Larry

Question 1

This is the first time Larry is mentioned. We immediately know he has done something bad, but do not know what

Answer 1

“the man I am going to kill”

Question 2

[not direct mention of Larry] The place he is mainly featured in has sense of impending doom due to name + backstory

Answer 2

“the Wreck Centre”

Question 3

Effortless glamour, associated with Hollywood. “Dazzling” implicates being so bright other things are obscured from vision (i.e. using his glamour to hide darker aspect of himself)

Answer 3

“a lock of blond hair tumbling over his forehead, a smile that revealed dazzling movie-star teeth”

Question 4

Almost God-like

Answer 4

“his feet barely touching the floor”

Question 5

Seemingly lovely man, encouraging and nice towards children. But reader knows something darker happens because Francis wants to kill him

Answer 5

“urging everyone to participate”

“Larry LaSalle didn’t embarrass me by calling me to the front row”

Question 6

Element of fear from the very start

Answer 6

“No one dared to ask him”

Question 7

Implies he is pure and moral. Becomes ironic later.

Answer 7

“the patron saint of the Wreck Centre”

Question 8

Superlatives show others clearly greatly respect him

Answer 8

“the best of the best”

Question 9

Connects Larry to Francis through their shared achievement + Attitudes to having won the Silver Star

Answer 9

“Lt. LaSalle Earns Silver Star”

“He shrugs, sagging in the chair”

Question 10

Giving Francis special encouragement/praise to help build his confidence

Answer 10

“You’re going to be a champion”

“Beautiful” (hyperbolic + encouraging)

Question 11

Effect of Larry LaSalle’s charm

Answer 11

“I stood spellbound by his words”

Question 12

Specific words used to hint at something predatory about him

Answer 12

“Just as he had LURED awkward girls”

“Larry LaSalle MANIPULATED a spotlight”

Question 13

Strong sexual undertones + shows how he is in control when with Nicole (i.e. ALLOW her to do something)

Answer 13

“their lips only an inch or so from a kiss, before he allowed her to slip down against his body”

“as she lay at his feet” (high ground holds power)

Question 14

Larry teaches Francis a defensive game rather than offensive - could link to him teaching him subconsciously not to take action against things that seem weird, instead just stand back and watch

Answer 14

“playing the game Larry LaSalle had taught me, being patient, remaining cool and composed”

Question 15

In the game he skillfully manipulates the situation to his wishes - it is all deception (which he is shown to be good at)

Answer 15

“guiding the game with such skill”
“He cleverly missed”
“seemingly impossible shots”

Question 16

Appearance and reality. Larry is talented at making something appear one way, but actually be the exact opposite situation.

Answer 16

“Two games were being played at the same time, the sharp, take-no-prisoners game the hushed audience was observing and the subtle tender game in which Larry LaSalle was letting me win”

Question 17

Even when at war he is associated with fame and glamour

Answer 17

“to see the town’s first big war hero on the silver screen”

Question 18

How war has changed things about him, but kept some things the same. Now associated with danger, possibly foreshadowing to later events following his homecoming.

Answer 18

“that touch of Fred Astaire still in his walk”

“His slenderness was knife-like now, lethal, his features sharper”

Question 19

Manipulative towards the kids to gain their trust

Answer 19

“I want to be with the Wreck Centre gang”

“he had made us feel special, singling us out”

Question 20

Link to Pied Piper, quite a sinister story in reality. Piper controls children and unknowingly lures them to their doom. By comparing Larry to this, it implies this is what he is doing with the Wreck Centre kids too

Answer 20

“Larry LaSalle had been a bright Pied Piper for the children”

“Larry LaSalle headed the line” (a bit like Pied Piper- leading children)

Question 21

Line of manipulation/clear hierachy established by Larry with him at the front. Proximity to Nicole is innappropriate.

Answer 21

“Larry LaSalle headed the line, Nicole was next with her hands on his hips and mine on hers”

Question 22

Tells Francis what to think and feel and it works. Immense power over him. Is able to speak things into existence.

Answer 22

“You look tired… it’s been a long day”
“‘He’s tired,’ Larry said. ‘He wants to go home’”
“We always did what Larry LaSalle told us to do”

Question 23

Associated with GREEN

Answer 23

“green uniform”
“The green house”
“pea soup”
“green pot”

Question 24

Effects of war on him by end (maybe also karma???)

Answer 24

“He is pale, eyes sunk into the sockets”

Question 25

Has always seemed omniscient and one step ahead of everyone in the past, this is the first time we feel like we know more than him.

Answer 25

“he doesn’t sense my mission”

Question 26

Still encouraging towards Francis at the end

Answer 26

“Don’t be afraid to show your face, Francis”
“You’re safe Francis. You were always safe with me.”
“Still trying to make me better than I am” - Francis

Question 27

Admits disgusting things openly with no shame, exposing to us a very dark side to him (THREE TIMES HE SAYS THE THING)

Answer 27

“The sweet young things, Francis. Even their heat is sweet”
“I love the sweet young things”
“No more sweet young things”

Question 28

Tries to excuse his actions under “love” and equating his “sins” to other people’s

Answer 28

“Everybody sins, Francis”
“We love the thing that makes us evil”
“There’s all kinds of love, Francis”

Question 29

Calm and nonchalant when confronted with death

Answer 29

“He waves his hand at me, as if dismissing the gun in my hand”

“he places the gun in his lap, cradling it in his hand”

Question 30

Doesn’t fit in with our image of Larry. We see a very different side to him now we know all his secrets

Answer 30

“Please” then “his voice is like the small cry of a child”

Question 31

Unsatisfactory ending to Larry’s character

Answer 31

“The sound from this distance is almost like a ping-pong ball striking the table”