Heroes character essay plans

Question 1

francis’ true mission is his search for his own sense of identity

Answer 1

1 - He lost his identity in the war
- “I have no face”
- “my nostrils are like two small caves … my teeth are gone … I have no eyebrows”
- “I start to close doors. Not real doors but doors to the future.”
2 - Others see him as a hero but he doesn’t
- “I am not a hero, of course”
- “You’re a goddamn hero. Little Francis Cassavant falls on a grenade and saves - how many lives did you save Francis?”
3 - mission drive the novel - revenger, forgiveness, love
- ‘my mission” “I have already planned my method”
- “You weren’t to blame for what happened”
- “The gun is like a tumor on my back” + duffle bag

Question 2

How is Francis presented?

Answer 2

1 - Romantic and lonely. Nicole is all that is good in his life. Innocent and pure love.
-“I knelt there like a knight at her feet … silently pledged her my love and loyalty forever”
- “My champion”
- “she allowed me an innocent kiss”
2 - Rape of Nicole ends his innocence and their love. Francis feels overwhelmingly guilty
- “It’s amazing that the heart makes no noise when it cracks”
- “My nostrils are two small caves … my teeth are gone ,.. I have no eyebrows”
- “my mission”
3 - Nicole forgives Francis’ so he is able to forgive himself and have a future
- “you weren’t to blame for what happened
- “Maybe if I’m going to write, as Nicole hopes I will, I’ll write about them”
- “Maybe I should track down Enrico” “Maybe I should find Dr Abrams number”

Question 3

How is Larry presented?

Answer 3

1 - main antagonist
- “the man I am going to kill” “my mission”
- “I love the sweet young things … even their heat is sweet”
- “A whimpering like a small animal caught and trapped”
2 - he is not a straightforward villain
- “You are all stars”
- “He saved the lives of an entire platoon … captured an enemy gun nest”
- “He was our champion and we were happy to be in his presence”
3 - show’s the complexities of being a hero
- “Go Francis. Leave me here. Leave everything here… leave it all behind, with me”
- “Does that one sin of mine wipe away all the good things?”
- “he is pale, eyes sunk into the sockets” - good qualities only skin deep

Question 4

How is Nicole presented?

Answer 4

1 - Francis’ love interest. Represents childhood innocence and shares a pure love with him
- “pale purity” “saint therese”
- “she allowed me an innocent kiss”
- “my champion”
2 - Rape of Nicole represents end of innocence and love. Reveals truth about Larry.
- “a whimpering, like a small animal caught and trapped”
- “I saw my betrayal in her eyes”
3 - Nicole forgives Francis so he can forgive himself and have a future”
- “She wants to be a teacher, English maybe”
- “You weren’t to blame for what happened”
- “Maybe if I’m going to write, as Nicole hopes I will, I’ll write about them”