hersquos hiding his injuries from sight to stop them horrifying others like they did the small boy in London who cried The idea of a face wrapped up in bandages recalls horror films of the early part of the twentieth century It may deliberately recall the image of the Invisible Manbull Hersquos also concealing his identity ndash he lies to Mrs Belander about how
he knows her name and the wrappings conceal whatever might be recognised Francis is therefore able to walk around town completely unrecognised except as a war veteran
Larry and Concealment
bull Larry LaSalle also has a secret concealed in his past ndash the mysterious reason as to why he had left his showbiz career to become a youth worker We never find out what this reason is but it is implied by LaSallersquos referring to lsquosweet young thingsrsquo in the plural in his last encounter with Francis that it was for something similar to his rape of Nicole In the beginning this mystery seems attractive adding to his lsquoglamourrsquo
Novel structure
bull This theme is exemplified by the structure of the novel which weaves the three timelines together Cormier uses foreshadowing extensively to create tension in the novel ndash such as when Francis tells us in the first chapter that he has lsquojust prayed for the man [he is] going to killrsquo Then he gradually reveals different morsels of information about Francisrsquos war experience and the pre-war life in Frenchtown
Psychological Disfigurement
bull Francisrsquo physical disfigurement is more obvious than his psychological problems but these are still very serious Francis is already a shy and fragile individual before the war through the loss of his parents What happens to Nicole inflicts terrible guilt upon him and he develops a lsquodeath-wishrsquo which means he joins the army in order to diebull His experiences in the army killing boys no older than himself traumatize
him further bull He returns to Frenchtown obsessed with the idea of killing Larry LaSalle with
not thought for the future and only his desire for revenge to keep him goingbull He seems unwilling or unable to enter into relationships with other people
now
Obsession
bull Francis spends the whole book waiting for LaSallersquos return to Frenchtown so that he can seek revenge Yet when the moment comes his hand is shaking and he is overwhelmed In the end LaSalle takes his own life ndash but it seems unlikely that Francis could actually have gone through with it despite his plans and protestationsbull He does do his best to ensure that he has no future by burning the
contact details of his friend from the hospital in England and of the doctor who says he will repair his face He calls this lsquoclosing doors to the futurersquo He seems to be doing this to leave himself no option but to go through with this plan Hope returns to the novel in the final chapter when he thinks about tracking them down again
Isolation
bull Francis feels he has to keep his identity secret because of what he is planning to do But you also get the idea this is how he wants it to be anyway There is a huge contrast between him and the other veterans in the St Judersquos Club ndash he clearly doesnrsquot fit Itrsquos ironic that he is actually still too young to drink in the St Judersquos Club bull It is worth noting that everyone Francis ever loves in the book ndash his
parents ndash his Uncle ndash Nicole and even Larry are either dead or beyond his reach by the end of the book
Francis and Larry1
bull Francisrsquo feelings for Larry are complicated The first thing he tells us about Larry is that he has come back to Frenchtown to kill himbull Yet when he first describes Larry
there is more than an element of hero worshipbull Larry is everything Francis isnrsquot but
would like to be ndash confident full of skills and charisma and attractive
QuotationsP 6 ldquoI am filled with guilt and shame knowing that I just prayed for the man I am going to killrdquo
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Francis and Larry2
bull He feels gratitude for Larry making him a champion through the table tennis However he also feels jealousy at Larryrsquos physical intimacy with Nicole when they are dancing
QuotationsP 42 ldquothen caught her pressing her close their faces almost touching their lips only an inch or so from a kissrdquo
Francis and Larry3
bull Larry understands Francisrsquo feelings of gratitude and his inability to stand up to him and he uses these to manipulate Francis on the night that he rapes Nicole
QuotationsP 66 ldquoI saw Larry raising his eyebrows at me the way he looked at me when I made a stupid move at table tennis Get going rdquo
Francis and Larry4
bull Larry turns out to have had no idea of how his rape of Nicole would affect Francis bull In the end he tries to help Francis
come to terms with his own feelings of guiltbull He cannot come to terms with losing
Francisrsquo respect
QuotationsP 81 ldquoOh Francis yoursquore too hard on yourself You couldnrsquot have stopped me anyway Francis You were just a childrdquo
P82 ldquoDonrsquot look at me like that If I could have one thing it would be to have you look at me again the way you did at the Wreck Centre When I was the big hero you say I wasrdquo
Francis and Larry5
bull In the end Larry does the one thing he can do for Francis which is to save him from having to either pull the trigger and become a murderer ro to fail in his mission by letting Francis know that he is about to kill himself bull Does this make him Francisrsquo real hero
after all
QuotationsP 84 rdquoDownstairs at last after what seems like a long time I pause at the outside door The sound of a pistol shot cracks the airrdquo
Larry LaSalle
Heroic qualities
His past
Relationships His death
Physical appearence
Physical abilities
Courage ndash silver star
Ability to inspire others
Dark hints and rumours Stage career
What he tells Francis
Other people
Francis
NicoleDisease Motives
Suicide
Hero or Villain
Larry - Courage
bull LaSalle joins up the very first morning after war is declared his actions in the war lead to him being awarded a Silver Star medal and when he returns home on leave he is given a herorsquos welcome by the townspeople and the members of the Wreck Centrebull He never discuss his innermost reasons for
joining up Is it possible that his motives are similar to Francisbull Does his reputation as a war hero help him
do what he does to Nicole
QuotationsP 51 ldquoAs we were about to cheer his announcement he held up his handrdquoNone of that kidsIrsquom just doing what millions of others are doingrdquo
P56 ldquoA New England marine is one of the great heroes of Pacific action receiving the Silver Star ldquo
Larry - Courage
bull Is it courage that allows him to talk calmly to Francis to talk him out of becoming a murderer and to kill himself so that Francis has not failed
QuotationsP 83 ldquoSo lower your gun Francis One gun is enough for what has to be donerdquo
Larry ndash Physical Abilities
bull It is clear that Larry has admirable physical abilities He is an excellent sportsman and a dancer who is compared to Fred Astaire Whatever the kids in the Wreck Centre do he can usually do it betterbull His appearance and physical abilities
are things which inspire admiration and hero worship in others
QuotationsP 29 ldquo Had the borad shoulders of an athlete and the narrow hips of a dancer He swung the bat with authority He was also a dancer with a touch of Fred Astaire in his walk his feet barely touching the floorrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull The first thing about Larry that Francis describes is his appearance It is not accidental that he compares him to a film star Film stars are actors ndash so is Larry to the extent that his physical appearance conceals what he really is
Quotations
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull Itrsquos ironic that Larryrsquos illness removes his physical attractiveness at the endbull Is this a sign of his sins catching up with
him
Quotations
P78 ldquoHe is pale eyes sunk into the sockets And he seems fragile now as if caught in an old photograph that has faded and yellowed with agerdquo
Larryrsquos Inspirational Qualitiesbull Larry consistently has the ability to
inspire the children around him to want to do more and to learn things and become things You can argue that for MOST of the children at the Wreck Centre he makes them better people bull Even at the end he is trying to make
sure that Francis doesnrsquot do the wrong thing by becoming a murderer
Quotations
P31 ldquoHe tamed the notorious school bully Butch Bartoneau convincing him that he could sing Under Larry LaSallersquos guidance Edna Beauchene tall and gawky and shy became the hit of the showrdquo
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes we were only thererdquobull Francis finds Arthur drunk outside the back of the St Jude club one night
Arthur is crying because he is haunted by the war but nobody will talk about it He scoffs at the idea of lsquoheroesrsquo and says they were all just scared boys and that there was no glamour involved He says lsquoWe werenrsquot heroes We were only therersquobull This can be interpreted in two ways One is that it is wrong for people to call
them heroes because they didnrsquot act like heroes It was merely chance that they were there in the war But when Francis remembers Arthurrsquos words right at the end of the book it gives them a different interpretation Francis is suggesting that merely by being there they were heroes ndash scared or not they did what they had to do and did not run away
Is Francis really a herobull When Francis talks to LaSalle he admits that he fell on the grenade not out
of heroism but because he wanted to die so he is not a hero LaSalle counters this by telling Francis that deep down it was an heroic act driven by his instincts to save his fellow men But it is LaSalle telling him this ndash can he be trustedbull Francis tells us that he always wanted to be a hero like LaSalle but that
when he finds himself one he wants to get rid of the lsquofakeryrsquo For him being called a hero canrsquot disguise what he feels underneath the guilt at failing Nicole and the fact that he wanted to die so he feels like a coward This links to the question that LaSalle asks at the end lsquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all the good thingsrsquo The whole book questions whether people can really be heroes when they have all their human failings underneath
Heroism and Secrecy
bull Why do Francis and Nicole not tell everyone the truth about LaSalle Why does Francis tell no-one (apart from LaSalle) that he fell on the grenade because he wanted to die When Arthur is drunk and crying about his wartime experiences his two veteran friends pick him and take him home not wanting Arthur to talk about the war There seems to be a conspiracy not to reveal the heroes for what they are Is Cormier suggesting that we need heroes even if they are fakebull This is also suggested by the very positive effects of Francis beating LaSalle
at table tennis LaSalle knows that if the other children believe Francis has beaten him it will give them more self confidence Although LaSalle fakes the result Francis is a hero Cormier is suggesting that even fake heroes can have a positive value in society
The Real Heroes
bull Nicole tells Francis that he should write about it in order to find out what a hero really is This suggests the answer to the question is in the book But what is it In the train station Francis thinks of the soldiers in his platoon who were scared but stayed and fought anyway They died and were never awarded medals and he calls them the real heroes This is a straightforward way of looking back at those who died in the war
War
bull Francis dreams of the German soldiers that he killed but in his dreams they cry lsquoMamarsquo and he sees them as boys like him lsquotoo young to shaversquo In real life they didnrsquot have time to speak but the dream emphasises a common idea in war literature ndash that the soldiers on both sides often have more in common with each-other than with their commandersbull Throughout Francis never questions whether the war itself was just ndash he
describes it at the end as the lsquogood warrsquo However the depiction of violence and its effects is quite brutal The clinical and grotesque description of Francisrsquos facial injuries at the beginning of the novel is a good example of this War is presented as horrifying and terrifying with a massive effect on those who fight in it but Cormier is not concerned with the politics of the war nor does he make Heroes a pacifist novel
War ndash the Veterans
bull Arthurrsquos collapse behind the club one evening suggests that many of the veterans have similar issues to Francis ndash although Arthur appeared normal he is finding it very difficult to cope with the memories of what the war was like Because he is physically unharmed it is easier for him to pass as lsquonormalrsquo than it is for Francis but this episode shows that doesnrsquot mean the soldiers who came back in one piece are actually okay
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Americabull There are many points in the book which represent an ending of
childhood innocence One is a major event in American history ndash the bombing of Pearl Harbor Francis notes that lsquoWe had discovered in one moment on a Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymorersquo This was not just their discovery but the discovery of the whole United States that they could not remain in isolation from the rest of the world
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Francis bull When Francis confidently leaves Nicole alone with LaSalle in the Wreck Centre he
does so in complete innocence of the danger she is in Taking people at face value is something which the novel constantly warns us against ndash the apparently happy Arthur is found crying behind the St Jude club and the villainous LaSalle ends by doing something positive for Francis in affirming his heroism and refusing to let him become a murdererbull LaSallersquos rape of Nicole in the Wreck Centre is the end of innocence for both her
and Francis who waits in the dark knowing but unable to acknowledge what is happening to her It is also symbolic of the end of their innocent belief in goodness ndash something that the war ended for many peoplebull Francis going off to war with a faked age on his birth certificate is a significant
step out of childhood ndash like many soldiers who signed up underage he is forcing the issue He notices that other soldiers ndash even the Germans ndash are also very young
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Francis bull He maintains a certain innocence even after the grenade ndash going to
London with his face uncovered he doesnrsquot think that other people will notice until he makes a young boy cry When he is home in Frenchtown he appears to have become very cynical but at the end of the novel he has turned back a little from that perhaps coming to happy balance
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Nicole bull The fact that Nicole will not see Francis again after the meeting they
have at the end of the book also closes a door on the idea of there being a lsquohappily ever afterrsquo although she is surviving and continuing to recover she cannot go back to that state of innocence
Types of Love in Heroesbull Francisrsquos love for Nicole is highly romanticised ndash his first meeting with her is compared
to a knight kneeling at the feet of a saint He can barely get up the courage to speak to her although they do eventually go out and their relationship is sweet and innocentbull Later in the army he is motivated by both his love for her which has never gone away
and his guilt about his failure to help her when she was attacked During the war his love and desire for forgiveness turns into the only thing that makes his life worthwhile From the first chapter where he says lsquoit would always be Nicole Renardrsquo to the penultimate one where he tells us the reason he went to see Nicole was to see if she could still be his girl lsquowhich could maybe change my mind about the gun in my duffel bagrsquo This is verging on the obsessional and Francis realises as he talks to Nicole that the love they had ended a long time agobull There is the hero-worship the teens feel for LaSalle before the war and then that the
town feels for the returning heroes The scrapbook the reception for LaSalle and the toasting of the Silver Star heroes in the St Jude Club all evidence this kind of love and the need to find something or someone to admire to make life seem better
Types of love in Heroesbull Much of what LaSalle did for the kids of Frenchtown and Francis in
particular could be described as loving he makes Francis a more confident teenager and continues trying to make him feel better about himself even after Francis has threatened to kill him LaSalle also describes his sexual desire for young girls (lsquosweet young thingsrsquo) as love He says lsquowe love our sins We love the thing that makes us evilrsquo This is a darker side to what lsquoloversquo can mean to different peoplebull There is an element of brotherly or fraternal love in Francisrsquos memories of
his fellow soldiers in his remembrance of them every night His sacrifice of throwing himself on the grenade could also be seen as a loving one ndash certainly LaSalle thinks that Francisrsquos instinct was to save his fellow soldiers not to kill himself There is a sense in which all the veterans are bound together by their experiences which forms a kind of brotherly bond between them
Revenge and Forgiveness
bull Francis is intent on taking revenge on Larry LaSalle rather than forgiving him He does not offer any forgiveness when LaSalle asks if his one evil act can erase all the good he did Francis coldly tells him to lsquoask Nicolersquo However he does allow LaSalle to redeem himself a little by letting him take his own life Is Francisrsquos drive to revenge more about LaSallersquos guilt or his own
Guilt and forgiveness
bull Francis is driven by the need to find forgiveness for having let Nicole down by leaving her alone with LaSalle The guilt of the action and the fact that she blamed him for it are almost overwhelming He wants to die and closes lsquodoors to the futurersquo because he doesnrsquot feel he deserves either recognition as a hero or to live
Larry and Forgiveness
bull Ironically LaSalle gives Francis a measure of forgiveness when he tells him that he couldnrsquot have stopped the rape ndash he was just a lsquochildrsquo
Nicole and Forgiveness
bull Nicole offers Francis forgiveness in a very understated way As it turns out she regrets blaming him for the rape and tried to tell him so many years ago but he had already left for the army It is somewhat of an anti-climax but the real person he needs forgiveness from is himself
Francis and Concealment
bull Francis arrives in Frenchtown with his face wrapped up and concealed On one level hersquos hiding his injuries from sight to stop them horrifying others like they did the small boy in London who cried The idea of a face wrapped up in bandages recalls horror films of the early part of the twentieth century It may deliberately recall the image of the Invisible Manbull Hersquos also concealing his identity ndash he lies to Mrs Belander about how
he knows her name and the wrappings conceal whatever might be recognised Francis is therefore able to walk around town completely unrecognised except as a war veteran
Larry and Concealment
bull Larry LaSalle also has a secret concealed in his past ndash the mysterious reason as to why he had left his showbiz career to become a youth worker We never find out what this reason is but it is implied by LaSallersquos referring to lsquosweet young thingsrsquo in the plural in his last encounter with Francis that it was for something similar to his rape of Nicole In the beginning this mystery seems attractive adding to his lsquoglamourrsquo
Novel structure
bull This theme is exemplified by the structure of the novel which weaves the three timelines together Cormier uses foreshadowing extensively to create tension in the novel ndash such as when Francis tells us in the first chapter that he has lsquojust prayed for the man [he is] going to killrsquo Then he gradually reveals different morsels of information about Francisrsquos war experience and the pre-war life in Frenchtown
Psychological Disfigurement
bull Francisrsquo physical disfigurement is more obvious than his psychological problems but these are still very serious Francis is already a shy and fragile individual before the war through the loss of his parents What happens to Nicole inflicts terrible guilt upon him and he develops a lsquodeath-wishrsquo which means he joins the army in order to diebull His experiences in the army killing boys no older than himself traumatize
him further bull He returns to Frenchtown obsessed with the idea of killing Larry LaSalle with
not thought for the future and only his desire for revenge to keep him goingbull He seems unwilling or unable to enter into relationships with other people
now
Obsession
bull Francis spends the whole book waiting for LaSallersquos return to Frenchtown so that he can seek revenge Yet when the moment comes his hand is shaking and he is overwhelmed In the end LaSalle takes his own life ndash but it seems unlikely that Francis could actually have gone through with it despite his plans and protestationsbull He does do his best to ensure that he has no future by burning the
contact details of his friend from the hospital in England and of the doctor who says he will repair his face He calls this lsquoclosing doors to the futurersquo He seems to be doing this to leave himself no option but to go through with this plan Hope returns to the novel in the final chapter when he thinks about tracking them down again
Isolation
bull Francis feels he has to keep his identity secret because of what he is planning to do But you also get the idea this is how he wants it to be anyway There is a huge contrast between him and the other veterans in the St Judersquos Club ndash he clearly doesnrsquot fit Itrsquos ironic that he is actually still too young to drink in the St Judersquos Club bull It is worth noting that everyone Francis ever loves in the book ndash his
parents ndash his Uncle ndash Nicole and even Larry are either dead or beyond his reach by the end of the book
Francis and Larry1
bull Francisrsquo feelings for Larry are complicated The first thing he tells us about Larry is that he has come back to Frenchtown to kill himbull Yet when he first describes Larry
there is more than an element of hero worshipbull Larry is everything Francis isnrsquot but
would like to be ndash confident full of skills and charisma and attractive
QuotationsP 6 ldquoI am filled with guilt and shame knowing that I just prayed for the man I am going to killrdquo
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Francis and Larry2
bull He feels gratitude for Larry making him a champion through the table tennis However he also feels jealousy at Larryrsquos physical intimacy with Nicole when they are dancing
QuotationsP 42 ldquothen caught her pressing her close their faces almost touching their lips only an inch or so from a kissrdquo
Francis and Larry3
bull Larry understands Francisrsquo feelings of gratitude and his inability to stand up to him and he uses these to manipulate Francis on the night that he rapes Nicole
QuotationsP 66 ldquoI saw Larry raising his eyebrows at me the way he looked at me when I made a stupid move at table tennis Get going rdquo
Francis and Larry4
bull Larry turns out to have had no idea of how his rape of Nicole would affect Francis bull In the end he tries to help Francis
come to terms with his own feelings of guiltbull He cannot come to terms with losing
Francisrsquo respect
QuotationsP 81 ldquoOh Francis yoursquore too hard on yourself You couldnrsquot have stopped me anyway Francis You were just a childrdquo
P82 ldquoDonrsquot look at me like that If I could have one thing it would be to have you look at me again the way you did at the Wreck Centre When I was the big hero you say I wasrdquo
Francis and Larry5
bull In the end Larry does the one thing he can do for Francis which is to save him from having to either pull the trigger and become a murderer ro to fail in his mission by letting Francis know that he is about to kill himself bull Does this make him Francisrsquo real hero
after all
QuotationsP 84 rdquoDownstairs at last after what seems like a long time I pause at the outside door The sound of a pistol shot cracks the airrdquo
Larry LaSalle
Heroic qualities
His past
Relationships His death
Physical appearence
Physical abilities
Courage ndash silver star
Ability to inspire others
Dark hints and rumours Stage career
What he tells Francis
Other people
Francis
NicoleDisease Motives
Suicide
Hero or Villain
Larry - Courage
bull LaSalle joins up the very first morning after war is declared his actions in the war lead to him being awarded a Silver Star medal and when he returns home on leave he is given a herorsquos welcome by the townspeople and the members of the Wreck Centrebull He never discuss his innermost reasons for
joining up Is it possible that his motives are similar to Francisbull Does his reputation as a war hero help him
do what he does to Nicole
QuotationsP 51 ldquoAs we were about to cheer his announcement he held up his handrdquoNone of that kidsIrsquom just doing what millions of others are doingrdquo
P56 ldquoA New England marine is one of the great heroes of Pacific action receiving the Silver Star ldquo
Larry - Courage
bull Is it courage that allows him to talk calmly to Francis to talk him out of becoming a murderer and to kill himself so that Francis has not failed
QuotationsP 83 ldquoSo lower your gun Francis One gun is enough for what has to be donerdquo
Larry ndash Physical Abilities
bull It is clear that Larry has admirable physical abilities He is an excellent sportsman and a dancer who is compared to Fred Astaire Whatever the kids in the Wreck Centre do he can usually do it betterbull His appearance and physical abilities
are things which inspire admiration and hero worship in others
QuotationsP 29 ldquo Had the borad shoulders of an athlete and the narrow hips of a dancer He swung the bat with authority He was also a dancer with a touch of Fred Astaire in his walk his feet barely touching the floorrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull The first thing about Larry that Francis describes is his appearance It is not accidental that he compares him to a film star Film stars are actors ndash so is Larry to the extent that his physical appearance conceals what he really is
Quotations
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull Itrsquos ironic that Larryrsquos illness removes his physical attractiveness at the endbull Is this a sign of his sins catching up with
him
Quotations
P78 ldquoHe is pale eyes sunk into the sockets And he seems fragile now as if caught in an old photograph that has faded and yellowed with agerdquo
Larryrsquos Inspirational Qualitiesbull Larry consistently has the ability to
inspire the children around him to want to do more and to learn things and become things You can argue that for MOST of the children at the Wreck Centre he makes them better people bull Even at the end he is trying to make
sure that Francis doesnrsquot do the wrong thing by becoming a murderer
Quotations
P31 ldquoHe tamed the notorious school bully Butch Bartoneau convincing him that he could sing Under Larry LaSallersquos guidance Edna Beauchene tall and gawky and shy became the hit of the showrdquo
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Is Francis really a herobull When Francis talks to LaSalle he admits that he fell on the grenade not out
of heroism but because he wanted to die so he is not a hero LaSalle counters this by telling Francis that deep down it was an heroic act driven by his instincts to save his fellow men But it is LaSalle telling him this ndash can he be trustedbull Francis tells us that he always wanted to be a hero like LaSalle but that
when he finds himself one he wants to get rid of the lsquofakeryrsquo For him being called a hero canrsquot disguise what he feels underneath the guilt at failing Nicole and the fact that he wanted to die so he feels like a coward This links to the question that LaSalle asks at the end lsquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all the good thingsrsquo The whole book questions whether people can really be heroes when they have all their human failings underneath
Heroism and Secrecy
bull Why do Francis and Nicole not tell everyone the truth about LaSalle Why does Francis tell no-one (apart from LaSalle) that he fell on the grenade because he wanted to die When Arthur is drunk and crying about his wartime experiences his two veteran friends pick him and take him home not wanting Arthur to talk about the war There seems to be a conspiracy not to reveal the heroes for what they are Is Cormier suggesting that we need heroes even if they are fakebull This is also suggested by the very positive effects of Francis beating LaSalle
at table tennis LaSalle knows that if the other children believe Francis has beaten him it will give them more self confidence Although LaSalle fakes the result Francis is a hero Cormier is suggesting that even fake heroes can have a positive value in society
The Real Heroes
bull Nicole tells Francis that he should write about it in order to find out what a hero really is This suggests the answer to the question is in the book But what is it In the train station Francis thinks of the soldiers in his platoon who were scared but stayed and fought anyway They died and were never awarded medals and he calls them the real heroes This is a straightforward way of looking back at those who died in the war
War
bull Francis dreams of the German soldiers that he killed but in his dreams they cry lsquoMamarsquo and he sees them as boys like him lsquotoo young to shaversquo In real life they didnrsquot have time to speak but the dream emphasises a common idea in war literature ndash that the soldiers on both sides often have more in common with each-other than with their commandersbull Throughout Francis never questions whether the war itself was just ndash he
describes it at the end as the lsquogood warrsquo However the depiction of violence and its effects is quite brutal The clinical and grotesque description of Francisrsquos facial injuries at the beginning of the novel is a good example of this War is presented as horrifying and terrifying with a massive effect on those who fight in it but Cormier is not concerned with the politics of the war nor does he make Heroes a pacifist novel
War ndash the Veterans
bull Arthurrsquos collapse behind the club one evening suggests that many of the veterans have similar issues to Francis ndash although Arthur appeared normal he is finding it very difficult to cope with the memories of what the war was like Because he is physically unharmed it is easier for him to pass as lsquonormalrsquo than it is for Francis but this episode shows that doesnrsquot mean the soldiers who came back in one piece are actually okay
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Americabull There are many points in the book which represent an ending of
childhood innocence One is a major event in American history ndash the bombing of Pearl Harbor Francis notes that lsquoWe had discovered in one moment on a Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymorersquo This was not just their discovery but the discovery of the whole United States that they could not remain in isolation from the rest of the world
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Francis bull When Francis confidently leaves Nicole alone with LaSalle in the Wreck Centre he
does so in complete innocence of the danger she is in Taking people at face value is something which the novel constantly warns us against ndash the apparently happy Arthur is found crying behind the St Jude club and the villainous LaSalle ends by doing something positive for Francis in affirming his heroism and refusing to let him become a murdererbull LaSallersquos rape of Nicole in the Wreck Centre is the end of innocence for both her
and Francis who waits in the dark knowing but unable to acknowledge what is happening to her It is also symbolic of the end of their innocent belief in goodness ndash something that the war ended for many peoplebull Francis going off to war with a faked age on his birth certificate is a significant
step out of childhood ndash like many soldiers who signed up underage he is forcing the issue He notices that other soldiers ndash even the Germans ndash are also very young
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Francis bull He maintains a certain innocence even after the grenade ndash going to
London with his face uncovered he doesnrsquot think that other people will notice until he makes a young boy cry When he is home in Frenchtown he appears to have become very cynical but at the end of the novel he has turned back a little from that perhaps coming to happy balance
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Nicole bull The fact that Nicole will not see Francis again after the meeting they
have at the end of the book also closes a door on the idea of there being a lsquohappily ever afterrsquo although she is surviving and continuing to recover she cannot go back to that state of innocence
Types of Love in Heroesbull Francisrsquos love for Nicole is highly romanticised ndash his first meeting with her is compared
to a knight kneeling at the feet of a saint He can barely get up the courage to speak to her although they do eventually go out and their relationship is sweet and innocentbull Later in the army he is motivated by both his love for her which has never gone away
and his guilt about his failure to help her when she was attacked During the war his love and desire for forgiveness turns into the only thing that makes his life worthwhile From the first chapter where he says lsquoit would always be Nicole Renardrsquo to the penultimate one where he tells us the reason he went to see Nicole was to see if she could still be his girl lsquowhich could maybe change my mind about the gun in my duffel bagrsquo This is verging on the obsessional and Francis realises as he talks to Nicole that the love they had ended a long time agobull There is the hero-worship the teens feel for LaSalle before the war and then that the
town feels for the returning heroes The scrapbook the reception for LaSalle and the toasting of the Silver Star heroes in the St Jude Club all evidence this kind of love and the need to find something or someone to admire to make life seem better
Types of love in Heroesbull Much of what LaSalle did for the kids of Frenchtown and Francis in
particular could be described as loving he makes Francis a more confident teenager and continues trying to make him feel better about himself even after Francis has threatened to kill him LaSalle also describes his sexual desire for young girls (lsquosweet young thingsrsquo) as love He says lsquowe love our sins We love the thing that makes us evilrsquo This is a darker side to what lsquoloversquo can mean to different peoplebull There is an element of brotherly or fraternal love in Francisrsquos memories of
his fellow soldiers in his remembrance of them every night His sacrifice of throwing himself on the grenade could also be seen as a loving one ndash certainly LaSalle thinks that Francisrsquos instinct was to save his fellow soldiers not to kill himself There is a sense in which all the veterans are bound together by their experiences which forms a kind of brotherly bond between them
Revenge and Forgiveness
bull Francis is intent on taking revenge on Larry LaSalle rather than forgiving him He does not offer any forgiveness when LaSalle asks if his one evil act can erase all the good he did Francis coldly tells him to lsquoask Nicolersquo However he does allow LaSalle to redeem himself a little by letting him take his own life Is Francisrsquos drive to revenge more about LaSallersquos guilt or his own
Guilt and forgiveness
bull Francis is driven by the need to find forgiveness for having let Nicole down by leaving her alone with LaSalle The guilt of the action and the fact that she blamed him for it are almost overwhelming He wants to die and closes lsquodoors to the futurersquo because he doesnrsquot feel he deserves either recognition as a hero or to live
Larry and Forgiveness
bull Ironically LaSalle gives Francis a measure of forgiveness when he tells him that he couldnrsquot have stopped the rape ndash he was just a lsquochildrsquo
Nicole and Forgiveness
bull Nicole offers Francis forgiveness in a very understated way As it turns out she regrets blaming him for the rape and tried to tell him so many years ago but he had already left for the army It is somewhat of an anti-climax but the real person he needs forgiveness from is himself
Francis and Concealment
bull Francis arrives in Frenchtown with his face wrapped up and concealed On one level hersquos hiding his injuries from sight to stop them horrifying others like they did the small boy in London who cried The idea of a face wrapped up in bandages recalls horror films of the early part of the twentieth century It may deliberately recall the image of the Invisible Manbull Hersquos also concealing his identity ndash he lies to Mrs Belander about how
he knows her name and the wrappings conceal whatever might be recognised Francis is therefore able to walk around town completely unrecognised except as a war veteran
Larry and Concealment
bull Larry LaSalle also has a secret concealed in his past ndash the mysterious reason as to why he had left his showbiz career to become a youth worker We never find out what this reason is but it is implied by LaSallersquos referring to lsquosweet young thingsrsquo in the plural in his last encounter with Francis that it was for something similar to his rape of Nicole In the beginning this mystery seems attractive adding to his lsquoglamourrsquo
Novel structure
bull This theme is exemplified by the structure of the novel which weaves the three timelines together Cormier uses foreshadowing extensively to create tension in the novel ndash such as when Francis tells us in the first chapter that he has lsquojust prayed for the man [he is] going to killrsquo Then he gradually reveals different morsels of information about Francisrsquos war experience and the pre-war life in Frenchtown
Psychological Disfigurement
bull Francisrsquo physical disfigurement is more obvious than his psychological problems but these are still very serious Francis is already a shy and fragile individual before the war through the loss of his parents What happens to Nicole inflicts terrible guilt upon him and he develops a lsquodeath-wishrsquo which means he joins the army in order to diebull His experiences in the army killing boys no older than himself traumatize
him further bull He returns to Frenchtown obsessed with the idea of killing Larry LaSalle with
not thought for the future and only his desire for revenge to keep him goingbull He seems unwilling or unable to enter into relationships with other people
now
Obsession
bull Francis spends the whole book waiting for LaSallersquos return to Frenchtown so that he can seek revenge Yet when the moment comes his hand is shaking and he is overwhelmed In the end LaSalle takes his own life ndash but it seems unlikely that Francis could actually have gone through with it despite his plans and protestationsbull He does do his best to ensure that he has no future by burning the
contact details of his friend from the hospital in England and of the doctor who says he will repair his face He calls this lsquoclosing doors to the futurersquo He seems to be doing this to leave himself no option but to go through with this plan Hope returns to the novel in the final chapter when he thinks about tracking them down again
Isolation
