What is your response to Francis Cassavant?

Francis Cassavant Preparing an essay

Plan Intro Key scenes Relationships with other characters Themes Language Blend these into paragraphs Personal opinion

Introduction ‘Heroes’ is a novel about Francis Cassavant and his desire for revenge. Set in Frenchtown, America, it explores the themes of guilt, love, secrecy and the idea of heroism. Using a series of flashbacks, Cormier slowly reveals why Francis, an eighteen year old, wants to kill Larry La Salle a man he once worshipped.

First Mention: Appearance Francis speaks matter of factly about his injuries: “the war is over and I have no face” (P.1) He conceals his identity: “I wear a scarf that covers the lower part of my face” (P.2) He is shaped by his past: “I wear my old army fatigue jacket” (P.2) Others find his appearance horrifying: “I am like the Hunchback of Notre Dame” (P.3)

damage Francis is damaged emotionally and psychologically, as well as physically: “I lost my appetite somewhere in France and eat now only to sustain myself” (P. 18) “I long for sleep, my eyes raw and burning, but I know the dreams will begin when I close my eyes and drift off” (P.20) “I have survived another night, endured the dreams and memories again” (P.22)

Heroism Cormier uses Francis to explore the theme of heroism: “I like to think it flows behind me in the wind when I walk but I guess it doesn’t” (P.2) “I wanted to be like them, these heroes, fighting the Japs and the Germans […] I could join them in that great crusade for freedom” (P.24) “You have your own Silver Star” (P.37) “Nobody ever cheered me before” (P.41) “Soldiers were dying with honour on battlefields all over the world. Noble deaths” (P.74) “I had wanted to be a hero, like Larry LaSalle and all the others, but had been fake all along” (P.80)

Love Francis is deeply in love with Nicole and shows devotion and later huge guilt: “The pale purity of her face reminded me of the statue of St Therese” (P.9) “I knelt like a knight at her feet” (P.10) “My eyes sough Nicole, found her joyous face” (P.48) “She allowed me an innocent kiss” (P.54) “Its amazing that the heart makes no noise when it cracks” (P.69) “I knew I had lost her” (P.94)

Tragedy When Francis leaves Frenchtown, we are aware of tragic status: The earlier nightmares have bleed into waking life: “We were only there” (P.96) His life has been ruled by fear: “Scared kids, not born to fight and die” (P.96) Full of confusion and facing the unknown: he continually repeats the word “maybe” Still carrying the “gun inside my duffel bag” (P.96)

shame Francis has a strong sense of guilt. He has had a Catholic education and in chapter one he prays in church. He says he is filled with a sense of shame and guilt because he is praying for the man he wants to kill. Similarly he decides to join the army because suicide would not only be a sin, but shameful when there were soldiers sacrificing their lives for others in the war.

Conclusion: what is your opinion? He is a flawed hero He is deceptive, like Larry His guilt is justified, but unfair He is an outsider He is damaged – physically, mentally and emotionally