The Book Heroes

The Book Heroes

Heroes is a book about what really makes a hero, the two main

characters are Francis Joseph Cassavent and Larry LaSalle. They are

both flawed heroes. The book is set in the second world war period and

the storyline switches from past to present tense. Francis wants to

kill Larry LaSalle for raping his girlfriend.

The heroes we see in films are always perfect and have no faults, but

the so called heroes we see in the book and very different. Francis

has qualities that you would not usually associate with heroes, he is

quiet and timid and he also stood by and let his girlfriend get raped.

Larry LaSalle on the other hand, has one major flaw, that he raped

Nicole Renard and might have even raped more young girls when he was

in Hollywood.

Francis and Larry both went into the war with different intentions.

Larry went into the war intending to save lives, and to further

increase the respect everybody has for him back home in French town.

Francis on the other hand went into the war to get killed, because he

did not want to disgrace his family by committing suicide at home.

Although they both went into the war with different intentions, they

both came out as heroes, Larry saves his companions and earned a

silver star for his bravery, "LaSalle captures enemy, saves fellow

marines"

Francis tries to communicate suicide by jumping on a grenade, but

horribly disfigured his face, and comes home the hero who put his life

before other soldiers.

At home before the war, Francis and Larry are also again very

different. Francis lacks confidence and is very quiet and timid. Larry

has lots of qualities you would usual associate with a hero,

confident, brave, entertaining, multi skilled and a rapist.

Through these events we learnt that there is no specific definition of

a hero.

Francis introduces himself in a very direct and shocking way. He

builds a very clear and disturbing image of his face.