bull Francis feels he has to keep his identity secret because of what he is planning to do But you also get the idea this is how he wants it to be anyway There is a huge contrast between him and the other veterans in the St Judersquos Club ndash he clearly doesnrsquot fit Itrsquos ironic that he is actually still too young to drink in the St Judersquos Club bull It is worth noting that everyone Francis ever loves in the book ndash his
parents ndash his Uncle ndash Nicole and even Larry are either dead or beyond his reach by the end of the book
Francis and Larry1
bull Francisrsquo feelings for Larry are complicated The first thing he tells us about Larry is that he has come back to Frenchtown to kill himbull Yet when he first describes Larry
there is more than an element of hero worshipbull Larry is everything Francis isnrsquot but
would like to be ndash confident full of skills and charisma and attractive
QuotationsP 6 ldquoI am filled with guilt and shame knowing that I just prayed for the man I am going to killrdquo
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Francis and Larry2
bull He feels gratitude for Larry making him a champion through the table tennis However he also feels jealousy at Larryrsquos physical intimacy with Nicole when they are dancing
QuotationsP 42 ldquothen caught her pressing her close their faces almost touching their lips only an inch or so from a kissrdquo
Francis and Larry3
bull Larry understands Francisrsquo feelings of gratitude and his inability to stand up to him and he uses these to manipulate Francis on the night that he rapes Nicole
QuotationsP 66 ldquoI saw Larry raising his eyebrows at me the way he looked at me when I made a stupid move at table tennis Get going rdquo
Francis and Larry4
bull Larry turns out to have had no idea of how his rape of Nicole would affect Francis bull In the end he tries to help Francis
come to terms with his own feelings of guiltbull He cannot come to terms with losing
Francisrsquo respect
QuotationsP 81 ldquoOh Francis yoursquore too hard on yourself You couldnrsquot have stopped me anyway Francis You were just a childrdquo
P82 ldquoDonrsquot look at me like that If I could have one thing it would be to have you look at me again the way you did at the Wreck Centre When I was the big hero you say I wasrdquo
Francis and Larry5
bull In the end Larry does the one thing he can do for Francis which is to save him from having to either pull the trigger and become a murderer ro to fail in his mission by letting Francis know that he is about to kill himself bull Does this make him Francisrsquo real hero
after all
QuotationsP 84 rdquoDownstairs at last after what seems like a long time I pause at the outside door The sound of a pistol shot cracks the airrdquo
Larry LaSalle
Heroic qualities
His past
Relationships His death
Physical appearence
Physical abilities
Courage ndash silver star
Ability to inspire others
Dark hints and rumours Stage career
What he tells Francis
Other people
Francis
NicoleDisease Motives
Suicide
Hero or Villain
Larry - Courage
bull LaSalle joins up the very first morning after war is declared his actions in the war lead to him being awarded a Silver Star medal and when he returns home on leave he is given a herorsquos welcome by the townspeople and the members of the Wreck Centrebull He never discuss his innermost reasons for
joining up Is it possible that his motives are similar to Francisbull Does his reputation as a war hero help him
do what he does to Nicole
QuotationsP 51 ldquoAs we were about to cheer his announcement he held up his handrdquoNone of that kidsIrsquom just doing what millions of others are doingrdquo
P56 ldquoA New England marine is one of the great heroes of Pacific action receiving the Silver Star ldquo
Larry - Courage
bull Is it courage that allows him to talk calmly to Francis to talk him out of becoming a murderer and to kill himself so that Francis has not failed
QuotationsP 83 ldquoSo lower your gun Francis One gun is enough for what has to be donerdquo
Larry ndash Physical Abilities
bull It is clear that Larry has admirable physical abilities He is an excellent sportsman and a dancer who is compared to Fred Astaire Whatever the kids in the Wreck Centre do he can usually do it betterbull His appearance and physical abilities
are things which inspire admiration and hero worship in others
QuotationsP 29 ldquo Had the borad shoulders of an athlete and the narrow hips of a dancer He swung the bat with authority He was also a dancer with a touch of Fred Astaire in his walk his feet barely touching the floorrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull The first thing about Larry that Francis describes is his appearance It is not accidental that he compares him to a film star Film stars are actors ndash so is Larry to the extent that his physical appearance conceals what he really is
Quotations
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull Itrsquos ironic that Larryrsquos illness removes his physical attractiveness at the endbull Is this a sign of his sins catching up with
him
Quotations
P78 ldquoHe is pale eyes sunk into the sockets And he seems fragile now as if caught in an old photograph that has faded and yellowed with agerdquo
Larryrsquos Inspirational Qualitiesbull Larry consistently has the ability to
inspire the children around him to want to do more and to learn things and become things You can argue that for MOST of the children at the Wreck Centre he makes them better people bull Even at the end he is trying to make
sure that Francis doesnrsquot do the wrong thing by becoming a murderer
Quotations
P31 ldquoHe tamed the notorious school bully Butch Bartoneau convincing him that he could sing Under Larry LaSallersquos guidance Edna Beauchene tall and gawky and shy became the hit of the showrdquo
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Heroism and Secrecy
bull Why do Francis and Nicole not tell everyone the truth about LaSalle Why does Francis tell no-one (apart from LaSalle) that he fell on the grenade because he wanted to die When Arthur is drunk and crying about his wartime experiences his two veteran friends pick him and take him home not wanting Arthur to talk about the war There seems to be a conspiracy not to reveal the heroes for what they are Is Cormier suggesting that we need heroes even if they are fakebull This is also suggested by the very positive effects of Francis beating LaSalle
at table tennis LaSalle knows that if the other children believe Francis has beaten him it will give them more self confidence Although LaSalle fakes the result Francis is a hero Cormier is suggesting that even fake heroes can have a positive value in society
The Real Heroes
bull Nicole tells Francis that he should write about it in order to find out what a hero really is This suggests the answer to the question is in the book But what is it In the train station Francis thinks of the soldiers in his platoon who were scared but stayed and fought anyway They died and were never awarded medals and he calls them the real heroes This is a straightforward way of looking back at those who died in the war
War
bull Francis dreams of the German soldiers that he killed but in his dreams they cry lsquoMamarsquo and he sees them as boys like him lsquotoo young to shaversquo In real life they didnrsquot have time to speak but the dream emphasises a common idea in war literature ndash that the soldiers on both sides often have more in common with each-other than with their commandersbull Throughout Francis never questions whether the war itself was just ndash he
describes it at the end as the lsquogood warrsquo However the depiction of violence and its effects is quite brutal The clinical and grotesque description of Francisrsquos facial injuries at the beginning of the novel is a good example of this War is presented as horrifying and terrifying with a massive effect on those who fight in it but Cormier is not concerned with the politics of the war nor does he make Heroes a pacifist novel
War ndash the Veterans
bull Arthurrsquos collapse behind the club one evening suggests that many of the veterans have similar issues to Francis ndash although Arthur appeared normal he is finding it very difficult to cope with the memories of what the war was like Because he is physically unharmed it is easier for him to pass as lsquonormalrsquo than it is for Francis but this episode shows that doesnrsquot mean the soldiers who came back in one piece are actually okay
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Americabull There are many points in the book which represent an ending of
childhood innocence One is a major event in American history ndash the bombing of Pearl Harbor Francis notes that lsquoWe had discovered in one moment on a Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymorersquo This was not just their discovery but the discovery of the whole United States that they could not remain in isolation from the rest of the world
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Francis bull When Francis confidently leaves Nicole alone with LaSalle in the Wreck Centre he
does so in complete innocence of the danger she is in Taking people at face value is something which the novel constantly warns us against ndash the apparently happy Arthur is found crying behind the St Jude club and the villainous LaSalle ends by doing something positive for Francis in affirming his heroism and refusing to let him become a murdererbull LaSallersquos rape of Nicole in the Wreck Centre is the end of innocence for both her
and Francis who waits in the dark knowing but unable to acknowledge what is happening to her It is also symbolic of the end of their innocent belief in goodness ndash something that the war ended for many peoplebull Francis going off to war with a faked age on his birth certificate is a significant
step out of childhood ndash like many soldiers who signed up underage he is forcing the issue He notices that other soldiers ndash even the Germans ndash are also very young
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Francis bull He maintains a certain innocence even after the grenade ndash going to
London with his face uncovered he doesnrsquot think that other people will notice until he makes a young boy cry When he is home in Frenchtown he appears to have become very cynical but at the end of the novel he has turned back a little from that perhaps coming to happy balance
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Nicole bull The fact that Nicole will not see Francis again after the meeting they
have at the end of the book also closes a door on the idea of there being a lsquohappily ever afterrsquo although she is surviving and continuing to recover she cannot go back to that state of innocence
Types of Love in Heroesbull Francisrsquos love for Nicole is highly romanticised ndash his first meeting with her is compared
to a knight kneeling at the feet of a saint He can barely get up the courage to speak to her although they do eventually go out and their relationship is sweet and innocentbull Later in the army he is motivated by both his love for her which has never gone away
and his guilt about his failure to help her when she was attacked During the war his love and desire for forgiveness turns into the only thing that makes his life worthwhile From the first chapter where he says lsquoit would always be Nicole Renardrsquo to the penultimate one where he tells us the reason he went to see Nicole was to see if she could still be his girl lsquowhich could maybe change my mind about the gun in my duffel bagrsquo This is verging on the obsessional and Francis realises as he talks to Nicole that the love they had ended a long time agobull There is the hero-worship the teens feel for LaSalle before the war and then that the
town feels for the returning heroes The scrapbook the reception for LaSalle and the toasting of the Silver Star heroes in the St Jude Club all evidence this kind of love and the need to find something or someone to admire to make life seem better
Types of love in Heroesbull Much of what LaSalle did for the kids of Frenchtown and Francis in
particular could be described as loving he makes Francis a more confident teenager and continues trying to make him feel better about himself even after Francis has threatened to kill him LaSalle also describes his sexual desire for young girls (lsquosweet young thingsrsquo) as love He says lsquowe love our sins We love the thing that makes us evilrsquo This is a darker side to what lsquoloversquo can mean to different peoplebull There is an element of brotherly or fraternal love in Francisrsquos memories of
his fellow soldiers in his remembrance of them every night His sacrifice of throwing himself on the grenade could also be seen as a loving one ndash certainly LaSalle thinks that Francisrsquos instinct was to save his fellow soldiers not to kill himself There is a sense in which all the veterans are bound together by their experiences which forms a kind of brotherly bond between them
Revenge and Forgiveness
bull Francis is intent on taking revenge on Larry LaSalle rather than forgiving him He does not offer any forgiveness when LaSalle asks if his one evil act can erase all the good he did Francis coldly tells him to lsquoask Nicolersquo However he does allow LaSalle to redeem himself a little by letting him take his own life Is Francisrsquos drive to revenge more about LaSallersquos guilt or his own
Guilt and forgiveness
bull Francis is driven by the need to find forgiveness for having let Nicole down by leaving her alone with LaSalle The guilt of the action and the fact that she blamed him for it are almost overwhelming He wants to die and closes lsquodoors to the futurersquo because he doesnrsquot feel he deserves either recognition as a hero or to live
Larry and Forgiveness
bull Ironically LaSalle gives Francis a measure of forgiveness when he tells him that he couldnrsquot have stopped the rape ndash he was just a lsquochildrsquo
Nicole and Forgiveness
bull Nicole offers Francis forgiveness in a very understated way As it turns out she regrets blaming him for the rape and tried to tell him so many years ago but he had already left for the army It is somewhat of an anti-climax but the real person he needs forgiveness from is himself
Francis and Concealment
bull Francis arrives in Frenchtown with his face wrapped up and concealed On one level hersquos hiding his injuries from sight to stop them horrifying others like they did the small boy in London who cried The idea of a face wrapped up in bandages recalls horror films of the early part of the twentieth century It may deliberately recall the image of the Invisible Manbull Hersquos also concealing his identity ndash he lies to Mrs Belander about how
he knows her name and the wrappings conceal whatever might be recognised Francis is therefore able to walk around town completely unrecognised except as a war veteran
Larry and Concealment
bull Larry LaSalle also has a secret concealed in his past ndash the mysterious reason as to why he had left his showbiz career to become a youth worker We never find out what this reason is but it is implied by LaSallersquos referring to lsquosweet young thingsrsquo in the plural in his last encounter with Francis that it was for something similar to his rape of Nicole In the beginning this mystery seems attractive adding to his lsquoglamourrsquo
Novel structure
bull This theme is exemplified by the structure of the novel which weaves the three timelines together Cormier uses foreshadowing extensively to create tension in the novel ndash such as when Francis tells us in the first chapter that he has lsquojust prayed for the man [he is] going to killrsquo Then he gradually reveals different morsels of information about Francisrsquos war experience and the pre-war life in Frenchtown
Psychological Disfigurement
bull Francisrsquo physical disfigurement is more obvious than his psychological problems but these are still very serious Francis is already a shy and fragile individual before the war through the loss of his parents What happens to Nicole inflicts terrible guilt upon him and he develops a lsquodeath-wishrsquo which means he joins the army in order to diebull His experiences in the army killing boys no older than himself traumatize
him further bull He returns to Frenchtown obsessed with the idea of killing Larry LaSalle with
not thought for the future and only his desire for revenge to keep him goingbull He seems unwilling or unable to enter into relationships with other people
now
Obsession
bull Francis spends the whole book waiting for LaSallersquos return to Frenchtown so that he can seek revenge Yet when the moment comes his hand is shaking and he is overwhelmed In the end LaSalle takes his own life ndash but it seems unlikely that Francis could actually have gone through with it despite his plans and protestationsbull He does do his best to ensure that he has no future by burning the
contact details of his friend from the hospital in England and of the doctor who says he will repair his face He calls this lsquoclosing doors to the futurersquo He seems to be doing this to leave himself no option but to go through with this plan Hope returns to the novel in the final chapter when he thinks about tracking them down again
Isolation
bull Francis feels he has to keep his identity secret because of what he is planning to do But you also get the idea this is how he wants it to be anyway There is a huge contrast between him and the other veterans in the St Judersquos Club ndash he clearly doesnrsquot fit Itrsquos ironic that he is actually still too young to drink in the St Judersquos Club bull It is worth noting that everyone Francis ever loves in the book ndash his
parents ndash his Uncle ndash Nicole and even Larry are either dead or beyond his reach by the end of the book
Francis and Larry1
bull Francisrsquo feelings for Larry are complicated The first thing he tells us about Larry is that he has come back to Frenchtown to kill himbull Yet when he first describes Larry
there is more than an element of hero worshipbull Larry is everything Francis isnrsquot but
would like to be ndash confident full of skills and charisma and attractive
QuotationsP 6 ldquoI am filled with guilt and shame knowing that I just prayed for the man I am going to killrdquo
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Francis and Larry2
bull He feels gratitude for Larry making him a champion through the table tennis However he also feels jealousy at Larryrsquos physical intimacy with Nicole when they are dancing
QuotationsP 42 ldquothen caught her pressing her close their faces almost touching their lips only an inch or so from a kissrdquo
Francis and Larry3
bull Larry understands Francisrsquo feelings of gratitude and his inability to stand up to him and he uses these to manipulate Francis on the night that he rapes Nicole
QuotationsP 66 ldquoI saw Larry raising his eyebrows at me the way he looked at me when I made a stupid move at table tennis Get going rdquo
Francis and Larry4
bull Larry turns out to have had no idea of how his rape of Nicole would affect Francis bull In the end he tries to help Francis
come to terms with his own feelings of guiltbull He cannot come to terms with losing
Francisrsquo respect
QuotationsP 81 ldquoOh Francis yoursquore too hard on yourself You couldnrsquot have stopped me anyway Francis You were just a childrdquo
P82 ldquoDonrsquot look at me like that If I could have one thing it would be to have you look at me again the way you did at the Wreck Centre When I was the big hero you say I wasrdquo
Francis and Larry5
bull In the end Larry does the one thing he can do for Francis which is to save him from having to either pull the trigger and become a murderer ro to fail in his mission by letting Francis know that he is about to kill himself bull Does this make him Francisrsquo real hero
after all
QuotationsP 84 rdquoDownstairs at last after what seems like a long time I pause at the outside door The sound of a pistol shot cracks the airrdquo
Larry LaSalle
Heroic qualities
His past
Relationships His death
Physical appearence
Physical abilities
Courage ndash silver star
Ability to inspire others
Dark hints and rumours Stage career
What he tells Francis
Other people
Francis
NicoleDisease Motives
Suicide
Hero or Villain
Larry - Courage
bull LaSalle joins up the very first morning after war is declared his actions in the war lead to him being awarded a Silver Star medal and when he returns home on leave he is given a herorsquos welcome by the townspeople and the members of the Wreck Centrebull He never discuss his innermost reasons for
joining up Is it possible that his motives are similar to Francisbull Does his reputation as a war hero help him
do what he does to Nicole
QuotationsP 51 ldquoAs we were about to cheer his announcement he held up his handrdquoNone of that kidsIrsquom just doing what millions of others are doingrdquo
P56 ldquoA New England marine is one of the great heroes of Pacific action receiving the Silver Star ldquo
Larry - Courage
bull Is it courage that allows him to talk calmly to Francis to talk him out of becoming a murderer and to kill himself so that Francis has not failed
QuotationsP 83 ldquoSo lower your gun Francis One gun is enough for what has to be donerdquo
Larry ndash Physical Abilities
bull It is clear that Larry has admirable physical abilities He is an excellent sportsman and a dancer who is compared to Fred Astaire Whatever the kids in the Wreck Centre do he can usually do it betterbull His appearance and physical abilities
are things which inspire admiration and hero worship in others
QuotationsP 29 ldquo Had the borad shoulders of an athlete and the narrow hips of a dancer He swung the bat with authority He was also a dancer with a touch of Fred Astaire in his walk his feet barely touching the floorrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull The first thing about Larry that Francis describes is his appearance It is not accidental that he compares him to a film star Film stars are actors ndash so is Larry to the extent that his physical appearance conceals what he really is
Quotations
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull Itrsquos ironic that Larryrsquos illness removes his physical attractiveness at the endbull Is this a sign of his sins catching up with
him
Quotations
P78 ldquoHe is pale eyes sunk into the sockets And he seems fragile now as if caught in an old photograph that has faded and yellowed with agerdquo
Larryrsquos Inspirational Qualitiesbull Larry consistently has the ability to
inspire the children around him to want to do more and to learn things and become things You can argue that for MOST of the children at the Wreck Centre he makes them better people bull Even at the end he is trying to make
sure that Francis doesnrsquot do the wrong thing by becoming a murderer
Quotations
P31 ldquoHe tamed the notorious school bully Butch Bartoneau convincing him that he could sing Under Larry LaSallersquos guidance Edna Beauchene tall and gawky and shy became the hit of the showrdquo
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
The Real Heroes
bull Nicole tells Francis that he should write about it in order to find out what a hero really is This suggests the answer to the question is in the book But what is it In the train station Francis thinks of the soldiers in his platoon who were scared but stayed and fought anyway They died and were never awarded medals and he calls them the real heroes This is a straightforward way of looking back at those who died in the war
War
bull Francis dreams of the German soldiers that he killed but in his dreams they cry lsquoMamarsquo and he sees them as boys like him lsquotoo young to shaversquo In real life they didnrsquot have time to speak but the dream emphasises a common idea in war literature ndash that the soldiers on both sides often have more in common with each-other than with their commandersbull Throughout Francis never questions whether the war itself was just ndash he
describes it at the end as the lsquogood warrsquo However the depiction of violence and its effects is quite brutal The clinical and grotesque description of Francisrsquos facial injuries at the beginning of the novel is a good example of this War is presented as horrifying and terrifying with a massive effect on those who fight in it but Cormier is not concerned with the politics of the war nor does he make Heroes a pacifist novel
War ndash the Veterans
bull Arthurrsquos collapse behind the club one evening suggests that many of the veterans have similar issues to Francis ndash although Arthur appeared normal he is finding it very difficult to cope with the memories of what the war was like Because he is physically unharmed it is easier for him to pass as lsquonormalrsquo than it is for Francis but this episode shows that doesnrsquot mean the soldiers who came back in one piece are actually okay
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Americabull There are many points in the book which represent an ending of
childhood innocence One is a major event in American history ndash the bombing of Pearl Harbor Francis notes that lsquoWe had discovered in one moment on a Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymorersquo This was not just their discovery but the discovery of the whole United States that they could not remain in isolation from the rest of the world
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Francis bull When Francis confidently leaves Nicole alone with LaSalle in the Wreck Centre he
does so in complete innocence of the danger she is in Taking people at face value is something which the novel constantly warns us against ndash the apparently happy Arthur is found crying behind the St Jude club and the villainous LaSalle ends by doing something positive for Francis in affirming his heroism and refusing to let him become a murdererbull LaSallersquos rape of Nicole in the Wreck Centre is the end of innocence for both her
and Francis who waits in the dark knowing but unable to acknowledge what is happening to her It is also symbolic of the end of their innocent belief in goodness ndash something that the war ended for many peoplebull Francis going off to war with a faked age on his birth certificate is a significant
step out of childhood ndash like many soldiers who signed up underage he is forcing the issue He notices that other soldiers ndash even the Germans ndash are also very young
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Francis bull He maintains a certain innocence even after the grenade ndash going to
London with his face uncovered he doesnrsquot think that other people will notice until he makes a young boy cry When he is home in Frenchtown he appears to have become very cynical but at the end of the novel he has turned back a little from that perhaps coming to happy balance
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Nicole bull The fact that Nicole will not see Francis again after the meeting they
have at the end of the book also closes a door on the idea of there being a lsquohappily ever afterrsquo although she is surviving and continuing to recover she cannot go back to that state of innocence
Types of Love in Heroesbull Francisrsquos love for Nicole is highly romanticised ndash his first meeting with her is compared
to a knight kneeling at the feet of a saint He can barely get up the courage to speak to her although they do eventually go out and their relationship is sweet and innocentbull Later in the army he is motivated by both his love for her which has never gone away
and his guilt about his failure to help her when she was attacked During the war his love and desire for forgiveness turns into the only thing that makes his life worthwhile From the first chapter where he says lsquoit would always be Nicole Renardrsquo to the penultimate one where he tells us the reason he went to see Nicole was to see if she could still be his girl lsquowhich could maybe change my mind about the gun in my duffel bagrsquo This is verging on the obsessional and Francis realises as he talks to Nicole that the love they had ended a long time agobull There is the hero-worship the teens feel for LaSalle before the war and then that the
town feels for the returning heroes The scrapbook the reception for LaSalle and the toasting of the Silver Star heroes in the St Jude Club all evidence this kind of love and the need to find something or someone to admire to make life seem better
Types of love in Heroesbull Much of what LaSalle did for the kids of Frenchtown and Francis in
particular could be described as loving he makes Francis a more confident teenager and continues trying to make him feel better about himself even after Francis has threatened to kill him LaSalle also describes his sexual desire for young girls (lsquosweet young thingsrsquo) as love He says lsquowe love our sins We love the thing that makes us evilrsquo This is a darker side to what lsquoloversquo can mean to different peoplebull There is an element of brotherly or fraternal love in Francisrsquos memories of
his fellow soldiers in his remembrance of them every night His sacrifice of throwing himself on the grenade could also be seen as a loving one ndash certainly LaSalle thinks that Francisrsquos instinct was to save his fellow soldiers not to kill himself There is a sense in which all the veterans are bound together by their experiences which forms a kind of brotherly bond between them
Revenge and Forgiveness
bull Francis is intent on taking revenge on Larry LaSalle rather than forgiving him He does not offer any forgiveness when LaSalle asks if his one evil act can erase all the good he did Francis coldly tells him to lsquoask Nicolersquo However he does allow LaSalle to redeem himself a little by letting him take his own life Is Francisrsquos drive to revenge more about LaSallersquos guilt or his own
Guilt and forgiveness
bull Francis is driven by the need to find forgiveness for having let Nicole down by leaving her alone with LaSalle The guilt of the action and the fact that she blamed him for it are almost overwhelming He wants to die and closes lsquodoors to the futurersquo because he doesnrsquot feel he deserves either recognition as a hero or to live
Larry and Forgiveness
bull Ironically LaSalle gives Francis a measure of forgiveness when he tells him that he couldnrsquot have stopped the rape ndash he was just a lsquochildrsquo
Nicole and Forgiveness
bull Nicole offers Francis forgiveness in a very understated way As it turns out she regrets blaming him for the rape and tried to tell him so many years ago but he had already left for the army It is somewhat of an anti-climax but the real person he needs forgiveness from is himself
Francis and Concealment
bull Francis arrives in Frenchtown with his face wrapped up and concealed On one level hersquos hiding his injuries from sight to stop them horrifying others like they did the small boy in London who cried The idea of a face wrapped up in bandages recalls horror films of the early part of the twentieth century It may deliberately recall the image of the Invisible Manbull Hersquos also concealing his identity ndash he lies to Mrs Belander about how
he knows her name and the wrappings conceal whatever might be recognised Francis is therefore able to walk around town completely unrecognised except as a war veteran
Larry and Concealment
bull Larry LaSalle also has a secret concealed in his past ndash the mysterious reason as to why he had left his showbiz career to become a youth worker We never find out what this reason is but it is implied by LaSallersquos referring to lsquosweet young thingsrsquo in the plural in his last encounter with Francis that it was for something similar to his rape of Nicole In the beginning this mystery seems attractive adding to his lsquoglamourrsquo
Novel structure
bull This theme is exemplified by the structure of the novel which weaves the three timelines together Cormier uses foreshadowing extensively to create tension in the novel ndash such as when Francis tells us in the first chapter that he has lsquojust prayed for the man [he is] going to killrsquo Then he gradually reveals different morsels of information about Francisrsquos war experience and the pre-war life in Frenchtown
Psychological Disfigurement
bull Francisrsquo physical disfigurement is more obvious than his psychological problems but these are still very serious Francis is already a shy and fragile individual before the war through the loss of his parents What happens to Nicole inflicts terrible guilt upon him and he develops a lsquodeath-wishrsquo which means he joins the army in order to diebull His experiences in the army killing boys no older than himself traumatize
him further bull He returns to Frenchtown obsessed with the idea of killing Larry LaSalle with
not thought for the future and only his desire for revenge to keep him goingbull He seems unwilling or unable to enter into relationships with other people
now
Obsession
bull Francis spends the whole book waiting for LaSallersquos return to Frenchtown so that he can seek revenge Yet when the moment comes his hand is shaking and he is overwhelmed In the end LaSalle takes his own life ndash but it seems unlikely that Francis could actually have gone through with it despite his plans and protestationsbull He does do his best to ensure that he has no future by burning the
contact details of his friend from the hospital in England and of the doctor who says he will repair his face He calls this lsquoclosing doors to the futurersquo He seems to be doing this to leave himself no option but to go through with this plan Hope returns to the novel in the final chapter when he thinks about tracking them down again
Isolation
bull Francis feels he has to keep his identity secret because of what he is planning to do But you also get the idea this is how he wants it to be anyway There is a huge contrast between him and the other veterans in the St Judersquos Club ndash he clearly doesnrsquot fit Itrsquos ironic that he is actually still too young to drink in the St Judersquos Club bull It is worth noting that everyone Francis ever loves in the book ndash his
parents ndash his Uncle ndash Nicole and even Larry are either dead or beyond his reach by the end of the book
Francis and Larry1
bull Francisrsquo feelings for Larry are complicated The first thing he tells us about Larry is that he has come back to Frenchtown to kill himbull Yet when he first describes Larry
there is more than an element of hero worshipbull Larry is everything Francis isnrsquot but
would like to be ndash confident full of skills and charisma and attractive
QuotationsP 6 ldquoI am filled with guilt and shame knowing that I just prayed for the man I am going to killrdquo
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Francis and Larry2
bull He feels gratitude for Larry making him a champion through the table tennis However he also feels jealousy at Larryrsquos physical intimacy with Nicole when they are dancing
QuotationsP 42 ldquothen caught her pressing her close their faces almost touching their lips only an inch or so from a kissrdquo
Francis and Larry3
bull Larry understands Francisrsquo feelings of gratitude and his inability to stand up to him and he uses these to manipulate Francis on the night that he rapes Nicole
QuotationsP 66 ldquoI saw Larry raising his eyebrows at me the way he looked at me when I made a stupid move at table tennis Get going rdquo
Francis and Larry4
bull Larry turns out to have had no idea of how his rape of Nicole would affect Francis bull In the end he tries to help Francis
come to terms with his own feelings of guiltbull He cannot come to terms with losing
Francisrsquo respect
QuotationsP 81 ldquoOh Francis yoursquore too hard on yourself You couldnrsquot have stopped me anyway Francis You were just a childrdquo
P82 ldquoDonrsquot look at me like that If I could have one thing it would be to have you look at me again the way you did at the Wreck Centre When I was the big hero you say I wasrdquo
Francis and Larry5
bull In the end Larry does the one thing he can do for Francis which is to save him from having to either pull the trigger and become a murderer ro to fail in his mission by letting Francis know that he is about to kill himself bull Does this make him Francisrsquo real hero
after all
QuotationsP 84 rdquoDownstairs at last after what seems like a long time I pause at the outside door The sound of a pistol shot cracks the airrdquo
Larry LaSalle
Heroic qualities
His past
Relationships His death
Physical appearence
Physical abilities
Courage ndash silver star
Ability to inspire others
Dark hints and rumours Stage career
What he tells Francis
Other people
Francis
NicoleDisease Motives
Suicide
Hero or Villain
Larry - Courage
bull LaSalle joins up the very first morning after war is declared his actions in the war lead to him being awarded a Silver Star medal and when he returns home on leave he is given a herorsquos welcome by the townspeople and the members of the Wreck Centrebull He never discuss his innermost reasons for
joining up Is it possible that his motives are similar to Francisbull Does his reputation as a war hero help him
do what he does to Nicole
QuotationsP 51 ldquoAs we were about to cheer his announcement he held up his handrdquoNone of that kidsIrsquom just doing what millions of others are doingrdquo
P56 ldquoA New England marine is one of the great heroes of Pacific action receiving the Silver Star ldquo
Larry - Courage
bull Is it courage that allows him to talk calmly to Francis to talk him out of becoming a murderer and to kill himself so that Francis has not failed
QuotationsP 83 ldquoSo lower your gun Francis One gun is enough for what has to be donerdquo
Larry ndash Physical Abilities
bull It is clear that Larry has admirable physical abilities He is an excellent sportsman and a dancer who is compared to Fred Astaire Whatever the kids in the Wreck Centre do he can usually do it betterbull His appearance and physical abilities
are things which inspire admiration and hero worship in others
QuotationsP 29 ldquo Had the borad shoulders of an athlete and the narrow hips of a dancer He swung the bat with authority He was also a dancer with a touch of Fred Astaire in his walk his feet barely touching the floorrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull The first thing about Larry that Francis describes is his appearance It is not accidental that he compares him to a film star Film stars are actors ndash so is Larry to the extent that his physical appearance conceals what he really is
Quotations
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull Itrsquos ironic that Larryrsquos illness removes his physical attractiveness at the endbull Is this a sign of his sins catching up with
him
Quotations
P78 ldquoHe is pale eyes sunk into the sockets And he seems fragile now as if caught in an old photograph that has faded and yellowed with agerdquo
Larryrsquos Inspirational Qualitiesbull Larry consistently has the ability to
inspire the children around him to want to do more and to learn things and become things You can argue that for MOST of the children at the Wreck Centre he makes them better people bull Even at the end he is trying to make
sure that Francis doesnrsquot do the wrong thing by becoming a murderer
Quotations
P31 ldquoHe tamed the notorious school bully Butch Bartoneau convincing him that he could sing Under Larry LaSallersquos guidance Edna Beauchene tall and gawky and shy became the hit of the showrdquo
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
War
bull Francis dreams of the German soldiers that he killed but in his dreams they cry lsquoMamarsquo and he sees them as boys like him lsquotoo young to shaversquo In real life they didnrsquot have time to speak but the dream emphasises a common idea in war literature ndash that the soldiers on both sides often have more in common with each-other than with their commandersbull Throughout Francis never questions whether the war itself was just ndash he
