heroes wjec

Francis Cassavant

The protagonist and narrator, a disfigured war veteran driven by revenge, guilt, and trauma.

Nicole Renard

Francis' childhood love, who is pure and innocent but traumatized after being raped by Larry LaSalle.

Larry LaSalle

A charismatic figure in Frenchtown who becomes a war hero, later revealed to have raped Nicole.

Wreck Centre

The youth club in Frenchtown where Francis and Nicole spend time together, and where Larry returns as a war hero.

Silver Star

A military decoration awarded for bravery, which both Francis and Larry received.

Guilt

A major theme in the novel, especially related to Francis' inaction during Nicole's assault.

Isolation

A theme that illustrates the characters' feelings of being alone, particularly after traumatic events.

Forgiveness

A central theme explored in Nicole's relationship with Francis by the end of the novel.

Flashback

A narrative technique used to present past events, providing context and character backstories.

Outcast

A term that describes characters like Francis and Nicole, who feel alienated from their community.

Adulation

Excessive praise or admiration, often associated with how the children view Larry.

Redemption

A theme signifying the possibility of forgiveness and moving forward from past mistakes.

St Therese

A saint referenced to illustrate Nicole's purity and innocence.

Protagonist

The main character in a story, whose journey and development are the focus of the narrative.

Chronological order

A method of narrating events in the order they occur, opposite of the non-chronological order used in 'Heroes'.

Role model

An individual looked up to for guidance and inspiration, a title that initially applies to Larry for the children.

Ambiguity

A literary device that expresses uncertainty or vagueness, seen in the dual nature of Larry LaSalle.

Metaphor

A figure of speech that makes an implicit comparison between two unrelated things.

Simile

A figure of speech that directly compares two different things using 'like' or 'as'.

Remorse

A deep regret for a wrong committed, which Francis feels regarding his failure to act.

Cliffhanger

An abrupt ending to a story that leaves the reader in suspense, often used in the narrative.

First person narrator

A narrative perspective where the story is told from the viewpoint of a character using 'I'.