describes it at the end as the lsquogood warrsquo However the depiction of violence and its effects is quite brutal The clinical and grotesque description of Francisrsquos facial injuries at the beginning of the novel is a good example of this War is presented as horrifying and terrifying with a massive effect on those who fight in it but Cormier is not concerned with the politics of the war nor does he make Heroes a pacifist novel
War ndash the Veterans
bull Arthurrsquos collapse behind the club one evening suggests that many of the veterans have similar issues to Francis ndash although Arthur appeared normal he is finding it very difficult to cope with the memories of what the war was like Because he is physically unharmed it is easier for him to pass as lsquonormalrsquo than it is for Francis but this episode shows that doesnrsquot mean the soldiers who came back in one piece are actually okay
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Americabull There are many points in the book which represent an ending of
childhood innocence One is a major event in American history ndash the bombing of Pearl Harbor Francis notes that lsquoWe had discovered in one moment on a Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymorersquo This was not just their discovery but the discovery of the whole United States that they could not remain in isolation from the rest of the world
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Francis bull When Francis confidently leaves Nicole alone with LaSalle in the Wreck Centre he
does so in complete innocence of the danger she is in Taking people at face value is something which the novel constantly warns us against ndash the apparently happy Arthur is found crying behind the St Jude club and the villainous LaSalle ends by doing something positive for Francis in affirming his heroism and refusing to let him become a murdererbull LaSallersquos rape of Nicole in the Wreck Centre is the end of innocence for both her
and Francis who waits in the dark knowing but unable to acknowledge what is happening to her It is also symbolic of the end of their innocent belief in goodness ndash something that the war ended for many peoplebull Francis going off to war with a faked age on his birth certificate is a significant
step out of childhood ndash like many soldiers who signed up underage he is forcing the issue He notices that other soldiers ndash even the Germans ndash are also very young
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Francis bull He maintains a certain innocence even after the grenade ndash going to
London with his face uncovered he doesnrsquot think that other people will notice until he makes a young boy cry When he is home in Frenchtown he appears to have become very cynical but at the end of the novel he has turned back a little from that perhaps coming to happy balance
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Nicole bull The fact that Nicole will not see Francis again after the meeting they
have at the end of the book also closes a door on the idea of there being a lsquohappily ever afterrsquo although she is surviving and continuing to recover she cannot go back to that state of innocence
Types of Love in Heroesbull Francisrsquos love for Nicole is highly romanticised ndash his first meeting with her is compared
to a knight kneeling at the feet of a saint He can barely get up the courage to speak to her although they do eventually go out and their relationship is sweet and innocentbull Later in the army he is motivated by both his love for her which has never gone away
and his guilt about his failure to help her when she was attacked During the war his love and desire for forgiveness turns into the only thing that makes his life worthwhile From the first chapter where he says lsquoit would always be Nicole Renardrsquo to the penultimate one where he tells us the reason he went to see Nicole was to see if she could still be his girl lsquowhich could maybe change my mind about the gun in my duffel bagrsquo This is verging on the obsessional and Francis realises as he talks to Nicole that the love they had ended a long time agobull There is the hero-worship the teens feel for LaSalle before the war and then that the
town feels for the returning heroes The scrapbook the reception for LaSalle and the toasting of the Silver Star heroes in the St Jude Club all evidence this kind of love and the need to find something or someone to admire to make life seem better
Types of love in Heroesbull Much of what LaSalle did for the kids of Frenchtown and Francis in
particular could be described as loving he makes Francis a more confident teenager and continues trying to make him feel better about himself even after Francis has threatened to kill him LaSalle also describes his sexual desire for young girls (lsquosweet young thingsrsquo) as love He says lsquowe love our sins We love the thing that makes us evilrsquo This is a darker side to what lsquoloversquo can mean to different peoplebull There is an element of brotherly or fraternal love in Francisrsquos memories of
his fellow soldiers in his remembrance of them every night His sacrifice of throwing himself on the grenade could also be seen as a loving one ndash certainly LaSalle thinks that Francisrsquos instinct was to save his fellow soldiers not to kill himself There is a sense in which all the veterans are bound together by their experiences which forms a kind of brotherly bond between them
Revenge and Forgiveness
bull Francis is intent on taking revenge on Larry LaSalle rather than forgiving him He does not offer any forgiveness when LaSalle asks if his one evil act can erase all the good he did Francis coldly tells him to lsquoask Nicolersquo However he does allow LaSalle to redeem himself a little by letting him take his own life Is Francisrsquos drive to revenge more about LaSallersquos guilt or his own
Guilt and forgiveness
bull Francis is driven by the need to find forgiveness for having let Nicole down by leaving her alone with LaSalle The guilt of the action and the fact that she blamed him for it are almost overwhelming He wants to die and closes lsquodoors to the futurersquo because he doesnrsquot feel he deserves either recognition as a hero or to live
Larry and Forgiveness
bull Ironically LaSalle gives Francis a measure of forgiveness when he tells him that he couldnrsquot have stopped the rape ndash he was just a lsquochildrsquo
Nicole and Forgiveness
bull Nicole offers Francis forgiveness in a very understated way As it turns out she regrets blaming him for the rape and tried to tell him so many years ago but he had already left for the army It is somewhat of an anti-climax but the real person he needs forgiveness from is himself
Francis and Concealment
bull Francis arrives in Frenchtown with his face wrapped up and concealed On one level hersquos hiding his injuries from sight to stop them horrifying others like they did the small boy in London who cried The idea of a face wrapped up in bandages recalls horror films of the early part of the twentieth century It may deliberately recall the image of the Invisible Manbull Hersquos also concealing his identity ndash he lies to Mrs Belander about how
he knows her name and the wrappings conceal whatever might be recognised Francis is therefore able to walk around town completely unrecognised except as a war veteran
Larry and Concealment
bull Larry LaSalle also has a secret concealed in his past ndash the mysterious reason as to why he had left his showbiz career to become a youth worker We never find out what this reason is but it is implied by LaSallersquos referring to lsquosweet young thingsrsquo in the plural in his last encounter with Francis that it was for something similar to his rape of Nicole In the beginning this mystery seems attractive adding to his lsquoglamourrsquo
Novel structure
bull This theme is exemplified by the structure of the novel which weaves the three timelines together Cormier uses foreshadowing extensively to create tension in the novel ndash such as when Francis tells us in the first chapter that he has lsquojust prayed for the man [he is] going to killrsquo Then he gradually reveals different morsels of information about Francisrsquos war experience and the pre-war life in Frenchtown
Psychological Disfigurement
bull Francisrsquo physical disfigurement is more obvious than his psychological problems but these are still very serious Francis is already a shy and fragile individual before the war through the loss of his parents What happens to Nicole inflicts terrible guilt upon him and he develops a lsquodeath-wishrsquo which means he joins the army in order to diebull His experiences in the army killing boys no older than himself traumatize
him further bull He returns to Frenchtown obsessed with the idea of killing Larry LaSalle with
not thought for the future and only his desire for revenge to keep him goingbull He seems unwilling or unable to enter into relationships with other people
now
Obsession
bull Francis spends the whole book waiting for LaSallersquos return to Frenchtown so that he can seek revenge Yet when the moment comes his hand is shaking and he is overwhelmed In the end LaSalle takes his own life ndash but it seems unlikely that Francis could actually have gone through with it despite his plans and protestationsbull He does do his best to ensure that he has no future by burning the
contact details of his friend from the hospital in England and of the doctor who says he will repair his face He calls this lsquoclosing doors to the futurersquo He seems to be doing this to leave himself no option but to go through with this plan Hope returns to the novel in the final chapter when he thinks about tracking them down again
Isolation
bull Francis feels he has to keep his identity secret because of what he is planning to do But you also get the idea this is how he wants it to be anyway There is a huge contrast between him and the other veterans in the St Judersquos Club ndash he clearly doesnrsquot fit Itrsquos ironic that he is actually still too young to drink in the St Judersquos Club bull It is worth noting that everyone Francis ever loves in the book ndash his
parents ndash his Uncle ndash Nicole and even Larry are either dead or beyond his reach by the end of the book
Francis and Larry1
bull Francisrsquo feelings for Larry are complicated The first thing he tells us about Larry is that he has come back to Frenchtown to kill himbull Yet when he first describes Larry
there is more than an element of hero worshipbull Larry is everything Francis isnrsquot but
would like to be ndash confident full of skills and charisma and attractive
QuotationsP 6 ldquoI am filled with guilt and shame knowing that I just prayed for the man I am going to killrdquo
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Francis and Larry2
bull He feels gratitude for Larry making him a champion through the table tennis However he also feels jealousy at Larryrsquos physical intimacy with Nicole when they are dancing
QuotationsP 42 ldquothen caught her pressing her close their faces almost touching their lips only an inch or so from a kissrdquo
Francis and Larry3
bull Larry understands Francisrsquo feelings of gratitude and his inability to stand up to him and he uses these to manipulate Francis on the night that he rapes Nicole
QuotationsP 66 ldquoI saw Larry raising his eyebrows at me the way he looked at me when I made a stupid move at table tennis Get going rdquo
Francis and Larry4
bull Larry turns out to have had no idea of how his rape of Nicole would affect Francis bull In the end he tries to help Francis
come to terms with his own feelings of guiltbull He cannot come to terms with losing
Francisrsquo respect
QuotationsP 81 ldquoOh Francis yoursquore too hard on yourself You couldnrsquot have stopped me anyway Francis You were just a childrdquo
P82 ldquoDonrsquot look at me like that If I could have one thing it would be to have you look at me again the way you did at the Wreck Centre When I was the big hero you say I wasrdquo
Francis and Larry5
bull In the end Larry does the one thing he can do for Francis which is to save him from having to either pull the trigger and become a murderer ro to fail in his mission by letting Francis know that he is about to kill himself bull Does this make him Francisrsquo real hero
after all
QuotationsP 84 rdquoDownstairs at last after what seems like a long time I pause at the outside door The sound of a pistol shot cracks the airrdquo
Larry LaSalle
Heroic qualities
His past
Relationships His death
Physical appearence
Physical abilities
Courage ndash silver star
Ability to inspire others
Dark hints and rumours Stage career
What he tells Francis
Other people
Francis
NicoleDisease Motives
Suicide
Hero or Villain
Larry - Courage
bull LaSalle joins up the very first morning after war is declared his actions in the war lead to him being awarded a Silver Star medal and when he returns home on leave he is given a herorsquos welcome by the townspeople and the members of the Wreck Centrebull He never discuss his innermost reasons for
joining up Is it possible that his motives are similar to Francisbull Does his reputation as a war hero help him
do what he does to Nicole
QuotationsP 51 ldquoAs we were about to cheer his announcement he held up his handrdquoNone of that kidsIrsquom just doing what millions of others are doingrdquo
P56 ldquoA New England marine is one of the great heroes of Pacific action receiving the Silver Star ldquo
Larry - Courage
bull Is it courage that allows him to talk calmly to Francis to talk him out of becoming a murderer and to kill himself so that Francis has not failed
QuotationsP 83 ldquoSo lower your gun Francis One gun is enough for what has to be donerdquo
Larry ndash Physical Abilities
bull It is clear that Larry has admirable physical abilities He is an excellent sportsman and a dancer who is compared to Fred Astaire Whatever the kids in the Wreck Centre do he can usually do it betterbull His appearance and physical abilities
are things which inspire admiration and hero worship in others
QuotationsP 29 ldquo Had the borad shoulders of an athlete and the narrow hips of a dancer He swung the bat with authority He was also a dancer with a touch of Fred Astaire in his walk his feet barely touching the floorrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull The first thing about Larry that Francis describes is his appearance It is not accidental that he compares him to a film star Film stars are actors ndash so is Larry to the extent that his physical appearance conceals what he really is
Quotations
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull Itrsquos ironic that Larryrsquos illness removes his physical attractiveness at the endbull Is this a sign of his sins catching up with
him
Quotations
P78 ldquoHe is pale eyes sunk into the sockets And he seems fragile now as if caught in an old photograph that has faded and yellowed with agerdquo
Larryrsquos Inspirational Qualitiesbull Larry consistently has the ability to
inspire the children around him to want to do more and to learn things and become things You can argue that for MOST of the children at the Wreck Centre he makes them better people bull Even at the end he is trying to make
sure that Francis doesnrsquot do the wrong thing by becoming a murderer
Quotations
P31 ldquoHe tamed the notorious school bully Butch Bartoneau convincing him that he could sing Under Larry LaSallersquos guidance Edna Beauchene tall and gawky and shy became the hit of the showrdquo
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
War ndash the Veterans
bull Arthurrsquos collapse behind the club one evening suggests that many of the veterans have similar issues to Francis ndash although Arthur appeared normal he is finding it very difficult to cope with the memories of what the war was like Because he is physically unharmed it is easier for him to pass as lsquonormalrsquo than it is for Francis but this episode shows that doesnrsquot mean the soldiers who came back in one piece are actually okay
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Americabull There are many points in the book which represent an ending of
childhood innocence One is a major event in American history ndash the bombing of Pearl Harbor Francis notes that lsquoWe had discovered in one moment on a Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymorersquo This was not just their discovery but the discovery of the whole United States that they could not remain in isolation from the rest of the world
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Francis bull When Francis confidently leaves Nicole alone with LaSalle in the Wreck Centre he
does so in complete innocence of the danger she is in Taking people at face value is something which the novel constantly warns us against ndash the apparently happy Arthur is found crying behind the St Jude club and the villainous LaSalle ends by doing something positive for Francis in affirming his heroism and refusing to let him become a murdererbull LaSallersquos rape of Nicole in the Wreck Centre is the end of innocence for both her
and Francis who waits in the dark knowing but unable to acknowledge what is happening to her It is also symbolic of the end of their innocent belief in goodness ndash something that the war ended for many peoplebull Francis going off to war with a faked age on his birth certificate is a significant
step out of childhood ndash like many soldiers who signed up underage he is forcing the issue He notices that other soldiers ndash even the Germans ndash are also very young
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Francis bull He maintains a certain innocence even after the grenade ndash going to
London with his face uncovered he doesnrsquot think that other people will notice until he makes a young boy cry When he is home in Frenchtown he appears to have become very cynical but at the end of the novel he has turned back a little from that perhaps coming to happy balance
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Nicole bull The fact that Nicole will not see Francis again after the meeting they
have at the end of the book also closes a door on the idea of there being a lsquohappily ever afterrsquo although she is surviving and continuing to recover she cannot go back to that state of innocence
Types of Love in Heroesbull Francisrsquos love for Nicole is highly romanticised ndash his first meeting with her is compared
to a knight kneeling at the feet of a saint He can barely get up the courage to speak to her although they do eventually go out and their relationship is sweet and innocentbull Later in the army he is motivated by both his love for her which has never gone away
and his guilt about his failure to help her when she was attacked During the war his love and desire for forgiveness turns into the only thing that makes his life worthwhile From the first chapter where he says lsquoit would always be Nicole Renardrsquo to the penultimate one where he tells us the reason he went to see Nicole was to see if she could still be his girl lsquowhich could maybe change my mind about the gun in my duffel bagrsquo This is verging on the obsessional and Francis realises as he talks to Nicole that the love they had ended a long time agobull There is the hero-worship the teens feel for LaSalle before the war and then that the
town feels for the returning heroes The scrapbook the reception for LaSalle and the toasting of the Silver Star heroes in the St Jude Club all evidence this kind of love and the need to find something or someone to admire to make life seem better
Types of love in Heroesbull Much of what LaSalle did for the kids of Frenchtown and Francis in
particular could be described as loving he makes Francis a more confident teenager and continues trying to make him feel better about himself even after Francis has threatened to kill him LaSalle also describes his sexual desire for young girls (lsquosweet young thingsrsquo) as love He says lsquowe love our sins We love the thing that makes us evilrsquo This is a darker side to what lsquoloversquo can mean to different peoplebull There is an element of brotherly or fraternal love in Francisrsquos memories of
his fellow soldiers in his remembrance of them every night His sacrifice of throwing himself on the grenade could also be seen as a loving one ndash certainly LaSalle thinks that Francisrsquos instinct was to save his fellow soldiers not to kill himself There is a sense in which all the veterans are bound together by their experiences which forms a kind of brotherly bond between them
Revenge and Forgiveness
bull Francis is intent on taking revenge on Larry LaSalle rather than forgiving him He does not offer any forgiveness when LaSalle asks if his one evil act can erase all the good he did Francis coldly tells him to lsquoask Nicolersquo However he does allow LaSalle to redeem himself a little by letting him take his own life Is Francisrsquos drive to revenge more about LaSallersquos guilt or his own
Guilt and forgiveness
bull Francis is driven by the need to find forgiveness for having let Nicole down by leaving her alone with LaSalle The guilt of the action and the fact that she blamed him for it are almost overwhelming He wants to die and closes lsquodoors to the futurersquo because he doesnrsquot feel he deserves either recognition as a hero or to live
Larry and Forgiveness
bull Ironically LaSalle gives Francis a measure of forgiveness when he tells him that he couldnrsquot have stopped the rape ndash he was just a lsquochildrsquo
Nicole and Forgiveness
bull Nicole offers Francis forgiveness in a very understated way As it turns out she regrets blaming him for the rape and tried to tell him so many years ago but he had already left for the army It is somewhat of an anti-climax but the real person he needs forgiveness from is himself
Francis and Concealment
bull Francis arrives in Frenchtown with his face wrapped up and concealed On one level hersquos hiding his injuries from sight to stop them horrifying others like they did the small boy in London who cried The idea of a face wrapped up in bandages recalls horror films of the early part of the twentieth century It may deliberately recall the image of the Invisible Manbull Hersquos also concealing his identity ndash he lies to Mrs Belander about how
he knows her name and the wrappings conceal whatever might be recognised Francis is therefore able to walk around town completely unrecognised except as a war veteran
Larry and Concealment
bull Larry LaSalle also has a secret concealed in his past ndash the mysterious reason as to why he had left his showbiz career to become a youth worker We never find out what this reason is but it is implied by LaSallersquos referring to lsquosweet young thingsrsquo in the plural in his last encounter with Francis that it was for something similar to his rape of Nicole In the beginning this mystery seems attractive adding to his lsquoglamourrsquo
Novel structure
bull This theme is exemplified by the structure of the novel which weaves the three timelines together Cormier uses foreshadowing extensively to create tension in the novel ndash such as when Francis tells us in the first chapter that he has lsquojust prayed for the man [he is] going to killrsquo Then he gradually reveals different morsels of information about Francisrsquos war experience and the pre-war life in Frenchtown
Psychological Disfigurement
bull Francisrsquo physical disfigurement is more obvious than his psychological problems but these are still very serious Francis is already a shy and fragile individual before the war through the loss of his parents What happens to Nicole inflicts terrible guilt upon him and he develops a lsquodeath-wishrsquo which means he joins the army in order to diebull His experiences in the army killing boys no older than himself traumatize
him further bull He returns to Frenchtown obsessed with the idea of killing Larry LaSalle with
not thought for the future and only his desire for revenge to keep him goingbull He seems unwilling or unable to enter into relationships with other people
now
Obsession
bull Francis spends the whole book waiting for LaSallersquos return to Frenchtown so that he can seek revenge Yet when the moment comes his hand is shaking and he is overwhelmed In the end LaSalle takes his own life ndash but it seems unlikely that Francis could actually have gone through with it despite his plans and protestationsbull He does do his best to ensure that he has no future by burning the
contact details of his friend from the hospital in England and of the doctor who says he will repair his face He calls this lsquoclosing doors to the futurersquo He seems to be doing this to leave himself no option but to go through with this plan Hope returns to the novel in the final chapter when he thinks about tracking them down again
Isolation
bull Francis feels he has to keep his identity secret because of what he is planning to do But you also get the idea this is how he wants it to be anyway There is a huge contrast between him and the other veterans in the St Judersquos Club ndash he clearly doesnrsquot fit Itrsquos ironic that he is actually still too young to drink in the St Judersquos Club bull It is worth noting that everyone Francis ever loves in the book ndash his
parents ndash his Uncle ndash Nicole and even Larry are either dead or beyond his reach by the end of the book
Francis and Larry1
bull Francisrsquo feelings for Larry are complicated The first thing he tells us about Larry is that he has come back to Frenchtown to kill himbull Yet when he first describes Larry
there is more than an element of hero worshipbull Larry is everything Francis isnrsquot but
would like to be ndash confident full of skills and charisma and attractive
QuotationsP 6 ldquoI am filled with guilt and shame knowing that I just prayed for the man I am going to killrdquo
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Francis and Larry2
bull He feels gratitude for Larry making him a champion through the table tennis However he also feels jealousy at Larryrsquos physical intimacy with Nicole when they are dancing
QuotationsP 42 ldquothen caught her pressing her close their faces almost touching their lips only an inch or so from a kissrdquo
Francis and Larry3
bull Larry understands Francisrsquo feelings of gratitude and his inability to stand up to him and he uses these to manipulate Francis on the night that he rapes Nicole
QuotationsP 66 ldquoI saw Larry raising his eyebrows at me the way he looked at me when I made a stupid move at table tennis Get going rdquo
Francis and Larry4
bull Larry turns out to have had no idea of how his rape of Nicole would affect Francis bull In the end he tries to help Francis
come to terms with his own feelings of guiltbull He cannot come to terms with losing
Francisrsquo respect
QuotationsP 81 ldquoOh Francis yoursquore too hard on yourself You couldnrsquot have stopped me anyway Francis You were just a childrdquo
P82 ldquoDonrsquot look at me like that If I could have one thing it would be to have you look at me again the way you did at the Wreck Centre When I was the big hero you say I wasrdquo
Francis and Larry5
bull In the end Larry does the one thing he can do for Francis which is to save him from having to either pull the trigger and become a murderer ro to fail in his mission by letting Francis know that he is about to kill himself bull Does this make him Francisrsquo real hero
after all
QuotationsP 84 rdquoDownstairs at last after what seems like a long time I pause at the outside door The sound of a pistol shot cracks the airrdquo
Larry LaSalle
Heroic qualities
His past
Relationships His death
Physical appearence
Physical abilities
Courage ndash silver star
Ability to inspire others
Dark hints and rumours Stage career
What he tells Francis
Other people
Francis
NicoleDisease Motives
Suicide
Hero or Villain
Larry - Courage
bull LaSalle joins up the very first morning after war is declared his actions in the war lead to him being awarded a Silver Star medal and when he returns home on leave he is given a herorsquos welcome by the townspeople and the members of the Wreck Centrebull He never discuss his innermost reasons for
joining up Is it possible that his motives are similar to Francisbull Does his reputation as a war hero help him
do what he does to Nicole
QuotationsP 51 ldquoAs we were about to cheer his announcement he held up his handrdquoNone of that kidsIrsquom just doing what millions of others are doingrdquo
P56 ldquoA New England marine is one of the great heroes of Pacific action receiving the Silver Star ldquo
Larry - Courage
bull Is it courage that allows him to talk calmly to Francis to talk him out of becoming a murderer and to kill himself so that Francis has not failed
QuotationsP 83 ldquoSo lower your gun Francis One gun is enough for what has to be donerdquo
Larry ndash Physical Abilities
bull It is clear that Larry has admirable physical abilities He is an excellent sportsman and a dancer who is compared to Fred Astaire Whatever the kids in the Wreck Centre do he can usually do it betterbull His appearance and physical abilities
are things which inspire admiration and hero worship in others
QuotationsP 29 ldquo Had the borad shoulders of an athlete and the narrow hips of a dancer He swung the bat with authority He was also a dancer with a touch of Fred Astaire in his walk his feet barely touching the floorrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull The first thing about Larry that Francis describes is his appearance It is not accidental that he compares him to a film star Film stars are actors ndash so is Larry to the extent that his physical appearance conceals what he really is
Quotations
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull Itrsquos ironic that Larryrsquos illness removes his physical attractiveness at the endbull Is this a sign of his sins catching up with
him
Quotations
P78 ldquoHe is pale eyes sunk into the sockets And he seems fragile now as if caught in an old photograph that has faded and yellowed with agerdquo
Larryrsquos Inspirational Qualitiesbull Larry consistently has the ability to
inspire the children around him to want to do more and to learn things and become things You can argue that for MOST of the children at the Wreck Centre he makes them better people bull Even at the end he is trying to make
sure that Francis doesnrsquot do the wrong thing by becoming a murderer
Quotations
P31 ldquoHe tamed the notorious school bully Butch Bartoneau convincing him that he could sing Under Larry LaSallersquos guidance Edna Beauchene tall and gawky and shy became the hit of the showrdquo
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Americabull There are many points in the book which represent an ending of
childhood innocence One is a major event in American history ndash the bombing of Pearl Harbor Francis notes that lsquoWe had discovered in one moment on a Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymorersquo This was not just their discovery but the discovery of the whole United States that they could not remain in isolation from the rest of the world
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Francis bull When Francis confidently leaves Nicole alone with LaSalle in the Wreck Centre he
does so in complete innocence of the danger she is in Taking people at face value is something which the novel constantly warns us against ndash the apparently happy Arthur is found crying behind the St Jude club and the villainous LaSalle ends by doing something positive for Francis in affirming his heroism and refusing to let him become a murdererbull LaSallersquos rape of Nicole in the Wreck Centre is the end of innocence for both her
and Francis who waits in the dark knowing but unable to acknowledge what is happening to her It is also symbolic of the end of their innocent belief in goodness ndash something that the war ended for many peoplebull Francis going off to war with a faked age on his birth certificate is a significant
step out of childhood ndash like many soldiers who signed up underage he is forcing the issue He notices that other soldiers ndash even the Germans ndash are also very young
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Francis bull He maintains a certain innocence even after the grenade ndash going to
London with his face uncovered he doesnrsquot think that other people will notice until he makes a young boy cry When he is home in Frenchtown he appears to have become very cynical but at the end of the novel he has turned back a little from that perhaps coming to happy balance
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Nicole bull The fact that Nicole will not see Francis again after the meeting they
have at the end of the book also closes a door on the idea of there being a lsquohappily ever afterrsquo although she is surviving and continuing to recover she cannot go back to that state of innocence
Types of Love in Heroesbull Francisrsquos love for Nicole is highly romanticised ndash his first meeting with her is compared
to a knight kneeling at the feet of a saint He can barely get up the courage to speak to her although they do eventually go out and their relationship is sweet and innocentbull Later in the army he is motivated by both his love for her which has never gone away
and his guilt about his failure to help her when she was attacked During the war his love and desire for forgiveness turns into the only thing that makes his life worthwhile From the first chapter where he says lsquoit would always be Nicole Renardrsquo to the penultimate one where he tells us the reason he went to see Nicole was to see if she could still be his girl lsquowhich could maybe change my mind about the gun in my duffel bagrsquo This is verging on the obsessional and Francis realises as he talks to Nicole that the love they had ended a long time agobull There is the hero-worship the teens feel for LaSalle before the war and then that the
town feels for the returning heroes The scrapbook the reception for LaSalle and the toasting of the Silver Star heroes in the St Jude Club all evidence this kind of love and the need to find something or someone to admire to make life seem better
Types of love in Heroesbull Much of what LaSalle did for the kids of Frenchtown and Francis in
particular could be described as loving he makes Francis a more confident teenager and continues trying to make him feel better about himself even after Francis has threatened to kill him LaSalle also describes his sexual desire for young girls (lsquosweet young thingsrsquo) as love He says lsquowe love our sins We love the thing that makes us evilrsquo This is a darker side to what lsquoloversquo can mean to different peoplebull There is an element of brotherly or fraternal love in Francisrsquos memories of
his fellow soldiers in his remembrance of them every night His sacrifice of throwing himself on the grenade could also be seen as a loving one ndash certainly LaSalle thinks that Francisrsquos instinct was to save his fellow soldiers not to kill himself There is a sense in which all the veterans are bound together by their experiences which forms a kind of brotherly bond between them
Revenge and Forgiveness
bull Francis is intent on taking revenge on Larry LaSalle rather than forgiving him He does not offer any forgiveness when LaSalle asks if his one evil act can erase all the good he did Francis coldly tells him to lsquoask Nicolersquo However he does allow LaSalle to redeem himself a little by letting him take his own life Is Francisrsquos drive to revenge more about LaSallersquos guilt or his own
Guilt and forgiveness
bull Francis is driven by the need to find forgiveness for having let Nicole down by leaving her alone with LaSalle The guilt of the action and the fact that she blamed him for it are almost overwhelming He wants to die and closes lsquodoors to the futurersquo because he doesnrsquot feel he deserves either recognition as a hero or to live
Larry and Forgiveness
bull Ironically LaSalle gives Francis a measure of forgiveness when he tells him that he couldnrsquot have stopped the rape ndash he was just a lsquochildrsquo
Nicole and Forgiveness
bull Nicole offers Francis forgiveness in a very understated way As it turns out she regrets blaming him for the rape and tried to tell him so many years ago but he had already left for the army It is somewhat of an anti-climax but the real person he needs forgiveness from is himself
Francis and Concealment
bull Francis arrives in Frenchtown with his face wrapped up and concealed On one level hersquos hiding his injuries from sight to stop them horrifying others like they did the small boy in London who cried The idea of a face wrapped up in bandages recalls horror films of the early part of the twentieth century It may deliberately recall the image of the Invisible Manbull Hersquos also concealing his identity ndash he lies to Mrs Belander about how
he knows her name and the wrappings conceal whatever might be recognised Francis is therefore able to walk around town completely unrecognised except as a war veteran
Larry and Concealment
bull Larry LaSalle also has a secret concealed in his past ndash the mysterious reason as to why he had left his showbiz career to become a youth worker We never find out what this reason is but it is implied by LaSallersquos referring to lsquosweet young thingsrsquo in the plural in his last encounter with Francis that it was for something similar to his rape of Nicole In the beginning this mystery seems attractive adding to his lsquoglamourrsquo
Novel structure
bull This theme is exemplified by the structure of the novel which weaves the three timelines together Cormier uses foreshadowing extensively to create tension in the novel ndash such as when Francis tells us in the first chapter that he has lsquojust prayed for the man [he is] going to killrsquo Then he gradually reveals different morsels of information about Francisrsquos war experience and the pre-war life in Frenchtown
Psychological Disfigurement
bull Francisrsquo physical disfigurement is more obvious than his psychological problems but these are still very serious Francis is already a shy and fragile individual before the war through the loss of his parents What happens to Nicole inflicts terrible guilt upon him and he develops a lsquodeath-wishrsquo which means he joins the army in order to diebull His experiences in the army killing boys no older than himself traumatize
him further bull He returns to Frenchtown obsessed with the idea of killing Larry LaSalle with
not thought for the future and only his desire for revenge to keep him goingbull He seems unwilling or unable to enter into relationships with other people
now
Obsession
bull Francis spends the whole book waiting for LaSallersquos return to Frenchtown so that he can seek revenge Yet when the moment comes his hand is shaking and he is overwhelmed In the end LaSalle takes his own life ndash but it seems unlikely that Francis could actually have gone through with it despite his plans and protestationsbull He does do his best to ensure that he has no future by burning the
contact details of his friend from the hospital in England and of the doctor who says he will repair his face He calls this lsquoclosing doors to the futurersquo He seems to be doing this to leave himself no option but to go through with this plan Hope returns to the novel in the final chapter when he thinks about tracking them down again
Isolation
bull Francis feels he has to keep his identity secret because of what he is planning to do But you also get the idea this is how he wants it to be anyway There is a huge contrast between him and the other veterans in the St Judersquos Club ndash he clearly doesnrsquot fit Itrsquos ironic that he is actually still too young to drink in the St Judersquos Club bull It is worth noting that everyone Francis ever loves in the book ndash his
parents ndash his Uncle ndash Nicole and even Larry are either dead or beyond his reach by the end of the book
Francis and Larry1
bull Francisrsquo feelings for Larry are complicated The first thing he tells us about Larry is that he has come back to Frenchtown to kill himbull Yet when he first describes Larry
there is more than an element of hero worshipbull Larry is everything Francis isnrsquot but
would like to be ndash confident full of skills and charisma and attractive
QuotationsP 6 ldquoI am filled with guilt and shame knowing that I just prayed for the man I am going to killrdquo
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Francis and Larry2
bull He feels gratitude for Larry making him a champion through the table tennis However he also feels jealousy at Larryrsquos physical intimacy with Nicole when they are dancing
QuotationsP 42 ldquothen caught her pressing her close their faces almost touching their lips only an inch or so from a kissrdquo
Francis and Larry3
bull Larry understands Francisrsquo feelings of gratitude and his inability to stand up to him and he uses these to manipulate Francis on the night that he rapes Nicole
QuotationsP 66 ldquoI saw Larry raising his eyebrows at me the way he looked at me when I made a stupid move at table tennis Get going rdquo
Francis and Larry4
bull Larry turns out to have had no idea of how his rape of Nicole would affect Francis bull In the end he tries to help Francis
come to terms with his own feelings of guiltbull He cannot come to terms with losing
Francisrsquo respect
QuotationsP 81 ldquoOh Francis yoursquore too hard on yourself You couldnrsquot have stopped me anyway Francis You were just a childrdquo
P82 ldquoDonrsquot look at me like that If I could have one thing it would be to have you look at me again the way you did at the Wreck Centre When I was the big hero you say I wasrdquo
Francis and Larry5
bull In the end Larry does the one thing he can do for Francis which is to save him from having to either pull the trigger and become a murderer ro to fail in his mission by letting Francis know that he is about to kill himself bull Does this make him Francisrsquo real hero
after all
QuotationsP 84 rdquoDownstairs at last after what seems like a long time I pause at the outside door The sound of a pistol shot cracks the airrdquo
Larry LaSalle
Heroic qualities
His past
Relationships His death
Physical appearence
Physical abilities
Courage ndash silver star
Ability to inspire others
Dark hints and rumours Stage career
What he tells Francis
Other people
Francis
NicoleDisease Motives
Suicide
Hero or Villain
Larry - Courage
bull LaSalle joins up the very first morning after war is declared his actions in the war lead to him being awarded a Silver Star medal and when he returns home on leave he is given a herorsquos welcome by the townspeople and the members of the Wreck Centrebull He never discuss his innermost reasons for
joining up Is it possible that his motives are similar to Francisbull Does his reputation as a war hero help him
do what he does to Nicole
QuotationsP 51 ldquoAs we were about to cheer his announcement he held up his handrdquoNone of that kidsIrsquom just doing what millions of others are doingrdquo
P56 ldquoA New England marine is one of the great heroes of Pacific action receiving the Silver Star ldquo
Larry - Courage
bull Is it courage that allows him to talk calmly to Francis to talk him out of becoming a murderer and to kill himself so that Francis has not failed
QuotationsP 83 ldquoSo lower your gun Francis One gun is enough for what has to be donerdquo
Larry ndash Physical Abilities
bull It is clear that Larry has admirable physical abilities He is an excellent sportsman and a dancer who is compared to Fred Astaire Whatever the kids in the Wreck Centre do he can usually do it betterbull His appearance and physical abilities
are things which inspire admiration and hero worship in others
QuotationsP 29 ldquo Had the borad shoulders of an athlete and the narrow hips of a dancer He swung the bat with authority He was also a dancer with a touch of Fred Astaire in his walk his feet barely touching the floorrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull The first thing about Larry that Francis describes is his appearance It is not accidental that he compares him to a film star Film stars are actors ndash so is Larry to the extent that his physical appearance conceals what he really is
Quotations
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull Itrsquos ironic that Larryrsquos illness removes his physical attractiveness at the endbull Is this a sign of his sins catching up with
him
Quotations
P78 ldquoHe is pale eyes sunk into the sockets And he seems fragile now as if caught in an old photograph that has faded and yellowed with agerdquo
Larryrsquos Inspirational Qualitiesbull Larry consistently has the ability to
inspire the children around him to want to do more and to learn things and become things You can argue that for MOST of the children at the Wreck Centre he makes them better people bull Even at the end he is trying to make
sure that Francis doesnrsquot do the wrong thing by becoming a murderer
Quotations
P31 ldquoHe tamed the notorious school bully Butch Bartoneau convincing him that he could sing Under Larry LaSallersquos guidance Edna Beauchene tall and gawky and shy became the hit of the showrdquo
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Francis bull When Francis confidently leaves Nicole alone with LaSalle in the Wreck Centre he
does so in complete innocence of the danger she is in Taking people at face value is something which the novel constantly warns us against ndash the apparently happy Arthur is found crying behind the St Jude club and the villainous LaSalle ends by doing something positive for Francis in affirming his heroism and refusing to let him become a murdererbull LaSallersquos rape of Nicole in the Wreck Centre is the end of innocence for both her
and Francis who waits in the dark knowing but unable to acknowledge what is happening to her It is also symbolic of the end of their innocent belief in goodness ndash something that the war ended for many peoplebull Francis going off to war with a faked age on his birth certificate is a significant
step out of childhood ndash like many soldiers who signed up underage he is forcing the issue He notices that other soldiers ndash even the Germans ndash are also very young
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Francis bull He maintains a certain innocence even after the grenade ndash going to
London with his face uncovered he doesnrsquot think that other people will notice until he makes a young boy cry When he is home in Frenchtown he appears to have become very cynical but at the end of the novel he has turned back a little from that perhaps coming to happy balance
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Nicole bull The fact that Nicole will not see Francis again after the meeting they
have at the end of the book also closes a door on the idea of there being a lsquohappily ever afterrsquo although she is surviving and continuing to recover she cannot go back to that state of innocence
Types of Love in Heroesbull Francisrsquos love for Nicole is highly romanticised ndash his first meeting with her is compared
to a knight kneeling at the feet of a saint He can barely get up the courage to speak to her although they do eventually go out and their relationship is sweet and innocentbull Later in the army he is motivated by both his love for her which has never gone away
and his guilt about his failure to help her when she was attacked During the war his love and desire for forgiveness turns into the only thing that makes his life worthwhile From the first chapter where he says lsquoit would always be Nicole Renardrsquo to the penultimate one where he tells us the reason he went to see Nicole was to see if she could still be his girl lsquowhich could maybe change my mind about the gun in my duffel bagrsquo This is verging on the obsessional and Francis realises as he talks to Nicole that the love they had ended a long time agobull There is the hero-worship the teens feel for LaSalle before the war and then that the
town feels for the returning heroes The scrapbook the reception for LaSalle and the toasting of the Silver Star heroes in the St Jude Club all evidence this kind of love and the need to find something or someone to admire to make life seem better
Types of love in Heroesbull Much of what LaSalle did for the kids of Frenchtown and Francis in
particular could be described as loving he makes Francis a more confident teenager and continues trying to make him feel better about himself even after Francis has threatened to kill him LaSalle also describes his sexual desire for young girls (lsquosweet young thingsrsquo) as love He says lsquowe love our sins We love the thing that makes us evilrsquo This is a darker side to what lsquoloversquo can mean to different peoplebull There is an element of brotherly or fraternal love in Francisrsquos memories of
his fellow soldiers in his remembrance of them every night His sacrifice of throwing himself on the grenade could also be seen as a loving one ndash certainly LaSalle thinks that Francisrsquos instinct was to save his fellow soldiers not to kill himself There is a sense in which all the veterans are bound together by their experiences which forms a kind of brotherly bond between them
Revenge and Forgiveness
bull Francis is intent on taking revenge on Larry LaSalle rather than forgiving him He does not offer any forgiveness when LaSalle asks if his one evil act can erase all the good he did Francis coldly tells him to lsquoask Nicolersquo However he does allow LaSalle to redeem himself a little by letting him take his own life Is Francisrsquos drive to revenge more about LaSallersquos guilt or his own
Guilt and forgiveness
bull Francis is driven by the need to find forgiveness for having let Nicole down by leaving her alone with LaSalle The guilt of the action and the fact that she blamed him for it are almost overwhelming He wants to die and closes lsquodoors to the futurersquo because he doesnrsquot feel he deserves either recognition as a hero or to live
Larry and Forgiveness
bull Ironically LaSalle gives Francis a measure of forgiveness when he tells him that he couldnrsquot have stopped the rape ndash he was just a lsquochildrsquo
Nicole and Forgiveness
bull Nicole offers Francis forgiveness in a very understated way As it turns out she regrets blaming him for the rape and tried to tell him so many years ago but he had already left for the army It is somewhat of an anti-climax but the real person he needs forgiveness from is himself
Francis and Concealment
bull Francis arrives in Frenchtown with his face wrapped up and concealed On one level hersquos hiding his injuries from sight to stop them horrifying others like they did the small boy in London who cried The idea of a face wrapped up in bandages recalls horror films of the early part of the twentieth century It may deliberately recall the image of the Invisible Manbull Hersquos also concealing his identity ndash he lies to Mrs Belander about how
he knows her name and the wrappings conceal whatever might be recognised Francis is therefore able to walk around town completely unrecognised except as a war veteran
Larry and Concealment
bull Larry LaSalle also has a secret concealed in his past ndash the mysterious reason as to why he had left his showbiz career to become a youth worker We never find out what this reason is but it is implied by LaSallersquos referring to lsquosweet young thingsrsquo in the plural in his last encounter with Francis that it was for something similar to his rape of Nicole In the beginning this mystery seems attractive adding to his lsquoglamourrsquo
Novel structure
bull This theme is exemplified by the structure of the novel which weaves the three timelines together Cormier uses foreshadowing extensively to create tension in the novel ndash such as when Francis tells us in the first chapter that he has lsquojust prayed for the man [he is] going to killrsquo Then he gradually reveals different morsels of information about Francisrsquos war experience and the pre-war life in Frenchtown
Psychological Disfigurement
bull Francisrsquo physical disfigurement is more obvious than his psychological problems but these are still very serious Francis is already a shy and fragile individual before the war through the loss of his parents What happens to Nicole inflicts terrible guilt upon him and he develops a lsquodeath-wishrsquo which means he joins the army in order to diebull His experiences in the army killing boys no older than himself traumatize
him further bull He returns to Frenchtown obsessed with the idea of killing Larry LaSalle with
not thought for the future and only his desire for revenge to keep him goingbull He seems unwilling or unable to enter into relationships with other people
now
Obsession
bull Francis spends the whole book waiting for LaSallersquos return to Frenchtown so that he can seek revenge Yet when the moment comes his hand is shaking and he is overwhelmed In the end LaSalle takes his own life ndash but it seems unlikely that Francis could actually have gone through with it despite his plans and protestationsbull He does do his best to ensure that he has no future by burning the
contact details of his friend from the hospital in England and of the doctor who says he will repair his face He calls this lsquoclosing doors to the futurersquo He seems to be doing this to leave himself no option but to go through with this plan Hope returns to the novel in the final chapter when he thinks about tracking them down again
Isolation
bull Francis feels he has to keep his identity secret because of what he is planning to do But you also get the idea this is how he wants it to be anyway There is a huge contrast between him and the other veterans in the St Judersquos Club ndash he clearly doesnrsquot fit Itrsquos ironic that he is actually still too young to drink in the St Judersquos Club bull It is worth noting that everyone Francis ever loves in the book ndash his
parents ndash his Uncle ndash Nicole and even Larry are either dead or beyond his reach by the end of the book
Francis and Larry1
bull Francisrsquo feelings for Larry are complicated The first thing he tells us about Larry is that he has come back to Frenchtown to kill himbull Yet when he first describes Larry
there is more than an element of hero worshipbull Larry is everything Francis isnrsquot but
would like to be ndash confident full of skills and charisma and attractive
QuotationsP 6 ldquoI am filled with guilt and shame knowing that I just prayed for the man I am going to killrdquo
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Francis and Larry2
bull He feels gratitude for Larry making him a champion through the table tennis However he also feels jealousy at Larryrsquos physical intimacy with Nicole when they are dancing
QuotationsP 42 ldquothen caught her pressing her close their faces almost touching their lips only an inch or so from a kissrdquo
Francis and Larry3
bull Larry understands Francisrsquo feelings of gratitude and his inability to stand up to him and he uses these to manipulate Francis on the night that he rapes Nicole
QuotationsP 66 ldquoI saw Larry raising his eyebrows at me the way he looked at me when I made a stupid move at table tennis Get going rdquo
Francis and Larry4
bull Larry turns out to have had no idea of how his rape of Nicole would affect Francis bull In the end he tries to help Francis
come to terms with his own feelings of guiltbull He cannot come to terms with losing
Francisrsquo respect
QuotationsP 81 ldquoOh Francis yoursquore too hard on yourself You couldnrsquot have stopped me anyway Francis You were just a childrdquo
P82 ldquoDonrsquot look at me like that If I could have one thing it would be to have you look at me again the way you did at the Wreck Centre When I was the big hero you say I wasrdquo
Francis and Larry5
bull In the end Larry does the one thing he can do for Francis which is to save him from having to either pull the trigger and become a murderer ro to fail in his mission by letting Francis know that he is about to kill himself bull Does this make him Francisrsquo real hero
after all
QuotationsP 84 rdquoDownstairs at last after what seems like a long time I pause at the outside door The sound of a pistol shot cracks the airrdquo
Larry LaSalle
Heroic qualities
His past
Relationships His death
Physical appearence
Physical abilities
Courage ndash silver star
Ability to inspire others
Dark hints and rumours Stage career
What he tells Francis
Other people
Francis
NicoleDisease Motives
Suicide
Hero or Villain
Larry - Courage
bull LaSalle joins up the very first morning after war is declared his actions in the war lead to him being awarded a Silver Star medal and when he returns home on leave he is given a herorsquos welcome by the townspeople and the members of the Wreck Centrebull He never discuss his innermost reasons for
joining up Is it possible that his motives are similar to Francisbull Does his reputation as a war hero help him
do what he does to Nicole
QuotationsP 51 ldquoAs we were about to cheer his announcement he held up his handrdquoNone of that kidsIrsquom just doing what millions of others are doingrdquo
P56 ldquoA New England marine is one of the great heroes of Pacific action receiving the Silver Star ldquo
Larry - Courage
bull Is it courage that allows him to talk calmly to Francis to talk him out of becoming a murderer and to kill himself so that Francis has not failed
QuotationsP 83 ldquoSo lower your gun Francis One gun is enough for what has to be donerdquo
Larry ndash Physical Abilities
bull It is clear that Larry has admirable physical abilities He is an excellent sportsman and a dancer who is compared to Fred Astaire Whatever the kids in the Wreck Centre do he can usually do it betterbull His appearance and physical abilities
are things which inspire admiration and hero worship in others
QuotationsP 29 ldquo Had the borad shoulders of an athlete and the narrow hips of a dancer He swung the bat with authority He was also a dancer with a touch of Fred Astaire in his walk his feet barely touching the floorrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull The first thing about Larry that Francis describes is his appearance It is not accidental that he compares him to a film star Film stars are actors ndash so is Larry to the extent that his physical appearance conceals what he really is
Quotations
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull Itrsquos ironic that Larryrsquos illness removes his physical attractiveness at the endbull Is this a sign of his sins catching up with
him
Quotations
P78 ldquoHe is pale eyes sunk into the sockets And he seems fragile now as if caught in an old photograph that has faded and yellowed with agerdquo
Larryrsquos Inspirational Qualitiesbull Larry consistently has the ability to
inspire the children around him to want to do more and to learn things and become things You can argue that for MOST of the children at the Wreck Centre he makes them better people bull Even at the end he is trying to make
sure that Francis doesnrsquot do the wrong thing by becoming a murderer
Quotations
P31 ldquoHe tamed the notorious school bully Butch Bartoneau convincing him that he could sing Under Larry LaSallersquos guidance Edna Beauchene tall and gawky and shy became the hit of the showrdquo
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Francis bull He maintains a certain innocence even after the grenade ndash going to
London with his face uncovered he doesnrsquot think that other people will notice until he makes a young boy cry When he is home in Frenchtown he appears to have become very cynical but at the end of the novel he has turned back a little from that perhaps coming to happy balance
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Nicole bull The fact that Nicole will not see Francis again after the meeting they
have at the end of the book also closes a door on the idea of there being a lsquohappily ever afterrsquo although she is surviving and continuing to recover she cannot go back to that state of innocence
Types of Love in Heroesbull Francisrsquos love for Nicole is highly romanticised ndash his first meeting with her is compared
to a knight kneeling at the feet of a saint He can barely get up the courage to speak to her although they do eventually go out and their relationship is sweet and innocentbull Later in the army he is motivated by both his love for her which has never gone away
and his guilt about his failure to help her when she was attacked During the war his love and desire for forgiveness turns into the only thing that makes his life worthwhile From the first chapter where he says lsquoit would always be Nicole Renardrsquo to the penultimate one where he tells us the reason he went to see Nicole was to see if she could still be his girl lsquowhich could maybe change my mind about the gun in my duffel bagrsquo This is verging on the obsessional and Francis realises as he talks to Nicole that the love they had ended a long time agobull There is the hero-worship the teens feel for LaSalle before the war and then that the
town feels for the returning heroes The scrapbook the reception for LaSalle and the toasting of the Silver Star heroes in the St Jude Club all evidence this kind of love and the need to find something or someone to admire to make life seem better
Types of love in Heroesbull Much of what LaSalle did for the kids of Frenchtown and Francis in
particular could be described as loving he makes Francis a more confident teenager and continues trying to make him feel better about himself even after Francis has threatened to kill him LaSalle also describes his sexual desire for young girls (lsquosweet young thingsrsquo) as love He says lsquowe love our sins We love the thing that makes us evilrsquo This is a darker side to what lsquoloversquo can mean to different peoplebull There is an element of brotherly or fraternal love in Francisrsquos memories of
his fellow soldiers in his remembrance of them every night His sacrifice of throwing himself on the grenade could also be seen as a loving one ndash certainly LaSalle thinks that Francisrsquos instinct was to save his fellow soldiers not to kill himself There is a sense in which all the veterans are bound together by their experiences which forms a kind of brotherly bond between them
Revenge and Forgiveness
bull Francis is intent on taking revenge on Larry LaSalle rather than forgiving him He does not offer any forgiveness when LaSalle asks if his one evil act can erase all the good he did Francis coldly tells him to lsquoask Nicolersquo However he does allow LaSalle to redeem himself a little by letting him take his own life Is Francisrsquos drive to revenge more about LaSallersquos guilt or his own
Guilt and forgiveness
bull Francis is driven by the need to find forgiveness for having let Nicole down by leaving her alone with LaSalle The guilt of the action and the fact that she blamed him for it are almost overwhelming He wants to die and closes lsquodoors to the futurersquo because he doesnrsquot feel he deserves either recognition as a hero or to live
Larry and Forgiveness
bull Ironically LaSalle gives Francis a measure of forgiveness when he tells him that he couldnrsquot have stopped the rape ndash he was just a lsquochildrsquo
Nicole and Forgiveness
bull Nicole offers Francis forgiveness in a very understated way As it turns out she regrets blaming him for the rape and tried to tell him so many years ago but he had already left for the army It is somewhat of an anti-climax but the real person he needs forgiveness from is himself
Francis and Concealment
bull Francis arrives in Frenchtown with his face wrapped up and concealed On one level hersquos hiding his injuries from sight to stop them horrifying others like they did the small boy in London who cried The idea of a face wrapped up in bandages recalls horror films of the early part of the twentieth century It may deliberately recall the image of the Invisible Manbull Hersquos also concealing his identity ndash he lies to Mrs Belander about how
he knows her name and the wrappings conceal whatever might be recognised Francis is therefore able to walk around town completely unrecognised except as a war veteran
Larry and Concealment
bull Larry LaSalle also has a secret concealed in his past ndash the mysterious reason as to why he had left his showbiz career to become a youth worker We never find out what this reason is but it is implied by LaSallersquos referring to lsquosweet young thingsrsquo in the plural in his last encounter with Francis that it was for something similar to his rape of Nicole In the beginning this mystery seems attractive adding to his lsquoglamourrsquo
Novel structure
bull This theme is exemplified by the structure of the novel which weaves the three timelines together Cormier uses foreshadowing extensively to create tension in the novel ndash such as when Francis tells us in the first chapter that he has lsquojust prayed for the man [he is] going to killrsquo Then he gradually reveals different morsels of information about Francisrsquos war experience and the pre-war life in Frenchtown
Psychological Disfigurement
bull Francisrsquo physical disfigurement is more obvious than his psychological problems but these are still very serious Francis is already a shy and fragile individual before the war through the loss of his parents What happens to Nicole inflicts terrible guilt upon him and he develops a lsquodeath-wishrsquo which means he joins the army in order to diebull His experiences in the army killing boys no older than himself traumatize
him further bull He returns to Frenchtown obsessed with the idea of killing Larry LaSalle with
not thought for the future and only his desire for revenge to keep him goingbull He seems unwilling or unable to enter into relationships with other people
now
Obsession
bull Francis spends the whole book waiting for LaSallersquos return to Frenchtown so that he can seek revenge Yet when the moment comes his hand is shaking and he is overwhelmed In the end LaSalle takes his own life ndash but it seems unlikely that Francis could actually have gone through with it despite his plans and protestationsbull He does do his best to ensure that he has no future by burning the
contact details of his friend from the hospital in England and of the doctor who says he will repair his face He calls this lsquoclosing doors to the futurersquo He seems to be doing this to leave himself no option but to go through with this plan Hope returns to the novel in the final chapter when he thinks about tracking them down again
Isolation
bull Francis feels he has to keep his identity secret because of what he is planning to do But you also get the idea this is how he wants it to be anyway There is a huge contrast between him and the other veterans in the St Judersquos Club ndash he clearly doesnrsquot fit Itrsquos ironic that he is actually still too young to drink in the St Judersquos Club bull It is worth noting that everyone Francis ever loves in the book ndash his
parents ndash his Uncle ndash Nicole and even Larry are either dead or beyond his reach by the end of the book
Francis and Larry1
bull Francisrsquo feelings for Larry are complicated The first thing he tells us about Larry is that he has come back to Frenchtown to kill himbull Yet when he first describes Larry
there is more than an element of hero worshipbull Larry is everything Francis isnrsquot but
would like to be ndash confident full of skills and charisma and attractive
QuotationsP 6 ldquoI am filled with guilt and shame knowing that I just prayed for the man I am going to killrdquo
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Francis and Larry2
bull He feels gratitude for Larry making him a champion through the table tennis However he also feels jealousy at Larryrsquos physical intimacy with Nicole when they are dancing
QuotationsP 42 ldquothen caught her pressing her close their faces almost touching their lips only an inch or so from a kissrdquo
Francis and Larry3
bull Larry understands Francisrsquo feelings of gratitude and his inability to stand up to him and he uses these to manipulate Francis on the night that he rapes Nicole
QuotationsP 66 ldquoI saw Larry raising his eyebrows at me the way he looked at me when I made a stupid move at table tennis Get going rdquo
Francis and Larry4
bull Larry turns out to have had no idea of how his rape of Nicole would affect Francis bull In the end he tries to help Francis
come to terms with his own feelings of guiltbull He cannot come to terms with losing
Francisrsquo respect
QuotationsP 81 ldquoOh Francis yoursquore too hard on yourself You couldnrsquot have stopped me anyway Francis You were just a childrdquo
P82 ldquoDonrsquot look at me like that If I could have one thing it would be to have you look at me again the way you did at the Wreck Centre When I was the big hero you say I wasrdquo
Francis and Larry5
bull In the end Larry does the one thing he can do for Francis which is to save him from having to either pull the trigger and become a murderer ro to fail in his mission by letting Francis know that he is about to kill himself bull Does this make him Francisrsquo real hero
after all
QuotationsP 84 rdquoDownstairs at last after what seems like a long time I pause at the outside door The sound of a pistol shot cracks the airrdquo
Larry LaSalle
Heroic qualities
His past
Relationships His death
Physical appearence
Physical abilities
Courage ndash silver star
Ability to inspire others
Dark hints and rumours Stage career
What he tells Francis
Other people
Francis
NicoleDisease Motives
Suicide
Hero or Villain
Larry - Courage
bull LaSalle joins up the very first morning after war is declared his actions in the war lead to him being awarded a Silver Star medal and when he returns home on leave he is given a herorsquos welcome by the townspeople and the members of the Wreck Centrebull He never discuss his innermost reasons for
joining up Is it possible that his motives are similar to Francisbull Does his reputation as a war hero help him
do what he does to Nicole
QuotationsP 51 ldquoAs we were about to cheer his announcement he held up his handrdquoNone of that kidsIrsquom just doing what millions of others are doingrdquo
P56 ldquoA New England marine is one of the great heroes of Pacific action receiving the Silver Star ldquo
Larry - Courage
bull Is it courage that allows him to talk calmly to Francis to talk him out of becoming a murderer and to kill himself so that Francis has not failed
QuotationsP 83 ldquoSo lower your gun Francis One gun is enough for what has to be donerdquo
Larry ndash Physical Abilities
bull It is clear that Larry has admirable physical abilities He is an excellent sportsman and a dancer who is compared to Fred Astaire Whatever the kids in the Wreck Centre do he can usually do it betterbull His appearance and physical abilities
are things which inspire admiration and hero worship in others
QuotationsP 29 ldquo Had the borad shoulders of an athlete and the narrow hips of a dancer He swung the bat with authority He was also a dancer with a touch of Fred Astaire in his walk his feet barely touching the floorrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull The first thing about Larry that Francis describes is his appearance It is not accidental that he compares him to a film star Film stars are actors ndash so is Larry to the extent that his physical appearance conceals what he really is
Quotations
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull Itrsquos ironic that Larryrsquos illness removes his physical attractiveness at the endbull Is this a sign of his sins catching up with
him
Quotations
P78 ldquoHe is pale eyes sunk into the sockets And he seems fragile now as if caught in an old photograph that has faded and yellowed with agerdquo
Larryrsquos Inspirational Qualitiesbull Larry consistently has the ability to
inspire the children around him to want to do more and to learn things and become things You can argue that for MOST of the children at the Wreck Centre he makes them better people bull Even at the end he is trying to make
sure that Francis doesnrsquot do the wrong thing by becoming a murderer
Quotations
P31 ldquoHe tamed the notorious school bully Butch Bartoneau convincing him that he could sing Under Larry LaSallersquos guidance Edna Beauchene tall and gawky and shy became the hit of the showrdquo
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Loss of Innocence ndash end of Childhood - Nicole bull The fact that Nicole will not see Francis again after the meeting they
have at the end of the book also closes a door on the idea of there being a lsquohappily ever afterrsquo although she is surviving and continuing to recover she cannot go back to that state of innocence
Types of Love in Heroesbull Francisrsquos love for Nicole is highly romanticised ndash his first meeting with her is compared
to a knight kneeling at the feet of a saint He can barely get up the courage to speak to her although they do eventually go out and their relationship is sweet and innocentbull Later in the army he is motivated by both his love for her which has never gone away
and his guilt about his failure to help her when she was attacked During the war his love and desire for forgiveness turns into the only thing that makes his life worthwhile From the first chapter where he says lsquoit would always be Nicole Renardrsquo to the penultimate one where he tells us the reason he went to see Nicole was to see if she could still be his girl lsquowhich could maybe change my mind about the gun in my duffel bagrsquo This is verging on the obsessional and Francis realises as he talks to Nicole that the love they had ended a long time agobull There is the hero-worship the teens feel for LaSalle before the war and then that the
town feels for the returning heroes The scrapbook the reception for LaSalle and the toasting of the Silver Star heroes in the St Jude Club all evidence this kind of love and the need to find something or someone to admire to make life seem better
Types of love in Heroesbull Much of what LaSalle did for the kids of Frenchtown and Francis in
particular could be described as loving he makes Francis a more confident teenager and continues trying to make him feel better about himself even after Francis has threatened to kill him LaSalle also describes his sexual desire for young girls (lsquosweet young thingsrsquo) as love He says lsquowe love our sins We love the thing that makes us evilrsquo This is a darker side to what lsquoloversquo can mean to different peoplebull There is an element of brotherly or fraternal love in Francisrsquos memories of
his fellow soldiers in his remembrance of them every night His sacrifice of throwing himself on the grenade could also be seen as a loving one ndash certainly LaSalle thinks that Francisrsquos instinct was to save his fellow soldiers not to kill himself There is a sense in which all the veterans are bound together by their experiences which forms a kind of brotherly bond between them
Revenge and Forgiveness
bull Francis is intent on taking revenge on Larry LaSalle rather than forgiving him He does not offer any forgiveness when LaSalle asks if his one evil act can erase all the good he did Francis coldly tells him to lsquoask Nicolersquo However he does allow LaSalle to redeem himself a little by letting him take his own life Is Francisrsquos drive to revenge more about LaSallersquos guilt or his own
Guilt and forgiveness
bull Francis is driven by the need to find forgiveness for having let Nicole down by leaving her alone with LaSalle The guilt of the action and the fact that she blamed him for it are almost overwhelming He wants to die and closes lsquodoors to the futurersquo because he doesnrsquot feel he deserves either recognition as a hero or to live
Larry and Forgiveness
bull Ironically LaSalle gives Francis a measure of forgiveness when he tells him that he couldnrsquot have stopped the rape ndash he was just a lsquochildrsquo
Nicole and Forgiveness
bull Nicole offers Francis forgiveness in a very understated way As it turns out she regrets blaming him for the rape and tried to tell him so many years ago but he had already left for the army It is somewhat of an anti-climax but the real person he needs forgiveness from is himself
Francis and Concealment
bull Francis arrives in Frenchtown with his face wrapped up and concealed On one level hersquos hiding his injuries from sight to stop them horrifying others like they did the small boy in London who cried The idea of a face wrapped up in bandages recalls horror films of the early part of the twentieth century It may deliberately recall the image of the Invisible Manbull Hersquos also concealing his identity ndash he lies to Mrs Belander about how
he knows her name and the wrappings conceal whatever might be recognised Francis is therefore able to walk around town completely unrecognised except as a war veteran
Larry and Concealment
bull Larry LaSalle also has a secret concealed in his past ndash the mysterious reason as to why he had left his showbiz career to become a youth worker We never find out what this reason is but it is implied by LaSallersquos referring to lsquosweet young thingsrsquo in the plural in his last encounter with Francis that it was for something similar to his rape of Nicole In the beginning this mystery seems attractive adding to his lsquoglamourrsquo
Novel structure
bull This theme is exemplified by the structure of the novel which weaves the three timelines together Cormier uses foreshadowing extensively to create tension in the novel ndash such as when Francis tells us in the first chapter that he has lsquojust prayed for the man [he is] going to killrsquo Then he gradually reveals different morsels of information about Francisrsquos war experience and the pre-war life in Frenchtown
Psychological Disfigurement
bull Francisrsquo physical disfigurement is more obvious than his psychological problems but these are still very serious Francis is already a shy and fragile individual before the war through the loss of his parents What happens to Nicole inflicts terrible guilt upon him and he develops a lsquodeath-wishrsquo which means he joins the army in order to diebull His experiences in the army killing boys no older than himself traumatize
him further bull He returns to Frenchtown obsessed with the idea of killing Larry LaSalle with
not thought for the future and only his desire for revenge to keep him goingbull He seems unwilling or unable to enter into relationships with other people
now
Obsession
bull Francis spends the whole book waiting for LaSallersquos return to Frenchtown so that he can seek revenge Yet when the moment comes his hand is shaking and he is overwhelmed In the end LaSalle takes his own life ndash but it seems unlikely that Francis could actually have gone through with it despite his plans and protestationsbull He does do his best to ensure that he has no future by burning the
contact details of his friend from the hospital in England and of the doctor who says he will repair his face He calls this lsquoclosing doors to the futurersquo He seems to be doing this to leave himself no option but to go through with this plan Hope returns to the novel in the final chapter when he thinks about tracking them down again
Isolation
bull Francis feels he has to keep his identity secret because of what he is planning to do But you also get the idea this is how he wants it to be anyway There is a huge contrast between him and the other veterans in the St Judersquos Club ndash he clearly doesnrsquot fit Itrsquos ironic that he is actually still too young to drink in the St Judersquos Club bull It is worth noting that everyone Francis ever loves in the book ndash his
parents ndash his Uncle ndash Nicole and even Larry are either dead or beyond his reach by the end of the book
Francis and Larry1
bull Francisrsquo feelings for Larry are complicated The first thing he tells us about Larry is that he has come back to Frenchtown to kill himbull Yet when he first describes Larry
there is more than an element of hero worshipbull Larry is everything Francis isnrsquot but
would like to be ndash confident full of skills and charisma and attractive
QuotationsP 6 ldquoI am filled with guilt and shame knowing that I just prayed for the man I am going to killrdquo
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Francis and Larry2
bull He feels gratitude for Larry making him a champion through the table tennis However he also feels jealousy at Larryrsquos physical intimacy with Nicole when they are dancing
QuotationsP 42 ldquothen caught her pressing her close their faces almost touching their lips only an inch or so from a kissrdquo
Francis and Larry3
bull Larry understands Francisrsquo feelings of gratitude and his inability to stand up to him and he uses these to manipulate Francis on the night that he rapes Nicole
QuotationsP 66 ldquoI saw Larry raising his eyebrows at me the way he looked at me when I made a stupid move at table tennis Get going rdquo
Francis and Larry4
bull Larry turns out to have had no idea of how his rape of Nicole would affect Francis bull In the end he tries to help Francis
come to terms with his own feelings of guiltbull He cannot come to terms with losing
Francisrsquo respect
QuotationsP 81 ldquoOh Francis yoursquore too hard on yourself You couldnrsquot have stopped me anyway Francis You were just a childrdquo
P82 ldquoDonrsquot look at me like that If I could have one thing it would be to have you look at me again the way you did at the Wreck Centre When I was the big hero you say I wasrdquo
Francis and Larry5
bull In the end Larry does the one thing he can do for Francis which is to save him from having to either pull the trigger and become a murderer ro to fail in his mission by letting Francis know that he is about to kill himself bull Does this make him Francisrsquo real hero
after all
QuotationsP 84 rdquoDownstairs at last after what seems like a long time I pause at the outside door The sound of a pistol shot cracks the airrdquo
Larry LaSalle
Heroic qualities
His past
Relationships His death
Physical appearence
Physical abilities
Courage ndash silver star
Ability to inspire others
Dark hints and rumours Stage career
What he tells Francis
Other people
Francis
NicoleDisease Motives
Suicide
Hero or Villain
Larry - Courage
bull LaSalle joins up the very first morning after war is declared his actions in the war lead to him being awarded a Silver Star medal and when he returns home on leave he is given a herorsquos welcome by the townspeople and the members of the Wreck Centrebull He never discuss his innermost reasons for
joining up Is it possible that his motives are similar to Francisbull Does his reputation as a war hero help him
do what he does to Nicole
QuotationsP 51 ldquoAs we were about to cheer his announcement he held up his handrdquoNone of that kidsIrsquom just doing what millions of others are doingrdquo
P56 ldquoA New England marine is one of the great heroes of Pacific action receiving the Silver Star ldquo
Larry - Courage
bull Is it courage that allows him to talk calmly to Francis to talk him out of becoming a murderer and to kill himself so that Francis has not failed
QuotationsP 83 ldquoSo lower your gun Francis One gun is enough for what has to be donerdquo
Larry ndash Physical Abilities
bull It is clear that Larry has admirable physical abilities He is an excellent sportsman and a dancer who is compared to Fred Astaire Whatever the kids in the Wreck Centre do he can usually do it betterbull His appearance and physical abilities
are things which inspire admiration and hero worship in others
QuotationsP 29 ldquo Had the borad shoulders of an athlete and the narrow hips of a dancer He swung the bat with authority He was also a dancer with a touch of Fred Astaire in his walk his feet barely touching the floorrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull The first thing about Larry that Francis describes is his appearance It is not accidental that he compares him to a film star Film stars are actors ndash so is Larry to the extent that his physical appearance conceals what he really is
Quotations
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull Itrsquos ironic that Larryrsquos illness removes his physical attractiveness at the endbull Is this a sign of his sins catching up with
him
Quotations
P78 ldquoHe is pale eyes sunk into the sockets And he seems fragile now as if caught in an old photograph that has faded and yellowed with agerdquo
Larryrsquos Inspirational Qualitiesbull Larry consistently has the ability to
inspire the children around him to want to do more and to learn things and become things You can argue that for MOST of the children at the Wreck Centre he makes them better people bull Even at the end he is trying to make
sure that Francis doesnrsquot do the wrong thing by becoming a murderer
Quotations
P31 ldquoHe tamed the notorious school bully Butch Bartoneau convincing him that he could sing Under Larry LaSallersquos guidance Edna Beauchene tall and gawky and shy became the hit of the showrdquo
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Types of Love in Heroesbull Francisrsquos love for Nicole is highly romanticised ndash his first meeting with her is compared
to a knight kneeling at the feet of a saint He can barely get up the courage to speak to her although they do eventually go out and their relationship is sweet and innocentbull Later in the army he is motivated by both his love for her which has never gone away
and his guilt about his failure to help her when she was attacked During the war his love and desire for forgiveness turns into the only thing that makes his life worthwhile From the first chapter where he says lsquoit would always be Nicole Renardrsquo to the penultimate one where he tells us the reason he went to see Nicole was to see if she could still be his girl lsquowhich could maybe change my mind about the gun in my duffel bagrsquo This is verging on the obsessional and Francis realises as he talks to Nicole that the love they had ended a long time agobull There is the hero-worship the teens feel for LaSalle before the war and then that the
town feels for the returning heroes The scrapbook the reception for LaSalle and the toasting of the Silver Star heroes in the St Jude Club all evidence this kind of love and the need to find something or someone to admire to make life seem better
Types of love in Heroesbull Much of what LaSalle did for the kids of Frenchtown and Francis in
particular could be described as loving he makes Francis a more confident teenager and continues trying to make him feel better about himself even after Francis has threatened to kill him LaSalle also describes his sexual desire for young girls (lsquosweet young thingsrsquo) as love He says lsquowe love our sins We love the thing that makes us evilrsquo This is a darker side to what lsquoloversquo can mean to different peoplebull There is an element of brotherly or fraternal love in Francisrsquos memories of
his fellow soldiers in his remembrance of them every night His sacrifice of throwing himself on the grenade could also be seen as a loving one ndash certainly LaSalle thinks that Francisrsquos instinct was to save his fellow soldiers not to kill himself There is a sense in which all the veterans are bound together by their experiences which forms a kind of brotherly bond between them
Revenge and Forgiveness
bull Francis is intent on taking revenge on Larry LaSalle rather than forgiving him He does not offer any forgiveness when LaSalle asks if his one evil act can erase all the good he did Francis coldly tells him to lsquoask Nicolersquo However he does allow LaSalle to redeem himself a little by letting him take his own life Is Francisrsquos drive to revenge more about LaSallersquos guilt or his own
Guilt and forgiveness
bull Francis is driven by the need to find forgiveness for having let Nicole down by leaving her alone with LaSalle The guilt of the action and the fact that she blamed him for it are almost overwhelming He wants to die and closes lsquodoors to the futurersquo because he doesnrsquot feel he deserves either recognition as a hero or to live
Larry and Forgiveness
bull Ironically LaSalle gives Francis a measure of forgiveness when he tells him that he couldnrsquot have stopped the rape ndash he was just a lsquochildrsquo
Nicole and Forgiveness
bull Nicole offers Francis forgiveness in a very understated way As it turns out she regrets blaming him for the rape and tried to tell him so many years ago but he had already left for the army It is somewhat of an anti-climax but the real person he needs forgiveness from is himself
Francis and Concealment
bull Francis arrives in Frenchtown with his face wrapped up and concealed On one level hersquos hiding his injuries from sight to stop them horrifying others like they did the small boy in London who cried The idea of a face wrapped up in bandages recalls horror films of the early part of the twentieth century It may deliberately recall the image of the Invisible Manbull Hersquos also concealing his identity ndash he lies to Mrs Belander about how
he knows her name and the wrappings conceal whatever might be recognised Francis is therefore able to walk around town completely unrecognised except as a war veteran
Larry and Concealment
bull Larry LaSalle also has a secret concealed in his past ndash the mysterious reason as to why he had left his showbiz career to become a youth worker We never find out what this reason is but it is implied by LaSallersquos referring to lsquosweet young thingsrsquo in the plural in his last encounter with Francis that it was for something similar to his rape of Nicole In the beginning this mystery seems attractive adding to his lsquoglamourrsquo
Novel structure
bull This theme is exemplified by the structure of the novel which weaves the three timelines together Cormier uses foreshadowing extensively to create tension in the novel ndash such as when Francis tells us in the first chapter that he has lsquojust prayed for the man [he is] going to killrsquo Then he gradually reveals different morsels of information about Francisrsquos war experience and the pre-war life in Frenchtown
Psychological Disfigurement
bull Francisrsquo physical disfigurement is more obvious than his psychological problems but these are still very serious Francis is already a shy and fragile individual before the war through the loss of his parents What happens to Nicole inflicts terrible guilt upon him and he develops a lsquodeath-wishrsquo which means he joins the army in order to diebull His experiences in the army killing boys no older than himself traumatize
him further bull He returns to Frenchtown obsessed with the idea of killing Larry LaSalle with
not thought for the future and only his desire for revenge to keep him goingbull He seems unwilling or unable to enter into relationships with other people
now
Obsession
bull Francis spends the whole book waiting for LaSallersquos return to Frenchtown so that he can seek revenge Yet when the moment comes his hand is shaking and he is overwhelmed In the end LaSalle takes his own life ndash but it seems unlikely that Francis could actually have gone through with it despite his plans and protestationsbull He does do his best to ensure that he has no future by burning the
contact details of his friend from the hospital in England and of the doctor who says he will repair his face He calls this lsquoclosing doors to the futurersquo He seems to be doing this to leave himself no option but to go through with this plan Hope returns to the novel in the final chapter when he thinks about tracking them down again
Isolation
bull Francis feels he has to keep his identity secret because of what he is planning to do But you also get the idea this is how he wants it to be anyway There is a huge contrast between him and the other veterans in the St Judersquos Club ndash he clearly doesnrsquot fit Itrsquos ironic that he is actually still too young to drink in the St Judersquos Club bull It is worth noting that everyone Francis ever loves in the book ndash his
parents ndash his Uncle ndash Nicole and even Larry are either dead or beyond his reach by the end of the book
Francis and Larry1
bull Francisrsquo feelings for Larry are complicated The first thing he tells us about Larry is that he has come back to Frenchtown to kill himbull Yet when he first describes Larry
there is more than an element of hero worshipbull Larry is everything Francis isnrsquot but
would like to be ndash confident full of skills and charisma and attractive
QuotationsP 6 ldquoI am filled with guilt and shame knowing that I just prayed for the man I am going to killrdquo
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Francis and Larry2
bull He feels gratitude for Larry making him a champion through the table tennis However he also feels jealousy at Larryrsquos physical intimacy with Nicole when they are dancing
QuotationsP 42 ldquothen caught her pressing her close their faces almost touching their lips only an inch or so from a kissrdquo
Francis and Larry3
bull Larry understands Francisrsquo feelings of gratitude and his inability to stand up to him and he uses these to manipulate Francis on the night that he rapes Nicole
QuotationsP 66 ldquoI saw Larry raising his eyebrows at me the way he looked at me when I made a stupid move at table tennis Get going rdquo
Francis and Larry4
bull Larry turns out to have had no idea of how his rape of Nicole would affect Francis bull In the end he tries to help Francis
come to terms with his own feelings of guiltbull He cannot come to terms with losing
Francisrsquo respect
QuotationsP 81 ldquoOh Francis yoursquore too hard on yourself You couldnrsquot have stopped me anyway Francis You were just a childrdquo
P82 ldquoDonrsquot look at me like that If I could have one thing it would be to have you look at me again the way you did at the Wreck Centre When I was the big hero you say I wasrdquo
Francis and Larry5
bull In the end Larry does the one thing he can do for Francis which is to save him from having to either pull the trigger and become a murderer ro to fail in his mission by letting Francis know that he is about to kill himself bull Does this make him Francisrsquo real hero
after all
QuotationsP 84 rdquoDownstairs at last after what seems like a long time I pause at the outside door The sound of a pistol shot cracks the airrdquo
Larry LaSalle
Heroic qualities
His past
Relationships His death
Physical appearence
Physical abilities
Courage ndash silver star
Ability to inspire others
Dark hints and rumours Stage career
What he tells Francis
Other people
Francis
NicoleDisease Motives
Suicide
Hero or Villain
Larry - Courage
bull LaSalle joins up the very first morning after war is declared his actions in the war lead to him being awarded a Silver Star medal and when he returns home on leave he is given a herorsquos welcome by the townspeople and the members of the Wreck Centrebull He never discuss his innermost reasons for
joining up Is it possible that his motives are similar to Francisbull Does his reputation as a war hero help him
do what he does to Nicole
QuotationsP 51 ldquoAs we were about to cheer his announcement he held up his handrdquoNone of that kidsIrsquom just doing what millions of others are doingrdquo
P56 ldquoA New England marine is one of the great heroes of Pacific action receiving the Silver Star ldquo
Larry - Courage
bull Is it courage that allows him to talk calmly to Francis to talk him out of becoming a murderer and to kill himself so that Francis has not failed
QuotationsP 83 ldquoSo lower your gun Francis One gun is enough for what has to be donerdquo
Larry ndash Physical Abilities
bull It is clear that Larry has admirable physical abilities He is an excellent sportsman and a dancer who is compared to Fred Astaire Whatever the kids in the Wreck Centre do he can usually do it betterbull His appearance and physical abilities
are things which inspire admiration and hero worship in others
QuotationsP 29 ldquo Had the borad shoulders of an athlete and the narrow hips of a dancer He swung the bat with authority He was also a dancer with a touch of Fred Astaire in his walk his feet barely touching the floorrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull The first thing about Larry that Francis describes is his appearance It is not accidental that he compares him to a film star Film stars are actors ndash so is Larry to the extent that his physical appearance conceals what he really is
Quotations
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull Itrsquos ironic that Larryrsquos illness removes his physical attractiveness at the endbull Is this a sign of his sins catching up with
him
Quotations
P78 ldquoHe is pale eyes sunk into the sockets And he seems fragile now as if caught in an old photograph that has faded and yellowed with agerdquo
Larryrsquos Inspirational Qualitiesbull Larry consistently has the ability to
inspire the children around him to want to do more and to learn things and become things You can argue that for MOST of the children at the Wreck Centre he makes them better people bull Even at the end he is trying to make
sure that Francis doesnrsquot do the wrong thing by becoming a murderer
Quotations
P31 ldquoHe tamed the notorious school bully Butch Bartoneau convincing him that he could sing Under Larry LaSallersquos guidance Edna Beauchene tall and gawky and shy became the hit of the showrdquo
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Types of love in Heroesbull Much of what LaSalle did for the kids of Frenchtown and Francis in
particular could be described as loving he makes Francis a more confident teenager and continues trying to make him feel better about himself even after Francis has threatened to kill him LaSalle also describes his sexual desire for young girls (lsquosweet young thingsrsquo) as love He says lsquowe love our sins We love the thing that makes us evilrsquo This is a darker side to what lsquoloversquo can mean to different peoplebull There is an element of brotherly or fraternal love in Francisrsquos memories of
his fellow soldiers in his remembrance of them every night His sacrifice of throwing himself on the grenade could also be seen as a loving one ndash certainly LaSalle thinks that Francisrsquos instinct was to save his fellow soldiers not to kill himself There is a sense in which all the veterans are bound together by their experiences which forms a kind of brotherly bond between them
Revenge and Forgiveness
bull Francis is intent on taking revenge on Larry LaSalle rather than forgiving him He does not offer any forgiveness when LaSalle asks if his one evil act can erase all the good he did Francis coldly tells him to lsquoask Nicolersquo However he does allow LaSalle to redeem himself a little by letting him take his own life Is Francisrsquos drive to revenge more about LaSallersquos guilt or his own
Guilt and forgiveness
bull Francis is driven by the need to find forgiveness for having let Nicole down by leaving her alone with LaSalle The guilt of the action and the fact that she blamed him for it are almost overwhelming He wants to die and closes lsquodoors to the futurersquo because he doesnrsquot feel he deserves either recognition as a hero or to live
Larry and Forgiveness
bull Ironically LaSalle gives Francis a measure of forgiveness when he tells him that he couldnrsquot have stopped the rape ndash he was just a lsquochildrsquo
Nicole and Forgiveness
bull Nicole offers Francis forgiveness in a very understated way As it turns out she regrets blaming him for the rape and tried to tell him so many years ago but he had already left for the army It is somewhat of an anti-climax but the real person he needs forgiveness from is himself
Francis and Concealment
bull Francis arrives in Frenchtown with his face wrapped up and concealed On one level hersquos hiding his injuries from sight to stop them horrifying others like they did the small boy in London who cried The idea of a face wrapped up in bandages recalls horror films of the early part of the twentieth century It may deliberately recall the image of the Invisible Manbull Hersquos also concealing his identity ndash he lies to Mrs Belander about how
he knows her name and the wrappings conceal whatever might be recognised Francis is therefore able to walk around town completely unrecognised except as a war veteran
Larry and Concealment
bull Larry LaSalle also has a secret concealed in his past ndash the mysterious reason as to why he had left his showbiz career to become a youth worker We never find out what this reason is but it is implied by LaSallersquos referring to lsquosweet young thingsrsquo in the plural in his last encounter with Francis that it was for something similar to his rape of Nicole In the beginning this mystery seems attractive adding to his lsquoglamourrsquo
Novel structure
bull This theme is exemplified by the structure of the novel which weaves the three timelines together Cormier uses foreshadowing extensively to create tension in the novel ndash such as when Francis tells us in the first chapter that he has lsquojust prayed for the man [he is] going to killrsquo Then he gradually reveals different morsels of information about Francisrsquos war experience and the pre-war life in Frenchtown
Psychological Disfigurement
bull Francisrsquo physical disfigurement is more obvious than his psychological problems but these are still very serious Francis is already a shy and fragile individual before the war through the loss of his parents What happens to Nicole inflicts terrible guilt upon him and he develops a lsquodeath-wishrsquo which means he joins the army in order to diebull His experiences in the army killing boys no older than himself traumatize
him further bull He returns to Frenchtown obsessed with the idea of killing Larry LaSalle with
not thought for the future and only his desire for revenge to keep him goingbull He seems unwilling or unable to enter into relationships with other people
now
Obsession
bull Francis spends the whole book waiting for LaSallersquos return to Frenchtown so that he can seek revenge Yet when the moment comes his hand is shaking and he is overwhelmed In the end LaSalle takes his own life ndash but it seems unlikely that Francis could actually have gone through with it despite his plans and protestationsbull He does do his best to ensure that he has no future by burning the
contact details of his friend from the hospital in England and of the doctor who says he will repair his face He calls this lsquoclosing doors to the futurersquo He seems to be doing this to leave himself no option but to go through with this plan Hope returns to the novel in the final chapter when he thinks about tracking them down again
Isolation
bull Francis feels he has to keep his identity secret because of what he is planning to do But you also get the idea this is how he wants it to be anyway There is a huge contrast between him and the other veterans in the St Judersquos Club ndash he clearly doesnrsquot fit Itrsquos ironic that he is actually still too young to drink in the St Judersquos Club bull It is worth noting that everyone Francis ever loves in the book ndash his
parents ndash his Uncle ndash Nicole and even Larry are either dead or beyond his reach by the end of the book
Francis and Larry1
bull Francisrsquo feelings for Larry are complicated The first thing he tells us about Larry is that he has come back to Frenchtown to kill himbull Yet when he first describes Larry
there is more than an element of hero worshipbull Larry is everything Francis isnrsquot but
would like to be ndash confident full of skills and charisma and attractive
QuotationsP 6 ldquoI am filled with guilt and shame knowing that I just prayed for the man I am going to killrdquo
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Francis and Larry2
bull He feels gratitude for Larry making him a champion through the table tennis However he also feels jealousy at Larryrsquos physical intimacy with Nicole when they are dancing
QuotationsP 42 ldquothen caught her pressing her close their faces almost touching their lips only an inch or so from a kissrdquo
Francis and Larry3
bull Larry understands Francisrsquo feelings of gratitude and his inability to stand up to him and he uses these to manipulate Francis on the night that he rapes Nicole
QuotationsP 66 ldquoI saw Larry raising his eyebrows at me the way he looked at me when I made a stupid move at table tennis Get going rdquo
Francis and Larry4
bull Larry turns out to have had no idea of how his rape of Nicole would affect Francis bull In the end he tries to help Francis
come to terms with his own feelings of guiltbull He cannot come to terms with losing
Francisrsquo respect
QuotationsP 81 ldquoOh Francis yoursquore too hard on yourself You couldnrsquot have stopped me anyway Francis You were just a childrdquo
P82 ldquoDonrsquot look at me like that If I could have one thing it would be to have you look at me again the way you did at the Wreck Centre When I was the big hero you say I wasrdquo
Francis and Larry5
bull In the end Larry does the one thing he can do for Francis which is to save him from having to either pull the trigger and become a murderer ro to fail in his mission by letting Francis know that he is about to kill himself bull Does this make him Francisrsquo real hero
after all
QuotationsP 84 rdquoDownstairs at last after what seems like a long time I pause at the outside door The sound of a pistol shot cracks the airrdquo
Larry LaSalle
Heroic qualities
His past
Relationships His death
Physical appearence
Physical abilities
Courage ndash silver star
Ability to inspire others
Dark hints and rumours Stage career
What he tells Francis
Other people
Francis
NicoleDisease Motives
Suicide
Hero or Villain
Larry - Courage
bull LaSalle joins up the very first morning after war is declared his actions in the war lead to him being awarded a Silver Star medal and when he returns home on leave he is given a herorsquos welcome by the townspeople and the members of the Wreck Centrebull He never discuss his innermost reasons for
joining up Is it possible that his motives are similar to Francisbull Does his reputation as a war hero help him
do what he does to Nicole
QuotationsP 51 ldquoAs we were about to cheer his announcement he held up his handrdquoNone of that kidsIrsquom just doing what millions of others are doingrdquo
P56 ldquoA New England marine is one of the great heroes of Pacific action receiving the Silver Star ldquo
Larry - Courage
bull Is it courage that allows him to talk calmly to Francis to talk him out of becoming a murderer and to kill himself so that Francis has not failed
QuotationsP 83 ldquoSo lower your gun Francis One gun is enough for what has to be donerdquo
Larry ndash Physical Abilities
bull It is clear that Larry has admirable physical abilities He is an excellent sportsman and a dancer who is compared to Fred Astaire Whatever the kids in the Wreck Centre do he can usually do it betterbull His appearance and physical abilities
are things which inspire admiration and hero worship in others
QuotationsP 29 ldquo Had the borad shoulders of an athlete and the narrow hips of a dancer He swung the bat with authority He was also a dancer with a touch of Fred Astaire in his walk his feet barely touching the floorrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull The first thing about Larry that Francis describes is his appearance It is not accidental that he compares him to a film star Film stars are actors ndash so is Larry to the extent that his physical appearance conceals what he really is
Quotations
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull Itrsquos ironic that Larryrsquos illness removes his physical attractiveness at the endbull Is this a sign of his sins catching up with
him
Quotations
P78 ldquoHe is pale eyes sunk into the sockets And he seems fragile now as if caught in an old photograph that has faded and yellowed with agerdquo
Larryrsquos Inspirational Qualitiesbull Larry consistently has the ability to
inspire the children around him to want to do more and to learn things and become things You can argue that for MOST of the children at the Wreck Centre he makes them better people bull Even at the end he is trying to make
sure that Francis doesnrsquot do the wrong thing by becoming a murderer
Quotations
P31 ldquoHe tamed the notorious school bully Butch Bartoneau convincing him that he could sing Under Larry LaSallersquos guidance Edna Beauchene tall and gawky and shy became the hit of the showrdquo
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Revenge and Forgiveness
bull Francis is intent on taking revenge on Larry LaSalle rather than forgiving him He does not offer any forgiveness when LaSalle asks if his one evil act can erase all the good he did Francis coldly tells him to lsquoask Nicolersquo However he does allow LaSalle to redeem himself a little by letting him take his own life Is Francisrsquos drive to revenge more about LaSallersquos guilt or his own
Guilt and forgiveness
bull Francis is driven by the need to find forgiveness for having let Nicole down by leaving her alone with LaSalle The guilt of the action and the fact that she blamed him for it are almost overwhelming He wants to die and closes lsquodoors to the futurersquo because he doesnrsquot feel he deserves either recognition as a hero or to live
Larry and Forgiveness
bull Ironically LaSalle gives Francis a measure of forgiveness when he tells him that he couldnrsquot have stopped the rape ndash he was just a lsquochildrsquo
Nicole and Forgiveness
bull Nicole offers Francis forgiveness in a very understated way As it turns out she regrets blaming him for the rape and tried to tell him so many years ago but he had already left for the army It is somewhat of an anti-climax but the real person he needs forgiveness from is himself
Francis and Concealment
bull Francis arrives in Frenchtown with his face wrapped up and concealed On one level hersquos hiding his injuries from sight to stop them horrifying others like they did the small boy in London who cried The idea of a face wrapped up in bandages recalls horror films of the early part of the twentieth century It may deliberately recall the image of the Invisible Manbull Hersquos also concealing his identity ndash he lies to Mrs Belander about how
he knows her name and the wrappings conceal whatever might be recognised Francis is therefore able to walk around town completely unrecognised except as a war veteran
Larry and Concealment
bull Larry LaSalle also has a secret concealed in his past ndash the mysterious reason as to why he had left his showbiz career to become a youth worker We never find out what this reason is but it is implied by LaSallersquos referring to lsquosweet young thingsrsquo in the plural in his last encounter with Francis that it was for something similar to his rape of Nicole In the beginning this mystery seems attractive adding to his lsquoglamourrsquo
Novel structure
bull This theme is exemplified by the structure of the novel which weaves the three timelines together Cormier uses foreshadowing extensively to create tension in the novel ndash such as when Francis tells us in the first chapter that he has lsquojust prayed for the man [he is] going to killrsquo Then he gradually reveals different morsels of information about Francisrsquos war experience and the pre-war life in Frenchtown
Psychological Disfigurement
bull Francisrsquo physical disfigurement is more obvious than his psychological problems but these are still very serious Francis is already a shy and fragile individual before the war through the loss of his parents What happens to Nicole inflicts terrible guilt upon him and he develops a lsquodeath-wishrsquo which means he joins the army in order to diebull His experiences in the army killing boys no older than himself traumatize
him further bull He returns to Frenchtown obsessed with the idea of killing Larry LaSalle with
not thought for the future and only his desire for revenge to keep him goingbull He seems unwilling or unable to enter into relationships with other people
now
Obsession
bull Francis spends the whole book waiting for LaSallersquos return to Frenchtown so that he can seek revenge Yet when the moment comes his hand is shaking and he is overwhelmed In the end LaSalle takes his own life ndash but it seems unlikely that Francis could actually have gone through with it despite his plans and protestationsbull He does do his best to ensure that he has no future by burning the
contact details of his friend from the hospital in England and of the doctor who says he will repair his face He calls this lsquoclosing doors to the futurersquo He seems to be doing this to leave himself no option but to go through with this plan Hope returns to the novel in the final chapter when he thinks about tracking them down again
Isolation
bull Francis feels he has to keep his identity secret because of what he is planning to do But you also get the idea this is how he wants it to be anyway There is a huge contrast between him and the other veterans in the St Judersquos Club ndash he clearly doesnrsquot fit Itrsquos ironic that he is actually still too young to drink in the St Judersquos Club bull It is worth noting that everyone Francis ever loves in the book ndash his
parents ndash his Uncle ndash Nicole and even Larry are either dead or beyond his reach by the end of the book
Francis and Larry1
bull Francisrsquo feelings for Larry are complicated The first thing he tells us about Larry is that he has come back to Frenchtown to kill himbull Yet when he first describes Larry
there is more than an element of hero worshipbull Larry is everything Francis isnrsquot but
would like to be ndash confident full of skills and charisma and attractive
QuotationsP 6 ldquoI am filled with guilt and shame knowing that I just prayed for the man I am going to killrdquo
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Francis and Larry2
bull He feels gratitude for Larry making him a champion through the table tennis However he also feels jealousy at Larryrsquos physical intimacy with Nicole when they are dancing
QuotationsP 42 ldquothen caught her pressing her close their faces almost touching their lips only an inch or so from a kissrdquo
Francis and Larry3
bull Larry understands Francisrsquo feelings of gratitude and his inability to stand up to him and he uses these to manipulate Francis on the night that he rapes Nicole
QuotationsP 66 ldquoI saw Larry raising his eyebrows at me the way he looked at me when I made a stupid move at table tennis Get going rdquo
Francis and Larry4
bull Larry turns out to have had no idea of how his rape of Nicole would affect Francis bull In the end he tries to help Francis
come to terms with his own feelings of guiltbull He cannot come to terms with losing
Francisrsquo respect
QuotationsP 81 ldquoOh Francis yoursquore too hard on yourself You couldnrsquot have stopped me anyway Francis You were just a childrdquo
P82 ldquoDonrsquot look at me like that If I could have one thing it would be to have you look at me again the way you did at the Wreck Centre When I was the big hero you say I wasrdquo
Francis and Larry5
bull In the end Larry does the one thing he can do for Francis which is to save him from having to either pull the trigger and become a murderer ro to fail in his mission by letting Francis know that he is about to kill himself bull Does this make him Francisrsquo real hero
after all
QuotationsP 84 rdquoDownstairs at last after what seems like a long time I pause at the outside door The sound of a pistol shot cracks the airrdquo
Larry LaSalle
Heroic qualities
His past
Relationships His death
Physical appearence
Physical abilities
Courage ndash silver star
Ability to inspire others
Dark hints and rumours Stage career
What he tells Francis
Other people
Francis
NicoleDisease Motives
Suicide
Hero or Villain
Larry - Courage
bull LaSalle joins up the very first morning after war is declared his actions in the war lead to him being awarded a Silver Star medal and when he returns home on leave he is given a herorsquos welcome by the townspeople and the members of the Wreck Centrebull He never discuss his innermost reasons for
joining up Is it possible that his motives are similar to Francisbull Does his reputation as a war hero help him
do what he does to Nicole
QuotationsP 51 ldquoAs we were about to cheer his announcement he held up his handrdquoNone of that kidsIrsquom just doing what millions of others are doingrdquo
P56 ldquoA New England marine is one of the great heroes of Pacific action receiving the Silver Star ldquo
Larry - Courage
bull Is it courage that allows him to talk calmly to Francis to talk him out of becoming a murderer and to kill himself so that Francis has not failed
QuotationsP 83 ldquoSo lower your gun Francis One gun is enough for what has to be donerdquo
Larry ndash Physical Abilities
bull It is clear that Larry has admirable physical abilities He is an excellent sportsman and a dancer who is compared to Fred Astaire Whatever the kids in the Wreck Centre do he can usually do it betterbull His appearance and physical abilities
are things which inspire admiration and hero worship in others
QuotationsP 29 ldquo Had the borad shoulders of an athlete and the narrow hips of a dancer He swung the bat with authority He was also a dancer with a touch of Fred Astaire in his walk his feet barely touching the floorrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull The first thing about Larry that Francis describes is his appearance It is not accidental that he compares him to a film star Film stars are actors ndash so is Larry to the extent that his physical appearance conceals what he really is
Quotations
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull Itrsquos ironic that Larryrsquos illness removes his physical attractiveness at the endbull Is this a sign of his sins catching up with
him
Quotations
P78 ldquoHe is pale eyes sunk into the sockets And he seems fragile now as if caught in an old photograph that has faded and yellowed with agerdquo
Larryrsquos Inspirational Qualitiesbull Larry consistently has the ability to
inspire the children around him to want to do more and to learn things and become things You can argue that for MOST of the children at the Wreck Centre he makes them better people bull Even at the end he is trying to make
sure that Francis doesnrsquot do the wrong thing by becoming a murderer
Quotations
P31 ldquoHe tamed the notorious school bully Butch Bartoneau convincing him that he could sing Under Larry LaSallersquos guidance Edna Beauchene tall and gawky and shy became the hit of the showrdquo
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Guilt and forgiveness
bull Francis is driven by the need to find forgiveness for having let Nicole down by leaving her alone with LaSalle The guilt of the action and the fact that she blamed him for it are almost overwhelming He wants to die and closes lsquodoors to the futurersquo because he doesnrsquot feel he deserves either recognition as a hero or to live
Larry and Forgiveness
bull Ironically LaSalle gives Francis a measure of forgiveness when he tells him that he couldnrsquot have stopped the rape ndash he was just a lsquochildrsquo
Nicole and Forgiveness
bull Nicole offers Francis forgiveness in a very understated way As it turns out she regrets blaming him for the rape and tried to tell him so many years ago but he had already left for the army It is somewhat of an anti-climax but the real person he needs forgiveness from is himself
Francis and Concealment
bull Francis arrives in Frenchtown with his face wrapped up and concealed On one level hersquos hiding his injuries from sight to stop them horrifying others like they did the small boy in London who cried The idea of a face wrapped up in bandages recalls horror films of the early part of the twentieth century It may deliberately recall the image of the Invisible Manbull Hersquos also concealing his identity ndash he lies to Mrs Belander about how
he knows her name and the wrappings conceal whatever might be recognised Francis is therefore able to walk around town completely unrecognised except as a war veteran
Larry and Concealment
bull Larry LaSalle also has a secret concealed in his past ndash the mysterious reason as to why he had left his showbiz career to become a youth worker We never find out what this reason is but it is implied by LaSallersquos referring to lsquosweet young thingsrsquo in the plural in his last encounter with Francis that it was for something similar to his rape of Nicole In the beginning this mystery seems attractive adding to his lsquoglamourrsquo
Novel structure
bull This theme is exemplified by the structure of the novel which weaves the three timelines together Cormier uses foreshadowing extensively to create tension in the novel ndash such as when Francis tells us in the first chapter that he has lsquojust prayed for the man [he is] going to killrsquo Then he gradually reveals different morsels of information about Francisrsquos war experience and the pre-war life in Frenchtown
Psychological Disfigurement
bull Francisrsquo physical disfigurement is more obvious than his psychological problems but these are still very serious Francis is already a shy and fragile individual before the war through the loss of his parents What happens to Nicole inflicts terrible guilt upon him and he develops a lsquodeath-wishrsquo which means he joins the army in order to diebull His experiences in the army killing boys no older than himself traumatize
him further bull He returns to Frenchtown obsessed with the idea of killing Larry LaSalle with
not thought for the future and only his desire for revenge to keep him goingbull He seems unwilling or unable to enter into relationships with other people
now
Obsession
bull Francis spends the whole book waiting for LaSallersquos return to Frenchtown so that he can seek revenge Yet when the moment comes his hand is shaking and he is overwhelmed In the end LaSalle takes his own life ndash but it seems unlikely that Francis could actually have gone through with it despite his plans and protestationsbull He does do his best to ensure that he has no future by burning the
contact details of his friend from the hospital in England and of the doctor who says he will repair his face He calls this lsquoclosing doors to the futurersquo He seems to be doing this to leave himself no option but to go through with this plan Hope returns to the novel in the final chapter when he thinks about tracking them down again
Isolation
bull Francis feels he has to keep his identity secret because of what he is planning to do But you also get the idea this is how he wants it to be anyway There is a huge contrast between him and the other veterans in the St Judersquos Club ndash he clearly doesnrsquot fit Itrsquos ironic that he is actually still too young to drink in the St Judersquos Club bull It is worth noting that everyone Francis ever loves in the book ndash his
parents ndash his Uncle ndash Nicole and even Larry are either dead or beyond his reach by the end of the book
Francis and Larry1
bull Francisrsquo feelings for Larry are complicated The first thing he tells us about Larry is that he has come back to Frenchtown to kill himbull Yet when he first describes Larry
there is more than an element of hero worshipbull Larry is everything Francis isnrsquot but
would like to be ndash confident full of skills and charisma and attractive
QuotationsP 6 ldquoI am filled with guilt and shame knowing that I just prayed for the man I am going to killrdquo
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Francis and Larry2
bull He feels gratitude for Larry making him a champion through the table tennis However he also feels jealousy at Larryrsquos physical intimacy with Nicole when they are dancing
QuotationsP 42 ldquothen caught her pressing her close their faces almost touching their lips only an inch or so from a kissrdquo
Francis and Larry3
bull Larry understands Francisrsquo feelings of gratitude and his inability to stand up to him and he uses these to manipulate Francis on the night that he rapes Nicole
QuotationsP 66 ldquoI saw Larry raising his eyebrows at me the way he looked at me when I made a stupid move at table tennis Get going rdquo
Francis and Larry4
bull Larry turns out to have had no idea of how his rape of Nicole would affect Francis bull In the end he tries to help Francis
come to terms with his own feelings of guiltbull He cannot come to terms with losing
Francisrsquo respect
QuotationsP 81 ldquoOh Francis yoursquore too hard on yourself You couldnrsquot have stopped me anyway Francis You were just a childrdquo
P82 ldquoDonrsquot look at me like that If I could have one thing it would be to have you look at me again the way you did at the Wreck Centre When I was the big hero you say I wasrdquo
Francis and Larry5
bull In the end Larry does the one thing he can do for Francis which is to save him from having to either pull the trigger and become a murderer ro to fail in his mission by letting Francis know that he is about to kill himself bull Does this make him Francisrsquo real hero
after all
QuotationsP 84 rdquoDownstairs at last after what seems like a long time I pause at the outside door The sound of a pistol shot cracks the airrdquo
Larry LaSalle
Heroic qualities
His past
Relationships His death
Physical appearence
Physical abilities
Courage ndash silver star
Ability to inspire others
Dark hints and rumours Stage career
What he tells Francis
Other people
Francis
NicoleDisease Motives
Suicide
Hero or Villain
Larry - Courage
bull LaSalle joins up the very first morning after war is declared his actions in the war lead to him being awarded a Silver Star medal and when he returns home on leave he is given a herorsquos welcome by the townspeople and the members of the Wreck Centrebull He never discuss his innermost reasons for
joining up Is it possible that his motives are similar to Francisbull Does his reputation as a war hero help him
do what he does to Nicole
QuotationsP 51 ldquoAs we were about to cheer his announcement he held up his handrdquoNone of that kidsIrsquom just doing what millions of others are doingrdquo
P56 ldquoA New England marine is one of the great heroes of Pacific action receiving the Silver Star ldquo
Larry - Courage
bull Is it courage that allows him to talk calmly to Francis to talk him out of becoming a murderer and to kill himself so that Francis has not failed
QuotationsP 83 ldquoSo lower your gun Francis One gun is enough for what has to be donerdquo
Larry ndash Physical Abilities
bull It is clear that Larry has admirable physical abilities He is an excellent sportsman and a dancer who is compared to Fred Astaire Whatever the kids in the Wreck Centre do he can usually do it betterbull His appearance and physical abilities
are things which inspire admiration and hero worship in others
QuotationsP 29 ldquo Had the borad shoulders of an athlete and the narrow hips of a dancer He swung the bat with authority He was also a dancer with a touch of Fred Astaire in his walk his feet barely touching the floorrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull The first thing about Larry that Francis describes is his appearance It is not accidental that he compares him to a film star Film stars are actors ndash so is Larry to the extent that his physical appearance conceals what he really is
Quotations
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull Itrsquos ironic that Larryrsquos illness removes his physical attractiveness at the endbull Is this a sign of his sins catching up with
him
Quotations
P78 ldquoHe is pale eyes sunk into the sockets And he seems fragile now as if caught in an old photograph that has faded and yellowed with agerdquo
Larryrsquos Inspirational Qualitiesbull Larry consistently has the ability to
inspire the children around him to want to do more and to learn things and become things You can argue that for MOST of the children at the Wreck Centre he makes them better people bull Even at the end he is trying to make
sure that Francis doesnrsquot do the wrong thing by becoming a murderer
Quotations
P31 ldquoHe tamed the notorious school bully Butch Bartoneau convincing him that he could sing Under Larry LaSallersquos guidance Edna Beauchene tall and gawky and shy became the hit of the showrdquo
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Larry and Forgiveness
bull Ironically LaSalle gives Francis a measure of forgiveness when he tells him that he couldnrsquot have stopped the rape ndash he was just a lsquochildrsquo
Nicole and Forgiveness
bull Nicole offers Francis forgiveness in a very understated way As it turns out she regrets blaming him for the rape and tried to tell him so many years ago but he had already left for the army It is somewhat of an anti-climax but the real person he needs forgiveness from is himself
Francis and Concealment
bull Francis arrives in Frenchtown with his face wrapped up and concealed On one level hersquos hiding his injuries from sight to stop them horrifying others like they did the small boy in London who cried The idea of a face wrapped up in bandages recalls horror films of the early part of the twentieth century It may deliberately recall the image of the Invisible Manbull Hersquos also concealing his identity ndash he lies to Mrs Belander about how
he knows her name and the wrappings conceal whatever might be recognised Francis is therefore able to walk around town completely unrecognised except as a war veteran
Larry and Concealment
bull Larry LaSalle also has a secret concealed in his past ndash the mysterious reason as to why he had left his showbiz career to become a youth worker We never find out what this reason is but it is implied by LaSallersquos referring to lsquosweet young thingsrsquo in the plural in his last encounter with Francis that it was for something similar to his rape of Nicole In the beginning this mystery seems attractive adding to his lsquoglamourrsquo
Novel structure
bull This theme is exemplified by the structure of the novel which weaves the three timelines together Cormier uses foreshadowing extensively to create tension in the novel ndash such as when Francis tells us in the first chapter that he has lsquojust prayed for the man [he is] going to killrsquo Then he gradually reveals different morsels of information about Francisrsquos war experience and the pre-war life in Frenchtown
Psychological Disfigurement
bull Francisrsquo physical disfigurement is more obvious than his psychological problems but these are still very serious Francis is already a shy and fragile individual before the war through the loss of his parents What happens to Nicole inflicts terrible guilt upon him and he develops a lsquodeath-wishrsquo which means he joins the army in order to diebull His experiences in the army killing boys no older than himself traumatize
him further bull He returns to Frenchtown obsessed with the idea of killing Larry LaSalle with
not thought for the future and only his desire for revenge to keep him goingbull He seems unwilling or unable to enter into relationships with other people
now
Obsession
bull Francis spends the whole book waiting for LaSallersquos return to Frenchtown so that he can seek revenge Yet when the moment comes his hand is shaking and he is overwhelmed In the end LaSalle takes his own life ndash but it seems unlikely that Francis could actually have gone through with it despite his plans and protestationsbull He does do his best to ensure that he has no future by burning the
contact details of his friend from the hospital in England and of the doctor who says he will repair his face He calls this lsquoclosing doors to the futurersquo He seems to be doing this to leave himself no option but to go through with this plan Hope returns to the novel in the final chapter when he thinks about tracking them down again
Isolation
bull Francis feels he has to keep his identity secret because of what he is planning to do But you also get the idea this is how he wants it to be anyway There is a huge contrast between him and the other veterans in the St Judersquos Club ndash he clearly doesnrsquot fit Itrsquos ironic that he is actually still too young to drink in the St Judersquos Club bull It is worth noting that everyone Francis ever loves in the book ndash his
parents ndash his Uncle ndash Nicole and even Larry are either dead or beyond his reach by the end of the book
Francis and Larry1
bull Francisrsquo feelings for Larry are complicated The first thing he tells us about Larry is that he has come back to Frenchtown to kill himbull Yet when he first describes Larry
there is more than an element of hero worshipbull Larry is everything Francis isnrsquot but
would like to be ndash confident full of skills and charisma and attractive
QuotationsP 6 ldquoI am filled with guilt and shame knowing that I just prayed for the man I am going to killrdquo
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Francis and Larry2
bull He feels gratitude for Larry making him a champion through the table tennis However he also feels jealousy at Larryrsquos physical intimacy with Nicole when they are dancing
QuotationsP 42 ldquothen caught her pressing her close their faces almost touching their lips only an inch or so from a kissrdquo
Francis and Larry3
bull Larry understands Francisrsquo feelings of gratitude and his inability to stand up to him and he uses these to manipulate Francis on the night that he rapes Nicole
QuotationsP 66 ldquoI saw Larry raising his eyebrows at me the way he looked at me when I made a stupid move at table tennis Get going rdquo
Francis and Larry4
bull Larry turns out to have had no idea of how his rape of Nicole would affect Francis bull In the end he tries to help Francis
come to terms with his own feelings of guiltbull He cannot come to terms with losing
Francisrsquo respect
QuotationsP 81 ldquoOh Francis yoursquore too hard on yourself You couldnrsquot have stopped me anyway Francis You were just a childrdquo
P82 ldquoDonrsquot look at me like that If I could have one thing it would be to have you look at me again the way you did at the Wreck Centre When I was the big hero you say I wasrdquo
Francis and Larry5
bull In the end Larry does the one thing he can do for Francis which is to save him from having to either pull the trigger and become a murderer ro to fail in his mission by letting Francis know that he is about to kill himself bull Does this make him Francisrsquo real hero
after all
QuotationsP 84 rdquoDownstairs at last after what seems like a long time I pause at the outside door The sound of a pistol shot cracks the airrdquo
Larry LaSalle
Heroic qualities
His past
Relationships His death
Physical appearence
Physical abilities
Courage ndash silver star
Ability to inspire others
Dark hints and rumours Stage career
What he tells Francis
Other people
Francis
NicoleDisease Motives
Suicide
Hero or Villain
Larry - Courage
bull LaSalle joins up the very first morning after war is declared his actions in the war lead to him being awarded a Silver Star medal and when he returns home on leave he is given a herorsquos welcome by the townspeople and the members of the Wreck Centrebull He never discuss his innermost reasons for
joining up Is it possible that his motives are similar to Francisbull Does his reputation as a war hero help him
do what he does to Nicole
QuotationsP 51 ldquoAs we were about to cheer his announcement he held up his handrdquoNone of that kidsIrsquom just doing what millions of others are doingrdquo
P56 ldquoA New England marine is one of the great heroes of Pacific action receiving the Silver Star ldquo
Larry - Courage
bull Is it courage that allows him to talk calmly to Francis to talk him out of becoming a murderer and to kill himself so that Francis has not failed
QuotationsP 83 ldquoSo lower your gun Francis One gun is enough for what has to be donerdquo
Larry ndash Physical Abilities
bull It is clear that Larry has admirable physical abilities He is an excellent sportsman and a dancer who is compared to Fred Astaire Whatever the kids in the Wreck Centre do he can usually do it betterbull His appearance and physical abilities
are things which inspire admiration and hero worship in others
QuotationsP 29 ldquo Had the borad shoulders of an athlete and the narrow hips of a dancer He swung the bat with authority He was also a dancer with a touch of Fred Astaire in his walk his feet barely touching the floorrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull The first thing about Larry that Francis describes is his appearance It is not accidental that he compares him to a film star Film stars are actors ndash so is Larry to the extent that his physical appearance conceals what he really is
Quotations
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull Itrsquos ironic that Larryrsquos illness removes his physical attractiveness at the endbull Is this a sign of his sins catching up with
him
Quotations
P78 ldquoHe is pale eyes sunk into the sockets And he seems fragile now as if caught in an old photograph that has faded and yellowed with agerdquo
Larryrsquos Inspirational Qualitiesbull Larry consistently has the ability to
inspire the children around him to want to do more and to learn things and become things You can argue that for MOST of the children at the Wreck Centre he makes them better people bull Even at the end he is trying to make
sure that Francis doesnrsquot do the wrong thing by becoming a murderer
Quotations
P31 ldquoHe tamed the notorious school bully Butch Bartoneau convincing him that he could sing Under Larry LaSallersquos guidance Edna Beauchene tall and gawky and shy became the hit of the showrdquo
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Nicole and Forgiveness
bull Nicole offers Francis forgiveness in a very understated way As it turns out she regrets blaming him for the rape and tried to tell him so many years ago but he had already left for the army It is somewhat of an anti-climax but the real person he needs forgiveness from is himself
Francis and Concealment
bull Francis arrives in Frenchtown with his face wrapped up and concealed On one level hersquos hiding his injuries from sight to stop them horrifying others like they did the small boy in London who cried The idea of a face wrapped up in bandages recalls horror films of the early part of the twentieth century It may deliberately recall the image of the Invisible Manbull Hersquos also concealing his identity ndash he lies to Mrs Belander about how
he knows her name and the wrappings conceal whatever might be recognised Francis is therefore able to walk around town completely unrecognised except as a war veteran
Larry and Concealment
bull Larry LaSalle also has a secret concealed in his past ndash the mysterious reason as to why he had left his showbiz career to become a youth worker We never find out what this reason is but it is implied by LaSallersquos referring to lsquosweet young thingsrsquo in the plural in his last encounter with Francis that it was for something similar to his rape of Nicole In the beginning this mystery seems attractive adding to his lsquoglamourrsquo
Novel structure
bull This theme is exemplified by the structure of the novel which weaves the three timelines together Cormier uses foreshadowing extensively to create tension in the novel ndash such as when Francis tells us in the first chapter that he has lsquojust prayed for the man [he is] going to killrsquo Then he gradually reveals different morsels of information about Francisrsquos war experience and the pre-war life in Frenchtown
Psychological Disfigurement
bull Francisrsquo physical disfigurement is more obvious than his psychological problems but these are still very serious Francis is already a shy and fragile individual before the war through the loss of his parents What happens to Nicole inflicts terrible guilt upon him and he develops a lsquodeath-wishrsquo which means he joins the army in order to diebull His experiences in the army killing boys no older than himself traumatize
him further bull He returns to Frenchtown obsessed with the idea of killing Larry LaSalle with
not thought for the future and only his desire for revenge to keep him goingbull He seems unwilling or unable to enter into relationships with other people
now
Obsession
bull Francis spends the whole book waiting for LaSallersquos return to Frenchtown so that he can seek revenge Yet when the moment comes his hand is shaking and he is overwhelmed In the end LaSalle takes his own life ndash but it seems unlikely that Francis could actually have gone through with it despite his plans and protestationsbull He does do his best to ensure that he has no future by burning the
contact details of his friend from the hospital in England and of the doctor who says he will repair his face He calls this lsquoclosing doors to the futurersquo He seems to be doing this to leave himself no option but to go through with this plan Hope returns to the novel in the final chapter when he thinks about tracking them down again
Isolation
bull Francis feels he has to keep his identity secret because of what he is planning to do But you also get the idea this is how he wants it to be anyway There is a huge contrast between him and the other veterans in the St Judersquos Club ndash he clearly doesnrsquot fit Itrsquos ironic that he is actually still too young to drink in the St Judersquos Club bull It is worth noting that everyone Francis ever loves in the book ndash his
parents ndash his Uncle ndash Nicole and even Larry are either dead or beyond his reach by the end of the book
Francis and Larry1
bull Francisrsquo feelings for Larry are complicated The first thing he tells us about Larry is that he has come back to Frenchtown to kill himbull Yet when he first describes Larry
there is more than an element of hero worshipbull Larry is everything Francis isnrsquot but
would like to be ndash confident full of skills and charisma and attractive
QuotationsP 6 ldquoI am filled with guilt and shame knowing that I just prayed for the man I am going to killrdquo
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Francis and Larry2
bull He feels gratitude for Larry making him a champion through the table tennis However he also feels jealousy at Larryrsquos physical intimacy with Nicole when they are dancing
QuotationsP 42 ldquothen caught her pressing her close their faces almost touching their lips only an inch or so from a kissrdquo
Francis and Larry3
bull Larry understands Francisrsquo feelings of gratitude and his inability to stand up to him and he uses these to manipulate Francis on the night that he rapes Nicole
QuotationsP 66 ldquoI saw Larry raising his eyebrows at me the way he looked at me when I made a stupid move at table tennis Get going rdquo
Francis and Larry4
bull Larry turns out to have had no idea of how his rape of Nicole would affect Francis bull In the end he tries to help Francis
come to terms with his own feelings of guiltbull He cannot come to terms with losing
Francisrsquo respect
QuotationsP 81 ldquoOh Francis yoursquore too hard on yourself You couldnrsquot have stopped me anyway Francis You were just a childrdquo
P82 ldquoDonrsquot look at me like that If I could have one thing it would be to have you look at me again the way you did at the Wreck Centre When I was the big hero you say I wasrdquo
Francis and Larry5
bull In the end Larry does the one thing he can do for Francis which is to save him from having to either pull the trigger and become a murderer ro to fail in his mission by letting Francis know that he is about to kill himself bull Does this make him Francisrsquo real hero
after all
QuotationsP 84 rdquoDownstairs at last after what seems like a long time I pause at the outside door The sound of a pistol shot cracks the airrdquo
Larry LaSalle
Heroic qualities
His past
Relationships His death
Physical appearence
Physical abilities
Courage ndash silver star
Ability to inspire others
Dark hints and rumours Stage career
What he tells Francis
Other people
Francis
NicoleDisease Motives
Suicide
Hero or Villain
Larry - Courage
bull LaSalle joins up the very first morning after war is declared his actions in the war lead to him being awarded a Silver Star medal and when he returns home on leave he is given a herorsquos welcome by the townspeople and the members of the Wreck Centrebull He never discuss his innermost reasons for
joining up Is it possible that his motives are similar to Francisbull Does his reputation as a war hero help him
do what he does to Nicole
QuotationsP 51 ldquoAs we were about to cheer his announcement he held up his handrdquoNone of that kidsIrsquom just doing what millions of others are doingrdquo
P56 ldquoA New England marine is one of the great heroes of Pacific action receiving the Silver Star ldquo
Larry - Courage
bull Is it courage that allows him to talk calmly to Francis to talk him out of becoming a murderer and to kill himself so that Francis has not failed
QuotationsP 83 ldquoSo lower your gun Francis One gun is enough for what has to be donerdquo
Larry ndash Physical Abilities
bull It is clear that Larry has admirable physical abilities He is an excellent sportsman and a dancer who is compared to Fred Astaire Whatever the kids in the Wreck Centre do he can usually do it betterbull His appearance and physical abilities
are things which inspire admiration and hero worship in others
QuotationsP 29 ldquo Had the borad shoulders of an athlete and the narrow hips of a dancer He swung the bat with authority He was also a dancer with a touch of Fred Astaire in his walk his feet barely touching the floorrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull The first thing about Larry that Francis describes is his appearance It is not accidental that he compares him to a film star Film stars are actors ndash so is Larry to the extent that his physical appearance conceals what he really is
Quotations
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull Itrsquos ironic that Larryrsquos illness removes his physical attractiveness at the endbull Is this a sign of his sins catching up with
him
Quotations
P78 ldquoHe is pale eyes sunk into the sockets And he seems fragile now as if caught in an old photograph that has faded and yellowed with agerdquo
Larryrsquos Inspirational Qualitiesbull Larry consistently has the ability to
inspire the children around him to want to do more and to learn things and become things You can argue that for MOST of the children at the Wreck Centre he makes them better people bull Even at the end he is trying to make
sure that Francis doesnrsquot do the wrong thing by becoming a murderer
Quotations
P31 ldquoHe tamed the notorious school bully Butch Bartoneau convincing him that he could sing Under Larry LaSallersquos guidance Edna Beauchene tall and gawky and shy became the hit of the showrdquo
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Francis and Concealment
bull Francis arrives in Frenchtown with his face wrapped up and concealed On one level hersquos hiding his injuries from sight to stop them horrifying others like they did the small boy in London who cried The idea of a face wrapped up in bandages recalls horror films of the early part of the twentieth century It may deliberately recall the image of the Invisible Manbull Hersquos also concealing his identity ndash he lies to Mrs Belander about how
he knows her name and the wrappings conceal whatever might be recognised Francis is therefore able to walk around town completely unrecognised except as a war veteran
Larry and Concealment
bull Larry LaSalle also has a secret concealed in his past ndash the mysterious reason as to why he had left his showbiz career to become a youth worker We never find out what this reason is but it is implied by LaSallersquos referring to lsquosweet young thingsrsquo in the plural in his last encounter with Francis that it was for something similar to his rape of Nicole In the beginning this mystery seems attractive adding to his lsquoglamourrsquo
Novel structure
bull This theme is exemplified by the structure of the novel which weaves the three timelines together Cormier uses foreshadowing extensively to create tension in the novel ndash such as when Francis tells us in the first chapter that he has lsquojust prayed for the man [he is] going to killrsquo Then he gradually reveals different morsels of information about Francisrsquos war experience and the pre-war life in Frenchtown
Psychological Disfigurement
bull Francisrsquo physical disfigurement is more obvious than his psychological problems but these are still very serious Francis is already a shy and fragile individual before the war through the loss of his parents What happens to Nicole inflicts terrible guilt upon him and he develops a lsquodeath-wishrsquo which means he joins the army in order to diebull His experiences in the army killing boys no older than himself traumatize
him further bull He returns to Frenchtown obsessed with the idea of killing Larry LaSalle with
not thought for the future and only his desire for revenge to keep him goingbull He seems unwilling or unable to enter into relationships with other people
now
Obsession
bull Francis spends the whole book waiting for LaSallersquos return to Frenchtown so that he can seek revenge Yet when the moment comes his hand is shaking and he is overwhelmed In the end LaSalle takes his own life ndash but it seems unlikely that Francis could actually have gone through with it despite his plans and protestationsbull He does do his best to ensure that he has no future by burning the
contact details of his friend from the hospital in England and of the doctor who says he will repair his face He calls this lsquoclosing doors to the futurersquo He seems to be doing this to leave himself no option but to go through with this plan Hope returns to the novel in the final chapter when he thinks about tracking them down again
Isolation
bull Francis feels he has to keep his identity secret because of what he is planning to do But you also get the idea this is how he wants it to be anyway There is a huge contrast between him and the other veterans in the St Judersquos Club ndash he clearly doesnrsquot fit Itrsquos ironic that he is actually still too young to drink in the St Judersquos Club bull It is worth noting that everyone Francis ever loves in the book ndash his
parents ndash his Uncle ndash Nicole and even Larry are either dead or beyond his reach by the end of the book
Francis and Larry1
bull Francisrsquo feelings for Larry are complicated The first thing he tells us about Larry is that he has come back to Frenchtown to kill himbull Yet when he first describes Larry
there is more than an element of hero worshipbull Larry is everything Francis isnrsquot but
would like to be ndash confident full of skills and charisma and attractive
QuotationsP 6 ldquoI am filled with guilt and shame knowing that I just prayed for the man I am going to killrdquo
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Francis and Larry2
bull He feels gratitude for Larry making him a champion through the table tennis However he also feels jealousy at Larryrsquos physical intimacy with Nicole when they are dancing
QuotationsP 42 ldquothen caught her pressing her close their faces almost touching their lips only an inch or so from a kissrdquo
Francis and Larry3
bull Larry understands Francisrsquo feelings of gratitude and his inability to stand up to him and he uses these to manipulate Francis on the night that he rapes Nicole
QuotationsP 66 ldquoI saw Larry raising his eyebrows at me the way he looked at me when I made a stupid move at table tennis Get going rdquo
Francis and Larry4
bull Larry turns out to have had no idea of how his rape of Nicole would affect Francis bull In the end he tries to help Francis
come to terms with his own feelings of guiltbull He cannot come to terms with losing
Francisrsquo respect
QuotationsP 81 ldquoOh Francis yoursquore too hard on yourself You couldnrsquot have stopped me anyway Francis You were just a childrdquo
P82 ldquoDonrsquot look at me like that If I could have one thing it would be to have you look at me again the way you did at the Wreck Centre When I was the big hero you say I wasrdquo
Francis and Larry5
bull In the end Larry does the one thing he can do for Francis which is to save him from having to either pull the trigger and become a murderer ro to fail in his mission by letting Francis know that he is about to kill himself bull Does this make him Francisrsquo real hero
after all
QuotationsP 84 rdquoDownstairs at last after what seems like a long time I pause at the outside door The sound of a pistol shot cracks the airrdquo
Larry LaSalle
Heroic qualities
His past
Relationships His death
Physical appearence
Physical abilities
Courage ndash silver star
Ability to inspire others
Dark hints and rumours Stage career
What he tells Francis
Other people
Francis
NicoleDisease Motives
Suicide
Hero or Villain
Larry - Courage
bull LaSalle joins up the very first morning after war is declared his actions in the war lead to him being awarded a Silver Star medal and when he returns home on leave he is given a herorsquos welcome by the townspeople and the members of the Wreck Centrebull He never discuss his innermost reasons for
joining up Is it possible that his motives are similar to Francisbull Does his reputation as a war hero help him
do what he does to Nicole
QuotationsP 51 ldquoAs we were about to cheer his announcement he held up his handrdquoNone of that kidsIrsquom just doing what millions of others are doingrdquo
P56 ldquoA New England marine is one of the great heroes of Pacific action receiving the Silver Star ldquo
Larry - Courage
bull Is it courage that allows him to talk calmly to Francis to talk him out of becoming a murderer and to kill himself so that Francis has not failed
QuotationsP 83 ldquoSo lower your gun Francis One gun is enough for what has to be donerdquo
Larry ndash Physical Abilities
bull It is clear that Larry has admirable physical abilities He is an excellent sportsman and a dancer who is compared to Fred Astaire Whatever the kids in the Wreck Centre do he can usually do it betterbull His appearance and physical abilities
are things which inspire admiration and hero worship in others
QuotationsP 29 ldquo Had the borad shoulders of an athlete and the narrow hips of a dancer He swung the bat with authority He was also a dancer with a touch of Fred Astaire in his walk his feet barely touching the floorrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull The first thing about Larry that Francis describes is his appearance It is not accidental that he compares him to a film star Film stars are actors ndash so is Larry to the extent that his physical appearance conceals what he really is
Quotations
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull Itrsquos ironic that Larryrsquos illness removes his physical attractiveness at the endbull Is this a sign of his sins catching up with
him
Quotations
P78 ldquoHe is pale eyes sunk into the sockets And he seems fragile now as if caught in an old photograph that has faded and yellowed with agerdquo
Larryrsquos Inspirational Qualitiesbull Larry consistently has the ability to
inspire the children around him to want to do more and to learn things and become things You can argue that for MOST of the children at the Wreck Centre he makes them better people bull Even at the end he is trying to make
sure that Francis doesnrsquot do the wrong thing by becoming a murderer
Quotations
P31 ldquoHe tamed the notorious school bully Butch Bartoneau convincing him that he could sing Under Larry LaSallersquos guidance Edna Beauchene tall and gawky and shy became the hit of the showrdquo
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Larry and Concealment
bull Larry LaSalle also has a secret concealed in his past ndash the mysterious reason as to why he had left his showbiz career to become a youth worker We never find out what this reason is but it is implied by LaSallersquos referring to lsquosweet young thingsrsquo in the plural in his last encounter with Francis that it was for something similar to his rape of Nicole In the beginning this mystery seems attractive adding to his lsquoglamourrsquo
Novel structure
bull This theme is exemplified by the structure of the novel which weaves the three timelines together Cormier uses foreshadowing extensively to create tension in the novel ndash such as when Francis tells us in the first chapter that he has lsquojust prayed for the man [he is] going to killrsquo Then he gradually reveals different morsels of information about Francisrsquos war experience and the pre-war life in Frenchtown
Psychological Disfigurement
bull Francisrsquo physical disfigurement is more obvious than his psychological problems but these are still very serious Francis is already a shy and fragile individual before the war through the loss of his parents What happens to Nicole inflicts terrible guilt upon him and he develops a lsquodeath-wishrsquo which means he joins the army in order to diebull His experiences in the army killing boys no older than himself traumatize
him further bull He returns to Frenchtown obsessed with the idea of killing Larry LaSalle with
not thought for the future and only his desire for revenge to keep him goingbull He seems unwilling or unable to enter into relationships with other people
now
Obsession
bull Francis spends the whole book waiting for LaSallersquos return to Frenchtown so that he can seek revenge Yet when the moment comes his hand is shaking and he is overwhelmed In the end LaSalle takes his own life ndash but it seems unlikely that Francis could actually have gone through with it despite his plans and protestationsbull He does do his best to ensure that he has no future by burning the
contact details of his friend from the hospital in England and of the doctor who says he will repair his face He calls this lsquoclosing doors to the futurersquo He seems to be doing this to leave himself no option but to go through with this plan Hope returns to the novel in the final chapter when he thinks about tracking them down again
Isolation
bull Francis feels he has to keep his identity secret because of what he is planning to do But you also get the idea this is how he wants it to be anyway There is a huge contrast between him and the other veterans in the St Judersquos Club ndash he clearly doesnrsquot fit Itrsquos ironic that he is actually still too young to drink in the St Judersquos Club bull It is worth noting that everyone Francis ever loves in the book ndash his
parents ndash his Uncle ndash Nicole and even Larry are either dead or beyond his reach by the end of the book
Francis and Larry1
bull Francisrsquo feelings for Larry are complicated The first thing he tells us about Larry is that he has come back to Frenchtown to kill himbull Yet when he first describes Larry
there is more than an element of hero worshipbull Larry is everything Francis isnrsquot but
would like to be ndash confident full of skills and charisma and attractive
QuotationsP 6 ldquoI am filled with guilt and shame knowing that I just prayed for the man I am going to killrdquo
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Francis and Larry2
bull He feels gratitude for Larry making him a champion through the table tennis However he also feels jealousy at Larryrsquos physical intimacy with Nicole when they are dancing
QuotationsP 42 ldquothen caught her pressing her close their faces almost touching their lips only an inch or so from a kissrdquo
Francis and Larry3
bull Larry understands Francisrsquo feelings of gratitude and his inability to stand up to him and he uses these to manipulate Francis on the night that he rapes Nicole
QuotationsP 66 ldquoI saw Larry raising his eyebrows at me the way he looked at me when I made a stupid move at table tennis Get going rdquo
Francis and Larry4
bull Larry turns out to have had no idea of how his rape of Nicole would affect Francis bull In the end he tries to help Francis
come to terms with his own feelings of guiltbull He cannot come to terms with losing
Francisrsquo respect
QuotationsP 81 ldquoOh Francis yoursquore too hard on yourself You couldnrsquot have stopped me anyway Francis You were just a childrdquo
P82 ldquoDonrsquot look at me like that If I could have one thing it would be to have you look at me again the way you did at the Wreck Centre When I was the big hero you say I wasrdquo
Francis and Larry5
bull In the end Larry does the one thing he can do for Francis which is to save him from having to either pull the trigger and become a murderer ro to fail in his mission by letting Francis know that he is about to kill himself bull Does this make him Francisrsquo real hero
after all
QuotationsP 84 rdquoDownstairs at last after what seems like a long time I pause at the outside door The sound of a pistol shot cracks the airrdquo
Larry LaSalle
Heroic qualities
His past
Relationships His death
Physical appearence
Physical abilities
Courage ndash silver star
Ability to inspire others
Dark hints and rumours Stage career
What he tells Francis
Other people
Francis
NicoleDisease Motives
Suicide
Hero or Villain
Larry - Courage
bull LaSalle joins up the very first morning after war is declared his actions in the war lead to him being awarded a Silver Star medal and when he returns home on leave he is given a herorsquos welcome by the townspeople and the members of the Wreck Centrebull He never discuss his innermost reasons for
joining up Is it possible that his motives are similar to Francisbull Does his reputation as a war hero help him
do what he does to Nicole
QuotationsP 51 ldquoAs we were about to cheer his announcement he held up his handrdquoNone of that kidsIrsquom just doing what millions of others are doingrdquo
P56 ldquoA New England marine is one of the great heroes of Pacific action receiving the Silver Star ldquo
Larry - Courage
bull Is it courage that allows him to talk calmly to Francis to talk him out of becoming a murderer and to kill himself so that Francis has not failed
QuotationsP 83 ldquoSo lower your gun Francis One gun is enough for what has to be donerdquo
Larry ndash Physical Abilities
bull It is clear that Larry has admirable physical abilities He is an excellent sportsman and a dancer who is compared to Fred Astaire Whatever the kids in the Wreck Centre do he can usually do it betterbull His appearance and physical abilities
are things which inspire admiration and hero worship in others
QuotationsP 29 ldquo Had the borad shoulders of an athlete and the narrow hips of a dancer He swung the bat with authority He was also a dancer with a touch of Fred Astaire in his walk his feet barely touching the floorrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull The first thing about Larry that Francis describes is his appearance It is not accidental that he compares him to a film star Film stars are actors ndash so is Larry to the extent that his physical appearance conceals what he really is
Quotations
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull Itrsquos ironic that Larryrsquos illness removes his physical attractiveness at the endbull Is this a sign of his sins catching up with
him
Quotations
P78 ldquoHe is pale eyes sunk into the sockets And he seems fragile now as if caught in an old photograph that has faded and yellowed with agerdquo
Larryrsquos Inspirational Qualitiesbull Larry consistently has the ability to
inspire the children around him to want to do more and to learn things and become things You can argue that for MOST of the children at the Wreck Centre he makes them better people bull Even at the end he is trying to make
sure that Francis doesnrsquot do the wrong thing by becoming a murderer
Quotations
P31 ldquoHe tamed the notorious school bully Butch Bartoneau convincing him that he could sing Under Larry LaSallersquos guidance Edna Beauchene tall and gawky and shy became the hit of the showrdquo
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Novel structure
bull This theme is exemplified by the structure of the novel which weaves the three timelines together Cormier uses foreshadowing extensively to create tension in the novel ndash such as when Francis tells us in the first chapter that he has lsquojust prayed for the man [he is] going to killrsquo Then he gradually reveals different morsels of information about Francisrsquos war experience and the pre-war life in Frenchtown
Psychological Disfigurement
bull Francisrsquo physical disfigurement is more obvious than his psychological problems but these are still very serious Francis is already a shy and fragile individual before the war through the loss of his parents What happens to Nicole inflicts terrible guilt upon him and he develops a lsquodeath-wishrsquo which means he joins the army in order to diebull His experiences in the army killing boys no older than himself traumatize
him further bull He returns to Frenchtown obsessed with the idea of killing Larry LaSalle with
not thought for the future and only his desire for revenge to keep him goingbull He seems unwilling or unable to enter into relationships with other people
now
Obsession
bull Francis spends the whole book waiting for LaSallersquos return to Frenchtown so that he can seek revenge Yet when the moment comes his hand is shaking and he is overwhelmed In the end LaSalle takes his own life ndash but it seems unlikely that Francis could actually have gone through with it despite his plans and protestationsbull He does do his best to ensure that he has no future by burning the
contact details of his friend from the hospital in England and of the doctor who says he will repair his face He calls this lsquoclosing doors to the futurersquo He seems to be doing this to leave himself no option but to go through with this plan Hope returns to the novel in the final chapter when he thinks about tracking them down again
Isolation
bull Francis feels he has to keep his identity secret because of what he is planning to do But you also get the idea this is how he wants it to be anyway There is a huge contrast between him and the other veterans in the St Judersquos Club ndash he clearly doesnrsquot fit Itrsquos ironic that he is actually still too young to drink in the St Judersquos Club bull It is worth noting that everyone Francis ever loves in the book ndash his
parents ndash his Uncle ndash Nicole and even Larry are either dead or beyond his reach by the end of the book
Francis and Larry1
bull Francisrsquo feelings for Larry are complicated The first thing he tells us about Larry is that he has come back to Frenchtown to kill himbull Yet when he first describes Larry
there is more than an element of hero worshipbull Larry is everything Francis isnrsquot but
would like to be ndash confident full of skills and charisma and attractive
QuotationsP 6 ldquoI am filled with guilt and shame knowing that I just prayed for the man I am going to killrdquo
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Francis and Larry2
bull He feels gratitude for Larry making him a champion through the table tennis However he also feels jealousy at Larryrsquos physical intimacy with Nicole when they are dancing
QuotationsP 42 ldquothen caught her pressing her close their faces almost touching their lips only an inch or so from a kissrdquo
Francis and Larry3
bull Larry understands Francisrsquo feelings of gratitude and his inability to stand up to him and he uses these to manipulate Francis on the night that he rapes Nicole
QuotationsP 66 ldquoI saw Larry raising his eyebrows at me the way he looked at me when I made a stupid move at table tennis Get going rdquo
Francis and Larry4
bull Larry turns out to have had no idea of how his rape of Nicole would affect Francis bull In the end he tries to help Francis
come to terms with his own feelings of guiltbull He cannot come to terms with losing
Francisrsquo respect
QuotationsP 81 ldquoOh Francis yoursquore too hard on yourself You couldnrsquot have stopped me anyway Francis You were just a childrdquo
P82 ldquoDonrsquot look at me like that If I could have one thing it would be to have you look at me again the way you did at the Wreck Centre When I was the big hero you say I wasrdquo
Francis and Larry5
bull In the end Larry does the one thing he can do for Francis which is to save him from having to either pull the trigger and become a murderer ro to fail in his mission by letting Francis know that he is about to kill himself bull Does this make him Francisrsquo real hero
after all
QuotationsP 84 rdquoDownstairs at last after what seems like a long time I pause at the outside door The sound of a pistol shot cracks the airrdquo
Larry LaSalle
Heroic qualities
His past
Relationships His death
Physical appearence
Physical abilities
Courage ndash silver star
Ability to inspire others
Dark hints and rumours Stage career
What he tells Francis
Other people
Francis
NicoleDisease Motives
Suicide
Hero or Villain
Larry - Courage
bull LaSalle joins up the very first morning after war is declared his actions in the war lead to him being awarded a Silver Star medal and when he returns home on leave he is given a herorsquos welcome by the townspeople and the members of the Wreck Centrebull He never discuss his innermost reasons for
joining up Is it possible that his motives are similar to Francisbull Does his reputation as a war hero help him
do what he does to Nicole
QuotationsP 51 ldquoAs we were about to cheer his announcement he held up his handrdquoNone of that kidsIrsquom just doing what millions of others are doingrdquo
P56 ldquoA New England marine is one of the great heroes of Pacific action receiving the Silver Star ldquo
Larry - Courage
bull Is it courage that allows him to talk calmly to Francis to talk him out of becoming a murderer and to kill himself so that Francis has not failed
QuotationsP 83 ldquoSo lower your gun Francis One gun is enough for what has to be donerdquo
Larry ndash Physical Abilities
bull It is clear that Larry has admirable physical abilities He is an excellent sportsman and a dancer who is compared to Fred Astaire Whatever the kids in the Wreck Centre do he can usually do it betterbull His appearance and physical abilities
are things which inspire admiration and hero worship in others
QuotationsP 29 ldquo Had the borad shoulders of an athlete and the narrow hips of a dancer He swung the bat with authority He was also a dancer with a touch of Fred Astaire in his walk his feet barely touching the floorrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull The first thing about Larry that Francis describes is his appearance It is not accidental that he compares him to a film star Film stars are actors ndash so is Larry to the extent that his physical appearance conceals what he really is
Quotations
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull Itrsquos ironic that Larryrsquos illness removes his physical attractiveness at the endbull Is this a sign of his sins catching up with
him
Quotations
P78 ldquoHe is pale eyes sunk into the sockets And he seems fragile now as if caught in an old photograph that has faded and yellowed with agerdquo
Larryrsquos Inspirational Qualitiesbull Larry consistently has the ability to
inspire the children around him to want to do more and to learn things and become things You can argue that for MOST of the children at the Wreck Centre he makes them better people bull Even at the end he is trying to make
sure that Francis doesnrsquot do the wrong thing by becoming a murderer
Quotations
P31 ldquoHe tamed the notorious school bully Butch Bartoneau convincing him that he could sing Under Larry LaSallersquos guidance Edna Beauchene tall and gawky and shy became the hit of the showrdquo
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Psychological Disfigurement
bull Francisrsquo physical disfigurement is more obvious than his psychological problems but these are still very serious Francis is already a shy and fragile individual before the war through the loss of his parents What happens to Nicole inflicts terrible guilt upon him and he develops a lsquodeath-wishrsquo which means he joins the army in order to diebull His experiences in the army killing boys no older than himself traumatize
him further bull He returns to Frenchtown obsessed with the idea of killing Larry LaSalle with
not thought for the future and only his desire for revenge to keep him goingbull He seems unwilling or unable to enter into relationships with other people
now
Obsession
bull Francis spends the whole book waiting for LaSallersquos return to Frenchtown so that he can seek revenge Yet when the moment comes his hand is shaking and he is overwhelmed In the end LaSalle takes his own life ndash but it seems unlikely that Francis could actually have gone through with it despite his plans and protestationsbull He does do his best to ensure that he has no future by burning the
contact details of his friend from the hospital in England and of the doctor who says he will repair his face He calls this lsquoclosing doors to the futurersquo He seems to be doing this to leave himself no option but to go through with this plan Hope returns to the novel in the final chapter when he thinks about tracking them down again
Isolation
bull Francis feels he has to keep his identity secret because of what he is planning to do But you also get the idea this is how he wants it to be anyway There is a huge contrast between him and the other veterans in the St Judersquos Club ndash he clearly doesnrsquot fit Itrsquos ironic that he is actually still too young to drink in the St Judersquos Club bull It is worth noting that everyone Francis ever loves in the book ndash his
parents ndash his Uncle ndash Nicole and even Larry are either dead or beyond his reach by the end of the book
Francis and Larry1
bull Francisrsquo feelings for Larry are complicated The first thing he tells us about Larry is that he has come back to Frenchtown to kill himbull Yet when he first describes Larry
there is more than an element of hero worshipbull Larry is everything Francis isnrsquot but
would like to be ndash confident full of skills and charisma and attractive
QuotationsP 6 ldquoI am filled with guilt and shame knowing that I just prayed for the man I am going to killrdquo
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Francis and Larry2
bull He feels gratitude for Larry making him a champion through the table tennis However he also feels jealousy at Larryrsquos physical intimacy with Nicole when they are dancing
QuotationsP 42 ldquothen caught her pressing her close their faces almost touching their lips only an inch or so from a kissrdquo
Francis and Larry3
bull Larry understands Francisrsquo feelings of gratitude and his inability to stand up to him and he uses these to manipulate Francis on the night that he rapes Nicole
QuotationsP 66 ldquoI saw Larry raising his eyebrows at me the way he looked at me when I made a stupid move at table tennis Get going rdquo
Francis and Larry4
bull Larry turns out to have had no idea of how his rape of Nicole would affect Francis bull In the end he tries to help Francis
come to terms with his own feelings of guiltbull He cannot come to terms with losing
Francisrsquo respect
QuotationsP 81 ldquoOh Francis yoursquore too hard on yourself You couldnrsquot have stopped me anyway Francis You were just a childrdquo
P82 ldquoDonrsquot look at me like that If I could have one thing it would be to have you look at me again the way you did at the Wreck Centre When I was the big hero you say I wasrdquo
Francis and Larry5
bull In the end Larry does the one thing he can do for Francis which is to save him from having to either pull the trigger and become a murderer ro to fail in his mission by letting Francis know that he is about to kill himself bull Does this make him Francisrsquo real hero
after all
QuotationsP 84 rdquoDownstairs at last after what seems like a long time I pause at the outside door The sound of a pistol shot cracks the airrdquo
Larry LaSalle
Heroic qualities
His past
Relationships His death
Physical appearence
Physical abilities
Courage ndash silver star
Ability to inspire others
Dark hints and rumours Stage career
What he tells Francis
Other people
Francis
NicoleDisease Motives
Suicide
Hero or Villain
Larry - Courage
bull LaSalle joins up the very first morning after war is declared his actions in the war lead to him being awarded a Silver Star medal and when he returns home on leave he is given a herorsquos welcome by the townspeople and the members of the Wreck Centrebull He never discuss his innermost reasons for
joining up Is it possible that his motives are similar to Francisbull Does his reputation as a war hero help him
do what he does to Nicole
QuotationsP 51 ldquoAs we were about to cheer his announcement he held up his handrdquoNone of that kidsIrsquom just doing what millions of others are doingrdquo
P56 ldquoA New England marine is one of the great heroes of Pacific action receiving the Silver Star ldquo
Larry - Courage
bull Is it courage that allows him to talk calmly to Francis to talk him out of becoming a murderer and to kill himself so that Francis has not failed
QuotationsP 83 ldquoSo lower your gun Francis One gun is enough for what has to be donerdquo
Larry ndash Physical Abilities
bull It is clear that Larry has admirable physical abilities He is an excellent sportsman and a dancer who is compared to Fred Astaire Whatever the kids in the Wreck Centre do he can usually do it betterbull His appearance and physical abilities
are things which inspire admiration and hero worship in others
QuotationsP 29 ldquo Had the borad shoulders of an athlete and the narrow hips of a dancer He swung the bat with authority He was also a dancer with a touch of Fred Astaire in his walk his feet barely touching the floorrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull The first thing about Larry that Francis describes is his appearance It is not accidental that he compares him to a film star Film stars are actors ndash so is Larry to the extent that his physical appearance conceals what he really is
Quotations
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull Itrsquos ironic that Larryrsquos illness removes his physical attractiveness at the endbull Is this a sign of his sins catching up with
him
Quotations
P78 ldquoHe is pale eyes sunk into the sockets And he seems fragile now as if caught in an old photograph that has faded and yellowed with agerdquo
Larryrsquos Inspirational Qualitiesbull Larry consistently has the ability to
inspire the children around him to want to do more and to learn things and become things You can argue that for MOST of the children at the Wreck Centre he makes them better people bull Even at the end he is trying to make
sure that Francis doesnrsquot do the wrong thing by becoming a murderer
Quotations
P31 ldquoHe tamed the notorious school bully Butch Bartoneau convincing him that he could sing Under Larry LaSallersquos guidance Edna Beauchene tall and gawky and shy became the hit of the showrdquo
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Obsession
bull Francis spends the whole book waiting for LaSallersquos return to Frenchtown so that he can seek revenge Yet when the moment comes his hand is shaking and he is overwhelmed In the end LaSalle takes his own life ndash but it seems unlikely that Francis could actually have gone through with it despite his plans and protestationsbull He does do his best to ensure that he has no future by burning the
contact details of his friend from the hospital in England and of the doctor who says he will repair his face He calls this lsquoclosing doors to the futurersquo He seems to be doing this to leave himself no option but to go through with this plan Hope returns to the novel in the final chapter when he thinks about tracking them down again
Isolation
bull Francis feels he has to keep his identity secret because of what he is planning to do But you also get the idea this is how he wants it to be anyway There is a huge contrast between him and the other veterans in the St Judersquos Club ndash he clearly doesnrsquot fit Itrsquos ironic that he is actually still too young to drink in the St Judersquos Club bull It is worth noting that everyone Francis ever loves in the book ndash his
parents ndash his Uncle ndash Nicole and even Larry are either dead or beyond his reach by the end of the book
Francis and Larry1
bull Francisrsquo feelings for Larry are complicated The first thing he tells us about Larry is that he has come back to Frenchtown to kill himbull Yet when he first describes Larry
there is more than an element of hero worshipbull Larry is everything Francis isnrsquot but
would like to be ndash confident full of skills and charisma and attractive
QuotationsP 6 ldquoI am filled with guilt and shame knowing that I just prayed for the man I am going to killrdquo
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Francis and Larry2
bull He feels gratitude for Larry making him a champion through the table tennis However he also feels jealousy at Larryrsquos physical intimacy with Nicole when they are dancing
QuotationsP 42 ldquothen caught her pressing her close their faces almost touching their lips only an inch or so from a kissrdquo
Francis and Larry3
bull Larry understands Francisrsquo feelings of gratitude and his inability to stand up to him and he uses these to manipulate Francis on the night that he rapes Nicole
QuotationsP 66 ldquoI saw Larry raising his eyebrows at me the way he looked at me when I made a stupid move at table tennis Get going rdquo
Francis and Larry4
bull Larry turns out to have had no idea of how his rape of Nicole would affect Francis bull In the end he tries to help Francis
come to terms with his own feelings of guiltbull He cannot come to terms with losing
Francisrsquo respect
QuotationsP 81 ldquoOh Francis yoursquore too hard on yourself You couldnrsquot have stopped me anyway Francis You were just a childrdquo
P82 ldquoDonrsquot look at me like that If I could have one thing it would be to have you look at me again the way you did at the Wreck Centre When I was the big hero you say I wasrdquo
Francis and Larry5
bull In the end Larry does the one thing he can do for Francis which is to save him from having to either pull the trigger and become a murderer ro to fail in his mission by letting Francis know that he is about to kill himself bull Does this make him Francisrsquo real hero
after all
QuotationsP 84 rdquoDownstairs at last after what seems like a long time I pause at the outside door The sound of a pistol shot cracks the airrdquo
Larry LaSalle
Heroic qualities
His past
Relationships His death
Physical appearence
Physical abilities
Courage ndash silver star
Ability to inspire others
Dark hints and rumours Stage career
What he tells Francis
Other people
Francis
NicoleDisease Motives
Suicide
Hero or Villain
Larry - Courage
bull LaSalle joins up the very first morning after war is declared his actions in the war lead to him being awarded a Silver Star medal and when he returns home on leave he is given a herorsquos welcome by the townspeople and the members of the Wreck Centrebull He never discuss his innermost reasons for
joining up Is it possible that his motives are similar to Francisbull Does his reputation as a war hero help him
do what he does to Nicole
QuotationsP 51 ldquoAs we were about to cheer his announcement he held up his handrdquoNone of that kidsIrsquom just doing what millions of others are doingrdquo
P56 ldquoA New England marine is one of the great heroes of Pacific action receiving the Silver Star ldquo
Larry - Courage
bull Is it courage that allows him to talk calmly to Francis to talk him out of becoming a murderer and to kill himself so that Francis has not failed
QuotationsP 83 ldquoSo lower your gun Francis One gun is enough for what has to be donerdquo
Larry ndash Physical Abilities
bull It is clear that Larry has admirable physical abilities He is an excellent sportsman and a dancer who is compared to Fred Astaire Whatever the kids in the Wreck Centre do he can usually do it betterbull His appearance and physical abilities
are things which inspire admiration and hero worship in others
QuotationsP 29 ldquo Had the borad shoulders of an athlete and the narrow hips of a dancer He swung the bat with authority He was also a dancer with a touch of Fred Astaire in his walk his feet barely touching the floorrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull The first thing about Larry that Francis describes is his appearance It is not accidental that he compares him to a film star Film stars are actors ndash so is Larry to the extent that his physical appearance conceals what he really is
Quotations
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull Itrsquos ironic that Larryrsquos illness removes his physical attractiveness at the endbull Is this a sign of his sins catching up with
him
Quotations
P78 ldquoHe is pale eyes sunk into the sockets And he seems fragile now as if caught in an old photograph that has faded and yellowed with agerdquo
Larryrsquos Inspirational Qualitiesbull Larry consistently has the ability to
inspire the children around him to want to do more and to learn things and become things You can argue that for MOST of the children at the Wreck Centre he makes them better people bull Even at the end he is trying to make
sure that Francis doesnrsquot do the wrong thing by becoming a murderer
Quotations
P31 ldquoHe tamed the notorious school bully Butch Bartoneau convincing him that he could sing Under Larry LaSallersquos guidance Edna Beauchene tall and gawky and shy became the hit of the showrdquo
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Isolation
bull Francis feels he has to keep his identity secret because of what he is planning to do But you also get the idea this is how he wants it to be anyway There is a huge contrast between him and the other veterans in the St Judersquos Club ndash he clearly doesnrsquot fit Itrsquos ironic that he is actually still too young to drink in the St Judersquos Club bull It is worth noting that everyone Francis ever loves in the book ndash his
parents ndash his Uncle ndash Nicole and even Larry are either dead or beyond his reach by the end of the book
Francis and Larry1
bull Francisrsquo feelings for Larry are complicated The first thing he tells us about Larry is that he has come back to Frenchtown to kill himbull Yet when he first describes Larry
there is more than an element of hero worshipbull Larry is everything Francis isnrsquot but
would like to be ndash confident full of skills and charisma and attractive
QuotationsP 6 ldquoI am filled with guilt and shame knowing that I just prayed for the man I am going to killrdquo
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Francis and Larry2
bull He feels gratitude for Larry making him a champion through the table tennis However he also feels jealousy at Larryrsquos physical intimacy with Nicole when they are dancing
QuotationsP 42 ldquothen caught her pressing her close their faces almost touching their lips only an inch or so from a kissrdquo
Francis and Larry3
bull Larry understands Francisrsquo feelings of gratitude and his inability to stand up to him and he uses these to manipulate Francis on the night that he rapes Nicole
QuotationsP 66 ldquoI saw Larry raising his eyebrows at me the way he looked at me when I made a stupid move at table tennis Get going rdquo
Francis and Larry4
bull Larry turns out to have had no idea of how his rape of Nicole would affect Francis bull In the end he tries to help Francis
come to terms with his own feelings of guiltbull He cannot come to terms with losing
Francisrsquo respect
QuotationsP 81 ldquoOh Francis yoursquore too hard on yourself You couldnrsquot have stopped me anyway Francis You were just a childrdquo
P82 ldquoDonrsquot look at me like that If I could have one thing it would be to have you look at me again the way you did at the Wreck Centre When I was the big hero you say I wasrdquo
Francis and Larry5
bull In the end Larry does the one thing he can do for Francis which is to save him from having to either pull the trigger and become a murderer ro to fail in his mission by letting Francis know that he is about to kill himself bull Does this make him Francisrsquo real hero
after all
QuotationsP 84 rdquoDownstairs at last after what seems like a long time I pause at the outside door The sound of a pistol shot cracks the airrdquo
Larry LaSalle
Heroic qualities
His past
Relationships His death
Physical appearence
Physical abilities
Courage ndash silver star
Ability to inspire others
Dark hints and rumours Stage career
What he tells Francis
Other people
Francis
NicoleDisease Motives
Suicide
Hero or Villain
Larry - Courage
bull LaSalle joins up the very first morning after war is declared his actions in the war lead to him being awarded a Silver Star medal and when he returns home on leave he is given a herorsquos welcome by the townspeople and the members of the Wreck Centrebull He never discuss his innermost reasons for
joining up Is it possible that his motives are similar to Francisbull Does his reputation as a war hero help him
do what he does to Nicole
QuotationsP 51 ldquoAs we were about to cheer his announcement he held up his handrdquoNone of that kidsIrsquom just doing what millions of others are doingrdquo
P56 ldquoA New England marine is one of the great heroes of Pacific action receiving the Silver Star ldquo
Larry - Courage
bull Is it courage that allows him to talk calmly to Francis to talk him out of becoming a murderer and to kill himself so that Francis has not failed
QuotationsP 83 ldquoSo lower your gun Francis One gun is enough for what has to be donerdquo
Larry ndash Physical Abilities
bull It is clear that Larry has admirable physical abilities He is an excellent sportsman and a dancer who is compared to Fred Astaire Whatever the kids in the Wreck Centre do he can usually do it betterbull His appearance and physical abilities
are things which inspire admiration and hero worship in others
QuotationsP 29 ldquo Had the borad shoulders of an athlete and the narrow hips of a dancer He swung the bat with authority He was also a dancer with a touch of Fred Astaire in his walk his feet barely touching the floorrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull The first thing about Larry that Francis describes is his appearance It is not accidental that he compares him to a film star Film stars are actors ndash so is Larry to the extent that his physical appearance conceals what he really is
Quotations
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull Itrsquos ironic that Larryrsquos illness removes his physical attractiveness at the endbull Is this a sign of his sins catching up with
him
Quotations
P78 ldquoHe is pale eyes sunk into the sockets And he seems fragile now as if caught in an old photograph that has faded and yellowed with agerdquo
Larryrsquos Inspirational Qualitiesbull Larry consistently has the ability to
inspire the children around him to want to do more and to learn things and become things You can argue that for MOST of the children at the Wreck Centre he makes them better people bull Even at the end he is trying to make
sure that Francis doesnrsquot do the wrong thing by becoming a murderer
Quotations
P31 ldquoHe tamed the notorious school bully Butch Bartoneau convincing him that he could sing Under Larry LaSallersquos guidance Edna Beauchene tall and gawky and shy became the hit of the showrdquo
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Francis and Larry1
bull Francisrsquo feelings for Larry are complicated The first thing he tells us about Larry is that he has come back to Frenchtown to kill himbull Yet when he first describes Larry
there is more than an element of hero worshipbull Larry is everything Francis isnrsquot but
would like to be ndash confident full of skills and charisma and attractive
QuotationsP 6 ldquoI am filled with guilt and shame knowing that I just prayed for the man I am going to killrdquo
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Francis and Larry2
bull He feels gratitude for Larry making him a champion through the table tennis However he also feels jealousy at Larryrsquos physical intimacy with Nicole when they are dancing
QuotationsP 42 ldquothen caught her pressing her close their faces almost touching their lips only an inch or so from a kissrdquo
Francis and Larry3
bull Larry understands Francisrsquo feelings of gratitude and his inability to stand up to him and he uses these to manipulate Francis on the night that he rapes Nicole
QuotationsP 66 ldquoI saw Larry raising his eyebrows at me the way he looked at me when I made a stupid move at table tennis Get going rdquo
Francis and Larry4
bull Larry turns out to have had no idea of how his rape of Nicole would affect Francis bull In the end he tries to help Francis
come to terms with his own feelings of guiltbull He cannot come to terms with losing
Francisrsquo respect
QuotationsP 81 ldquoOh Francis yoursquore too hard on yourself You couldnrsquot have stopped me anyway Francis You were just a childrdquo
P82 ldquoDonrsquot look at me like that If I could have one thing it would be to have you look at me again the way you did at the Wreck Centre When I was the big hero you say I wasrdquo
Francis and Larry5
bull In the end Larry does the one thing he can do for Francis which is to save him from having to either pull the trigger and become a murderer ro to fail in his mission by letting Francis know that he is about to kill himself bull Does this make him Francisrsquo real hero
after all
QuotationsP 84 rdquoDownstairs at last after what seems like a long time I pause at the outside door The sound of a pistol shot cracks the airrdquo
Larry LaSalle
Heroic qualities
His past
Relationships His death
Physical appearence
Physical abilities
Courage ndash silver star
Ability to inspire others
Dark hints and rumours Stage career
What he tells Francis
Other people
Francis
NicoleDisease Motives
Suicide
Hero or Villain
Larry - Courage
bull LaSalle joins up the very first morning after war is declared his actions in the war lead to him being awarded a Silver Star medal and when he returns home on leave he is given a herorsquos welcome by the townspeople and the members of the Wreck Centrebull He never discuss his innermost reasons for
joining up Is it possible that his motives are similar to Francisbull Does his reputation as a war hero help him
do what he does to Nicole
QuotationsP 51 ldquoAs we were about to cheer his announcement he held up his handrdquoNone of that kidsIrsquom just doing what millions of others are doingrdquo
P56 ldquoA New England marine is one of the great heroes of Pacific action receiving the Silver Star ldquo
Larry - Courage
bull Is it courage that allows him to talk calmly to Francis to talk him out of becoming a murderer and to kill himself so that Francis has not failed
QuotationsP 83 ldquoSo lower your gun Francis One gun is enough for what has to be donerdquo
Larry ndash Physical Abilities
bull It is clear that Larry has admirable physical abilities He is an excellent sportsman and a dancer who is compared to Fred Astaire Whatever the kids in the Wreck Centre do he can usually do it betterbull His appearance and physical abilities
are things which inspire admiration and hero worship in others
QuotationsP 29 ldquo Had the borad shoulders of an athlete and the narrow hips of a dancer He swung the bat with authority He was also a dancer with a touch of Fred Astaire in his walk his feet barely touching the floorrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull The first thing about Larry that Francis describes is his appearance It is not accidental that he compares him to a film star Film stars are actors ndash so is Larry to the extent that his physical appearance conceals what he really is
Quotations
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull Itrsquos ironic that Larryrsquos illness removes his physical attractiveness at the endbull Is this a sign of his sins catching up with
him
Quotations
P78 ldquoHe is pale eyes sunk into the sockets And he seems fragile now as if caught in an old photograph that has faded and yellowed with agerdquo
Larryrsquos Inspirational Qualitiesbull Larry consistently has the ability to
inspire the children around him to want to do more and to learn things and become things You can argue that for MOST of the children at the Wreck Centre he makes them better people bull Even at the end he is trying to make
sure that Francis doesnrsquot do the wrong thing by becoming a murderer
Quotations
P31 ldquoHe tamed the notorious school bully Butch Bartoneau convincing him that he could sing Under Larry LaSallersquos guidance Edna Beauchene tall and gawky and shy became the hit of the showrdquo
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Francis and Larry2
bull He feels gratitude for Larry making him a champion through the table tennis However he also feels jealousy at Larryrsquos physical intimacy with Nicole when they are dancing
QuotationsP 42 ldquothen caught her pressing her close their faces almost touching their lips only an inch or so from a kissrdquo
Francis and Larry3
bull Larry understands Francisrsquo feelings of gratitude and his inability to stand up to him and he uses these to manipulate Francis on the night that he rapes Nicole
QuotationsP 66 ldquoI saw Larry raising his eyebrows at me the way he looked at me when I made a stupid move at table tennis Get going rdquo
Francis and Larry4
bull Larry turns out to have had no idea of how his rape of Nicole would affect Francis bull In the end he tries to help Francis
come to terms with his own feelings of guiltbull He cannot come to terms with losing
Francisrsquo respect
QuotationsP 81 ldquoOh Francis yoursquore too hard on yourself You couldnrsquot have stopped me anyway Francis You were just a childrdquo
P82 ldquoDonrsquot look at me like that If I could have one thing it would be to have you look at me again the way you did at the Wreck Centre When I was the big hero you say I wasrdquo
Francis and Larry5
bull In the end Larry does the one thing he can do for Francis which is to save him from having to either pull the trigger and become a murderer ro to fail in his mission by letting Francis know that he is about to kill himself bull Does this make him Francisrsquo real hero
after all
QuotationsP 84 rdquoDownstairs at last after what seems like a long time I pause at the outside door The sound of a pistol shot cracks the airrdquo
Larry LaSalle
Heroic qualities
His past
Relationships His death
Physical appearence
Physical abilities
Courage ndash silver star
Ability to inspire others
Dark hints and rumours Stage career
What he tells Francis
Other people
Francis
NicoleDisease Motives
Suicide
Hero or Villain
Larry - Courage
bull LaSalle joins up the very first morning after war is declared his actions in the war lead to him being awarded a Silver Star medal and when he returns home on leave he is given a herorsquos welcome by the townspeople and the members of the Wreck Centrebull He never discuss his innermost reasons for
joining up Is it possible that his motives are similar to Francisbull Does his reputation as a war hero help him
do what he does to Nicole
QuotationsP 51 ldquoAs we were about to cheer his announcement he held up his handrdquoNone of that kidsIrsquom just doing what millions of others are doingrdquo
P56 ldquoA New England marine is one of the great heroes of Pacific action receiving the Silver Star ldquo
Larry - Courage
bull Is it courage that allows him to talk calmly to Francis to talk him out of becoming a murderer and to kill himself so that Francis has not failed
QuotationsP 83 ldquoSo lower your gun Francis One gun is enough for what has to be donerdquo
Larry ndash Physical Abilities
bull It is clear that Larry has admirable physical abilities He is an excellent sportsman and a dancer who is compared to Fred Astaire Whatever the kids in the Wreck Centre do he can usually do it betterbull His appearance and physical abilities
are things which inspire admiration and hero worship in others
QuotationsP 29 ldquo Had the borad shoulders of an athlete and the narrow hips of a dancer He swung the bat with authority He was also a dancer with a touch of Fred Astaire in his walk his feet barely touching the floorrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull The first thing about Larry that Francis describes is his appearance It is not accidental that he compares him to a film star Film stars are actors ndash so is Larry to the extent that his physical appearance conceals what he really is
Quotations
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull Itrsquos ironic that Larryrsquos illness removes his physical attractiveness at the endbull Is this a sign of his sins catching up with
him
Quotations
P78 ldquoHe is pale eyes sunk into the sockets And he seems fragile now as if caught in an old photograph that has faded and yellowed with agerdquo
Larryrsquos Inspirational Qualitiesbull Larry consistently has the ability to
inspire the children around him to want to do more and to learn things and become things You can argue that for MOST of the children at the Wreck Centre he makes them better people bull Even at the end he is trying to make
sure that Francis doesnrsquot do the wrong thing by becoming a murderer
Quotations
P31 ldquoHe tamed the notorious school bully Butch Bartoneau convincing him that he could sing Under Larry LaSallersquos guidance Edna Beauchene tall and gawky and shy became the hit of the showrdquo
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Francis and Larry3
bull Larry understands Francisrsquo feelings of gratitude and his inability to stand up to him and he uses these to manipulate Francis on the night that he rapes Nicole
QuotationsP 66 ldquoI saw Larry raising his eyebrows at me the way he looked at me when I made a stupid move at table tennis Get going rdquo
Francis and Larry4
bull Larry turns out to have had no idea of how his rape of Nicole would affect Francis bull In the end he tries to help Francis
come to terms with his own feelings of guiltbull He cannot come to terms with losing
Francisrsquo respect
QuotationsP 81 ldquoOh Francis yoursquore too hard on yourself You couldnrsquot have stopped me anyway Francis You were just a childrdquo
P82 ldquoDonrsquot look at me like that If I could have one thing it would be to have you look at me again the way you did at the Wreck Centre When I was the big hero you say I wasrdquo
Francis and Larry5
bull In the end Larry does the one thing he can do for Francis which is to save him from having to either pull the trigger and become a murderer ro to fail in his mission by letting Francis know that he is about to kill himself bull Does this make him Francisrsquo real hero
after all
QuotationsP 84 rdquoDownstairs at last after what seems like a long time I pause at the outside door The sound of a pistol shot cracks the airrdquo
Larry LaSalle
Heroic qualities
His past
Relationships His death
Physical appearence
Physical abilities
Courage ndash silver star
Ability to inspire others
Dark hints and rumours Stage career
What he tells Francis
Other people
Francis
NicoleDisease Motives
Suicide
Hero or Villain
Larry - Courage
bull LaSalle joins up the very first morning after war is declared his actions in the war lead to him being awarded a Silver Star medal and when he returns home on leave he is given a herorsquos welcome by the townspeople and the members of the Wreck Centrebull He never discuss his innermost reasons for
joining up Is it possible that his motives are similar to Francisbull Does his reputation as a war hero help him
do what he does to Nicole
QuotationsP 51 ldquoAs we were about to cheer his announcement he held up his handrdquoNone of that kidsIrsquom just doing what millions of others are doingrdquo
P56 ldquoA New England marine is one of the great heroes of Pacific action receiving the Silver Star ldquo
Larry - Courage
bull Is it courage that allows him to talk calmly to Francis to talk him out of becoming a murderer and to kill himself so that Francis has not failed
QuotationsP 83 ldquoSo lower your gun Francis One gun is enough for what has to be donerdquo
Larry ndash Physical Abilities
bull It is clear that Larry has admirable physical abilities He is an excellent sportsman and a dancer who is compared to Fred Astaire Whatever the kids in the Wreck Centre do he can usually do it betterbull His appearance and physical abilities
are things which inspire admiration and hero worship in others
QuotationsP 29 ldquo Had the borad shoulders of an athlete and the narrow hips of a dancer He swung the bat with authority He was also a dancer with a touch of Fred Astaire in his walk his feet barely touching the floorrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull The first thing about Larry that Francis describes is his appearance It is not accidental that he compares him to a film star Film stars are actors ndash so is Larry to the extent that his physical appearance conceals what he really is
Quotations
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull Itrsquos ironic that Larryrsquos illness removes his physical attractiveness at the endbull Is this a sign of his sins catching up with
him
Quotations
P78 ldquoHe is pale eyes sunk into the sockets And he seems fragile now as if caught in an old photograph that has faded and yellowed with agerdquo
Larryrsquos Inspirational Qualitiesbull Larry consistently has the ability to
inspire the children around him to want to do more and to learn things and become things You can argue that for MOST of the children at the Wreck Centre he makes them better people bull Even at the end he is trying to make
sure that Francis doesnrsquot do the wrong thing by becoming a murderer
Quotations
P31 ldquoHe tamed the notorious school bully Butch Bartoneau convincing him that he could sing Under Larry LaSallersquos guidance Edna Beauchene tall and gawky and shy became the hit of the showrdquo
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Francis and Larry4
bull Larry turns out to have had no idea of how his rape of Nicole would affect Francis bull In the end he tries to help Francis
come to terms with his own feelings of guiltbull He cannot come to terms with losing
Francisrsquo respect
QuotationsP 81 ldquoOh Francis yoursquore too hard on yourself You couldnrsquot have stopped me anyway Francis You were just a childrdquo
P82 ldquoDonrsquot look at me like that If I could have one thing it would be to have you look at me again the way you did at the Wreck Centre When I was the big hero you say I wasrdquo
Francis and Larry5
bull In the end Larry does the one thing he can do for Francis which is to save him from having to either pull the trigger and become a murderer ro to fail in his mission by letting Francis know that he is about to kill himself bull Does this make him Francisrsquo real hero
after all
QuotationsP 84 rdquoDownstairs at last after what seems like a long time I pause at the outside door The sound of a pistol shot cracks the airrdquo
Larry LaSalle
Heroic qualities
His past
Relationships His death
Physical appearence
Physical abilities
Courage ndash silver star
Ability to inspire others
Dark hints and rumours Stage career
What he tells Francis
Other people
Francis
NicoleDisease Motives
Suicide
Hero or Villain
Larry - Courage
bull LaSalle joins up the very first morning after war is declared his actions in the war lead to him being awarded a Silver Star medal and when he returns home on leave he is given a herorsquos welcome by the townspeople and the members of the Wreck Centrebull He never discuss his innermost reasons for
joining up Is it possible that his motives are similar to Francisbull Does his reputation as a war hero help him
do what he does to Nicole
QuotationsP 51 ldquoAs we were about to cheer his announcement he held up his handrdquoNone of that kidsIrsquom just doing what millions of others are doingrdquo
P56 ldquoA New England marine is one of the great heroes of Pacific action receiving the Silver Star ldquo
Larry - Courage
bull Is it courage that allows him to talk calmly to Francis to talk him out of becoming a murderer and to kill himself so that Francis has not failed
QuotationsP 83 ldquoSo lower your gun Francis One gun is enough for what has to be donerdquo
Larry ndash Physical Abilities
bull It is clear that Larry has admirable physical abilities He is an excellent sportsman and a dancer who is compared to Fred Astaire Whatever the kids in the Wreck Centre do he can usually do it betterbull His appearance and physical abilities
are things which inspire admiration and hero worship in others
QuotationsP 29 ldquo Had the borad shoulders of an athlete and the narrow hips of a dancer He swung the bat with authority He was also a dancer with a touch of Fred Astaire in his walk his feet barely touching the floorrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull The first thing about Larry that Francis describes is his appearance It is not accidental that he compares him to a film star Film stars are actors ndash so is Larry to the extent that his physical appearance conceals what he really is
Quotations
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull Itrsquos ironic that Larryrsquos illness removes his physical attractiveness at the endbull Is this a sign of his sins catching up with
him
Quotations
P78 ldquoHe is pale eyes sunk into the sockets And he seems fragile now as if caught in an old photograph that has faded and yellowed with agerdquo
Larryrsquos Inspirational Qualitiesbull Larry consistently has the ability to
inspire the children around him to want to do more and to learn things and become things You can argue that for MOST of the children at the Wreck Centre he makes them better people bull Even at the end he is trying to make
sure that Francis doesnrsquot do the wrong thing by becoming a murderer
Quotations
P31 ldquoHe tamed the notorious school bully Butch Bartoneau convincing him that he could sing Under Larry LaSallersquos guidance Edna Beauchene tall and gawky and shy became the hit of the showrdquo
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Francis and Larry5
bull In the end Larry does the one thing he can do for Francis which is to save him from having to either pull the trigger and become a murderer ro to fail in his mission by letting Francis know that he is about to kill himself bull Does this make him Francisrsquo real hero
after all
QuotationsP 84 rdquoDownstairs at last after what seems like a long time I pause at the outside door The sound of a pistol shot cracks the airrdquo
Larry LaSalle
Heroic qualities
His past
Relationships His death
Physical appearence
Physical abilities
Courage ndash silver star
Ability to inspire others
Dark hints and rumours Stage career
What he tells Francis
Other people
Francis
NicoleDisease Motives
Suicide
Hero or Villain
Larry - Courage
bull LaSalle joins up the very first morning after war is declared his actions in the war lead to him being awarded a Silver Star medal and when he returns home on leave he is given a herorsquos welcome by the townspeople and the members of the Wreck Centrebull He never discuss his innermost reasons for
joining up Is it possible that his motives are similar to Francisbull Does his reputation as a war hero help him
do what he does to Nicole
QuotationsP 51 ldquoAs we were about to cheer his announcement he held up his handrdquoNone of that kidsIrsquom just doing what millions of others are doingrdquo
P56 ldquoA New England marine is one of the great heroes of Pacific action receiving the Silver Star ldquo
Larry - Courage
bull Is it courage that allows him to talk calmly to Francis to talk him out of becoming a murderer and to kill himself so that Francis has not failed
QuotationsP 83 ldquoSo lower your gun Francis One gun is enough for what has to be donerdquo
Larry ndash Physical Abilities
bull It is clear that Larry has admirable physical abilities He is an excellent sportsman and a dancer who is compared to Fred Astaire Whatever the kids in the Wreck Centre do he can usually do it betterbull His appearance and physical abilities
are things which inspire admiration and hero worship in others
QuotationsP 29 ldquo Had the borad shoulders of an athlete and the narrow hips of a dancer He swung the bat with authority He was also a dancer with a touch of Fred Astaire in his walk his feet barely touching the floorrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull The first thing about Larry that Francis describes is his appearance It is not accidental that he compares him to a film star Film stars are actors ndash so is Larry to the extent that his physical appearance conceals what he really is
Quotations
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull Itrsquos ironic that Larryrsquos illness removes his physical attractiveness at the endbull Is this a sign of his sins catching up with
him
Quotations
P78 ldquoHe is pale eyes sunk into the sockets And he seems fragile now as if caught in an old photograph that has faded and yellowed with agerdquo
Larryrsquos Inspirational Qualitiesbull Larry consistently has the ability to
inspire the children around him to want to do more and to learn things and become things You can argue that for MOST of the children at the Wreck Centre he makes them better people bull Even at the end he is trying to make
sure that Francis doesnrsquot do the wrong thing by becoming a murderer
Quotations
P31 ldquoHe tamed the notorious school bully Butch Bartoneau convincing him that he could sing Under Larry LaSallersquos guidance Edna Beauchene tall and gawky and shy became the hit of the showrdquo
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Larry LaSalle
Heroic qualities
His past
Relationships His death
Physical appearence
Physical abilities
Courage ndash silver star
Ability to inspire others
Dark hints and rumours Stage career
What he tells Francis
Other people
Francis
NicoleDisease Motives
Suicide
Hero or Villain
Larry - Courage
bull LaSalle joins up the very first morning after war is declared his actions in the war lead to him being awarded a Silver Star medal and when he returns home on leave he is given a herorsquos welcome by the townspeople and the members of the Wreck Centrebull He never discuss his innermost reasons for
joining up Is it possible that his motives are similar to Francisbull Does his reputation as a war hero help him
do what he does to Nicole
QuotationsP 51 ldquoAs we were about to cheer his announcement he held up his handrdquoNone of that kidsIrsquom just doing what millions of others are doingrdquo
P56 ldquoA New England marine is one of the great heroes of Pacific action receiving the Silver Star ldquo
Larry - Courage
bull Is it courage that allows him to talk calmly to Francis to talk him out of becoming a murderer and to kill himself so that Francis has not failed
QuotationsP 83 ldquoSo lower your gun Francis One gun is enough for what has to be donerdquo
Larry ndash Physical Abilities
bull It is clear that Larry has admirable physical abilities He is an excellent sportsman and a dancer who is compared to Fred Astaire Whatever the kids in the Wreck Centre do he can usually do it betterbull His appearance and physical abilities
are things which inspire admiration and hero worship in others
QuotationsP 29 ldquo Had the borad shoulders of an athlete and the narrow hips of a dancer He swung the bat with authority He was also a dancer with a touch of Fred Astaire in his walk his feet barely touching the floorrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull The first thing about Larry that Francis describes is his appearance It is not accidental that he compares him to a film star Film stars are actors ndash so is Larry to the extent that his physical appearance conceals what he really is
Quotations
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull Itrsquos ironic that Larryrsquos illness removes his physical attractiveness at the endbull Is this a sign of his sins catching up with
him
Quotations
P78 ldquoHe is pale eyes sunk into the sockets And he seems fragile now as if caught in an old photograph that has faded and yellowed with agerdquo
Larryrsquos Inspirational Qualitiesbull Larry consistently has the ability to
inspire the children around him to want to do more and to learn things and become things You can argue that for MOST of the children at the Wreck Centre he makes them better people bull Even at the end he is trying to make
sure that Francis doesnrsquot do the wrong thing by becoming a murderer
Quotations
P31 ldquoHe tamed the notorious school bully Butch Bartoneau convincing him that he could sing Under Larry LaSallersquos guidance Edna Beauchene tall and gawky and shy became the hit of the showrdquo
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Larry - Courage
bull LaSalle joins up the very first morning after war is declared his actions in the war lead to him being awarded a Silver Star medal and when he returns home on leave he is given a herorsquos welcome by the townspeople and the members of the Wreck Centrebull He never discuss his innermost reasons for
joining up Is it possible that his motives are similar to Francisbull Does his reputation as a war hero help him
do what he does to Nicole
QuotationsP 51 ldquoAs we were about to cheer his announcement he held up his handrdquoNone of that kidsIrsquom just doing what millions of others are doingrdquo
P56 ldquoA New England marine is one of the great heroes of Pacific action receiving the Silver Star ldquo
Larry - Courage
bull Is it courage that allows him to talk calmly to Francis to talk him out of becoming a murderer and to kill himself so that Francis has not failed
QuotationsP 83 ldquoSo lower your gun Francis One gun is enough for what has to be donerdquo
Larry ndash Physical Abilities
bull It is clear that Larry has admirable physical abilities He is an excellent sportsman and a dancer who is compared to Fred Astaire Whatever the kids in the Wreck Centre do he can usually do it betterbull His appearance and physical abilities
are things which inspire admiration and hero worship in others
QuotationsP 29 ldquo Had the borad shoulders of an athlete and the narrow hips of a dancer He swung the bat with authority He was also a dancer with a touch of Fred Astaire in his walk his feet barely touching the floorrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull The first thing about Larry that Francis describes is his appearance It is not accidental that he compares him to a film star Film stars are actors ndash so is Larry to the extent that his physical appearance conceals what he really is
Quotations
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull Itrsquos ironic that Larryrsquos illness removes his physical attractiveness at the endbull Is this a sign of his sins catching up with
him
Quotations
P78 ldquoHe is pale eyes sunk into the sockets And he seems fragile now as if caught in an old photograph that has faded and yellowed with agerdquo
Larryrsquos Inspirational Qualitiesbull Larry consistently has the ability to
inspire the children around him to want to do more and to learn things and become things You can argue that for MOST of the children at the Wreck Centre he makes them better people bull Even at the end he is trying to make
sure that Francis doesnrsquot do the wrong thing by becoming a murderer
Quotations
P31 ldquoHe tamed the notorious school bully Butch Bartoneau convincing him that he could sing Under Larry LaSallersquos guidance Edna Beauchene tall and gawky and shy became the hit of the showrdquo
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Larry - Courage
bull Is it courage that allows him to talk calmly to Francis to talk him out of becoming a murderer and to kill himself so that Francis has not failed
QuotationsP 83 ldquoSo lower your gun Francis One gun is enough for what has to be donerdquo
Larry ndash Physical Abilities
bull It is clear that Larry has admirable physical abilities He is an excellent sportsman and a dancer who is compared to Fred Astaire Whatever the kids in the Wreck Centre do he can usually do it betterbull His appearance and physical abilities
are things which inspire admiration and hero worship in others
QuotationsP 29 ldquo Had the borad shoulders of an athlete and the narrow hips of a dancer He swung the bat with authority He was also a dancer with a touch of Fred Astaire in his walk his feet barely touching the floorrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull The first thing about Larry that Francis describes is his appearance It is not accidental that he compares him to a film star Film stars are actors ndash so is Larry to the extent that his physical appearance conceals what he really is
Quotations
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull Itrsquos ironic that Larryrsquos illness removes his physical attractiveness at the endbull Is this a sign of his sins catching up with
him
Quotations
P78 ldquoHe is pale eyes sunk into the sockets And he seems fragile now as if caught in an old photograph that has faded and yellowed with agerdquo
Larryrsquos Inspirational Qualitiesbull Larry consistently has the ability to
inspire the children around him to want to do more and to learn things and become things You can argue that for MOST of the children at the Wreck Centre he makes them better people bull Even at the end he is trying to make
sure that Francis doesnrsquot do the wrong thing by becoming a murderer
Quotations
P31 ldquoHe tamed the notorious school bully Butch Bartoneau convincing him that he could sing Under Larry LaSallersquos guidance Edna Beauchene tall and gawky and shy became the hit of the showrdquo
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Larry ndash Physical Abilities
bull It is clear that Larry has admirable physical abilities He is an excellent sportsman and a dancer who is compared to Fred Astaire Whatever the kids in the Wreck Centre do he can usually do it betterbull His appearance and physical abilities
are things which inspire admiration and hero worship in others
QuotationsP 29 ldquo Had the borad shoulders of an athlete and the narrow hips of a dancer He swung the bat with authority He was also a dancer with a touch of Fred Astaire in his walk his feet barely touching the floorrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull The first thing about Larry that Francis describes is his appearance It is not accidental that he compares him to a film star Film stars are actors ndash so is Larry to the extent that his physical appearance conceals what he really is
Quotations
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull Itrsquos ironic that Larryrsquos illness removes his physical attractiveness at the endbull Is this a sign of his sins catching up with
him
Quotations
P78 ldquoHe is pale eyes sunk into the sockets And he seems fragile now as if caught in an old photograph that has faded and yellowed with agerdquo
Larryrsquos Inspirational Qualitiesbull Larry consistently has the ability to
inspire the children around him to want to do more and to learn things and become things You can argue that for MOST of the children at the Wreck Centre he makes them better people bull Even at the end he is trying to make
sure that Francis doesnrsquot do the wrong thing by becoming a murderer
Quotations
P31 ldquoHe tamed the notorious school bully Butch Bartoneau convincing him that he could sing Under Larry LaSallersquos guidance Edna Beauchene tall and gawky and shy became the hit of the showrdquo
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Larry - Appearence
bull The first thing about Larry that Francis describes is his appearance It is not accidental that he compares him to a film star Film stars are actors ndash so is Larry to the extent that his physical appearance conceals what he really is
Quotations
P29 ldquo A tall slim man stepped into view a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead a smile that revealed dazzling movie star teethrdquo
Larry - Appearence
bull Itrsquos ironic that Larryrsquos illness removes his physical attractiveness at the endbull Is this a sign of his sins catching up with
him
Quotations
P78 ldquoHe is pale eyes sunk into the sockets And he seems fragile now as if caught in an old photograph that has faded and yellowed with agerdquo
Larryrsquos Inspirational Qualitiesbull Larry consistently has the ability to
inspire the children around him to want to do more and to learn things and become things You can argue that for MOST of the children at the Wreck Centre he makes them better people bull Even at the end he is trying to make
sure that Francis doesnrsquot do the wrong thing by becoming a murderer
Quotations
P31 ldquoHe tamed the notorious school bully Butch Bartoneau convincing him that he could sing Under Larry LaSallersquos guidance Edna Beauchene tall and gawky and shy became the hit of the showrdquo
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Larry - Appearence
bull Itrsquos ironic that Larryrsquos illness removes his physical attractiveness at the endbull Is this a sign of his sins catching up with
him
Quotations
P78 ldquoHe is pale eyes sunk into the sockets And he seems fragile now as if caught in an old photograph that has faded and yellowed with agerdquo
Larryrsquos Inspirational Qualitiesbull Larry consistently has the ability to
inspire the children around him to want to do more and to learn things and become things You can argue that for MOST of the children at the Wreck Centre he makes them better people bull Even at the end he is trying to make
sure that Francis doesnrsquot do the wrong thing by becoming a murderer
Quotations
P31 ldquoHe tamed the notorious school bully Butch Bartoneau convincing him that he could sing Under Larry LaSallersquos guidance Edna Beauchene tall and gawky and shy became the hit of the showrdquo
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Larryrsquos Inspirational Qualitiesbull Larry consistently has the ability to
inspire the children around him to want to do more and to learn things and become things You can argue that for MOST of the children at the Wreck Centre he makes them better people bull Even at the end he is trying to make
sure that Francis doesnrsquot do the wrong thing by becoming a murderer
Quotations
P31 ldquoHe tamed the notorious school bully Butch Bartoneau convincing him that he could sing Under Larry LaSallersquos guidance Edna Beauchene tall and gawky and shy became the hit of the showrdquo
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Larryrsquos Pastbull The children of the Wreck Centre are
so inspired by Larry that even though they do hear dark rumours about his past they ignore thembull Later on it becomes clear that these
must have had something to do with him doing to other grils what he did to Nicole
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
His final meeting with Francisbull Larryrsquos comment ldquoAh the sweet
young thingsrdquo make it clear that Nicole was not his first ever victim
Quotations
P32 ldquothere were dark hints that he had gotten into trouble in New York City Dazzled by his talent and his energy none of us dwelt on the rumours In fact the air of mystery that surrounded him added to his glamourrdquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
His Stage Careerbull Few details are given but we learn
that Larry has been a night club performer in New York and Chicago
Quotations
P31 ldquo Rumours told us that Larry LaSalle had also been a star performing in night clubs in New York and Chicago Someone brought in a faded newspaper clipping showing him in a tuxedo stainding beside a night club placard that read lsquoStarring Larry LaSallersquordquo
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Larry and Nicolebull Even before he rapes Nicole there
are hints of Larryrsquos intentions towards her when they are dancingbull Larry also tells her and Francis that
they are his favourites bull Nicole maybe suspects that Larry is
going to do something as Francis is leaving
QuotationsP43 ldquordquoNicolersquos the star on Sunday and I want you to be the star on Saturday ldquoLarry LaSalle said ldquoIrsquom not supposed to play favourites Francis but you and Nicole are special to merdquo
P67 ldquoA patter of feet and then a hand touched my shoulderldquoDonrsquot gordquo Nicole whispered in my earrdquo
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Larry and Nicolebull After Larry kills himself Francis tells
Nicole She finds it difficult to talk about him and what he did She does talk briefly about what he did and what he was before he came backbull She explains why she never told
anyone saying that she had no visible marks and he was a war hero
QuotationsP 91 ldquoDonrsquot say it Francis I know what he was For a while there he made me feel special Made all of us feel special Made me think I was a ballerina Now Irsquom starting to find out who I really amrdquo
P92 ldquoHe was a big war hero He didnrsquot beat me up No visible wounds So I didnrsquot tell anybodyrdquo
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Larry and Nicole
bull Earlier Larry said that Nicole was special to him But at the end you can have to ask whether she was anything more than just another lsquosweet young thingrsquo Does he really show any regret for what he did to her He seems far more upset that Francis doesnrsquot look at him like he is a hero any more
QuotationsP 81 ldquordquoYou could have had anybodyrdquo I say my voice too loud booming in my earsrdquoAll those beautiful ladies at the dance that night Why NicolerdquoldquoThe sweet young things Francis Even their heat is sweetrdquo
P82rdquoDoes that one sin of mine wipe away all of the good thingsrdquo
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Other People
bull The only other person who doesnrsquot seem to think Larry is all he seems to be is Joey LeBlanc who listens to all the hints and reckons that there must be something wrong with him since he works in the Wreck Centre bull Everyone else makes Larry a hero When he comes home he has a
massive civic reception from the Mayor The Strangler has more pages about Larry in his scrapbook than anyone else Larryrsquos reputation as a hero is one of the reasons why Nicole does not tell anyone what he didbull In the end though he is on his own For all of the hero worship he has
not a single close relationship with anyone
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Larryrsquos Illness
bull During the war Larry has contracted a wasting disease which has robbed him of his energy and is wasting away his muscles and his bodybull It means that he will never again be
able to do what he did to Nicole to anyone elsebull Is Larryrsquos disease a reflection of his
inner corruptionbull Is it a punishment for what he has
done
QuotationsP 81 ldquoNo wounds that you can see Francis But Irsquom worn outThey called it jungle fever at first But I donrsquot think they really know what it is ldquo
P82rdquoNo more dancing for me Francis No more sweet young thingsrdquo
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Larryrsquos Suicide
bull Larry persuades Francis not to kill him by taking out his own gun and showing Francis that he is ready to kill himself
QuotationsP 83 ldquoGo Francis Leave everything here the war what happened in the Wreck Centre leave it all behind with merdquo
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Larryrsquos motives for suicide
bull Is he trying to redeem himself
bull Can he simply not face life in his state of health the fact that there will be lsquono more dancingrsquo and lsquono more sweet young thingsrsquo
bull LaSalle never expresses a sense of guilt over the crimes he committed so are meant to think that it is not done because he regrets what he did at all
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Hero or Villain
bull Villain of course since he did what he did to Nicole and probably other girls besides He does not regret what he did only at the end that he cannot do it any more bull However to the townspeople of Frenchtown chances are that he will
be remembered as the hero that they have made him bull Is his last act heroic Or is it a reaction to the fact that he cannot bear
the fact that Francis does not look on him with hero worship any more
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Nicole Renard
Nicole and Francis
Nicole and Larry
Heroism The Future
Worship
Guilt
Why Francis
Before the assault
After the assault
Her heroes Heroic
qualitiesHers
Francis
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Why does Nicole like Francis
bull Itrsquos clear she likes him before he wins the table tennis ndash itrsquos just not clear whybull Marie may have told her he likes
her She seems amused by the shy way he acts around herbull After the table tennis he is her
lsquochampionrsquo
QuotationsP 48 ldquoShe was suddenly in front of me radiant clasping my hand whispering ldquoMy championrdquordquo
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Before the assault
bull Nicole has no physical feelings for Larry that we can see She respects him as her teacher but never really sees him in any other waybull Itrsquos not even clear whether she has the same kind of hero worship
for him that Francis has ndash she very much wants Francis to beat him at table tennisbull She is scared of Larry when he insists Francis leaves so that they can
dance
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Nicolersquos Heroes
bull She never seems to quite hero worship Larry the same way that Francis does However there is a hint that she starts to feel that way about Francisbull She calls him lsquoher championrsquo and in the olden
days a champion was someone sworn to serve and protect his lady In the end he fails to protect her from Larry LaSalle bull Is her initial reaction to blame him because he
has not lived up to her vision of himbull Is this why she forgives him and thinks she has
been unfair to him
QuotationsP 94 ldquoMy good Francis My table tennis champion My silver star herordquo
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Nicolersquos Heroism
bull Francis seems to lsquoworshiprsquo Nicole from the start but is that the same as his hero worship of Larrybull Nicole shows great bravery and strength of
character in ndash bull going to apologise to Francis for what she saidbull Not telling her parents because she feels it
would kill thembull Keeping on and making her lifebull Not lying to Francis when he asks if he can
come and see her some times
QuotationsP 93 ldquordquoOKrdquo she says ldquoif Irsquom not exactly alright then Irsquomhelliprdquo She screws up her face searching for the right word rdquoIrsquom adjusting Getting better all the timerdquo
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Nicolersquos Future
bull She does have one When Francis talks to her she makes it clear that she is not lsquooverrsquo what happened ndash maybe she will never be but she is copingbull She has a future in St Annersquos where she
plans to be a teacher Itrsquos a little ironic since Francis said at the start that Larry himself was first and foremost a teacherbull In this she is an example to Francis that
maybe a future is something he ought to consider
QuotationsP 93 ldquoShe tells me about the routine at St Annersquos That she wants to be a teacher English mayberdquo
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Francisrsquo Future
bull It is only Nicole who can make Francis think about the future bull She tells him to write about what a
hero actually is bull In the very last page of the book he is
actually considering options for things he could or should do It doesnrsquot mean that he will do any of them but at least it shows that there is hope although his future is uncertain
QuotationsP 94 ldquoWrite about it Francis Maybe you can find the answer that wayrdquo ldquoHave a good life Francis Be whatever will make you happyrdquo
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Revision
Characters
The writer
Themes
Plot Background
Exam Questions
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Revision QuestionsCharactersSay two ways Francis reacts the first time he sees NicoleAnswer ndash he thinks she looks like a statue of St Therese and he wants to kneel at her feet like a knightWho says to Francis ldquoWe werenrsquot heroes ndash we were only thererdquoAnswer ndash Arthur RivierWho does Francis tell that he wanted to die when he fell on the grenadeAnswer ndash Larry LaSalleFrancis has a dream of ldquoboys with apple cheeks too young to shaverdquo Who were theyAnswer ndash the German soldiers he killed
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Revision QuestionsCharactersWho is the only person to discover Francisrsquo identity before he meets Larry againArthur RivierWhat does Larry say he wants more than anything at the end of the bookTo have Francis look at him the same way he did in the Wreck CentreWhat clue is there in the description of Larry when he comes home on furlough that something bad is going to happenFrancis thinks he looks lsquosharperrsquo and lsquolethalrsquoWhy doesnrsquot Francis commit suicide in the churchBecause it would be a sin and a cowardly act
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Revision QuestionsCharacters Who are -Francisrsquo LandladyMrs BelanderThe bartender at the St Judersquos clubThe StranglerThe doctor who worked on Francisrsquo faceDoctor AbramsThe boy Francis beat in the table tennis finalLouis ArabelleThe person who told Francis where Nicole wasSister Mathilde
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Revision QuestionsPlotWhich exact event is interrupted by the announcement about Pearl HarbourThe party after the recital the day after the tournamentWhat happened at the Wreck centre before Francis arrivalA jilted ex killed a bride at her wedding receptionHow did Larry win his silver starCapturing an enemy machine gun nestWhy did Francis start wearing scarf and bandagesA little boy in London was scared of his appearanceHow does Francis close the doors to his funeralBurning Dr Abramrsquos details
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Revision QuestionsPlotHow does Francis find proof that the Renards have goneFinding their nameplate removed from their apartment buildingWhat song is playing when Larry rapes NicoleDancing in the DarkWhat does Larry say is his illnessJungle Fever ( although he thinks the doctors donrsquot know what it is)Where is the place that Francis meets other veterans who only seem to want to talk about the futureSt Judersquos clubWhat is Francis asking about when Arthur recognizes his voiceIf anyone knows when Larry is coming back
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Revision QuestionsBackgroundWhat happened on December 7th 1941Attack on Pearl HarbourWhich countryrsquos forces attacked AmericaJapanWhat was the effect of Pearl HarbourUSA joined world war II ndash thousands of men volunteered immediately for the armed forces ndash like LarryLarry is compared to Fred Astaire ndash who was heA movie star dancer
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Revision QuestionsThe WriterWho wrote ldquoHeroesrdquoRobert CormierWhen was it written1998What was Cormierrsquos inspiration for the bookThe 50th Anniver5say of D ndash Day (1994) made him think about the heroism of ordinary people who never received medals for braveryWhat did Cormier himself do for the warHe was kept out of the armed forces with bad eyesight and worked and studied instead
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Revision QuestionsQuotation best fit ndash which themes do the following quotes relate toWe had discovered in one Sunday afternoon that the world was not a safe place anymoreLoss of innocence ( mainly ) ndash warNicole I shouldnt have said those things that day to you on the piazzaldquoForgiveness
I havent always worn the scarf and bandageldquoConcealment and revealmentArthur We werent heroes We were only thereldquoHeroism ndash what is a hero
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Exam Questions
bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Nicole in his novel [20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Francis in his novel
[20]bull How does Robert Cormier present the character of Larry in his novel [20]bull ldquoA story of revengerdquo To what extent do you agree with this description of
Heroes [20]bull ldquoHeroesrdquo is an unusual title for the book considering that none of the
characters are heroes To what extent do you agree with this statement [20]
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
Exam Questions
bull Which character if any do you consider to be the real hero of Heroes[20]bull Discuss what you consider to be the most important theme of Heroes
[20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of heroism is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of concealment is presented in Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of the loss of innocence is presented in
Heroes [20]bull Discuss the way that the theme of war is presented in Heroes [20]
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
ldquoHeroesrdquo by Robert Cormier
End of Presentation Click to exit
