Title of presentation

English Lang/Lit: An Integrated ApproachText: Heroes by Robert Cormier

South West and Mid Wales ConsortiumChapter 1 My name is Francis Joseph Cassavant and I have just returned to Frenchtown in Monument and the war is over and I have no face. Oh, I have eyes because I can see and ear-drums because I can hear but no ears to speak of, just bits of dangling flesh. But thats fine, like Dr Abrams says, because its sight and hearing that count and I was not handsome to begin with. He was joking, of course. He was always trying to make me laugh. If anything bothers me, its my nose. Or, rather, the absence of my nose. My nostrils are like two small caves and they sometimes get blocked and I have to breathe through my mouth. This dries up my throat and makes it hard for me to swallow. I also become hoarse and cough a lot. My teeth are gone but my jaw is intact and my gums are firm so its possible for me to wear dentures. In the past few weeks, my gums began to shrink, however, and the dentures have become loose and they click when I talk and slip around inside my mouth.What do you notice about the way Francis describes his injuries?

Why does Mrs Belanders face soften when she realises that Francis is a war veteran?

She knows that he will not find anywhere else to live.She is confident that he will be able to pay his rent.She understands the contribution Francis has made to his country.She recognises who he is.

Chapter 3SonnyOBrienHenrySmithEddieChambers

ErwinJohnsonReillyRichardsOrlandiEisenbergBlinkyJackSpooksBilly

Chapter 4

Frenchtown Tigers v West Side KnightsCARTIERS FIELD AUGUST 15th 1938 7p.m. Entry: $1.20Monument Championship

What is the purpose of this poster?To explain who is playing.To show what championship is being played for.To advertise the baseball match.To inform people where the game is being played.

Why do you think that lots of people will be interested in this game?

(Game between two local teams is likely to attract interest in and around Monument because it would feature lots of local stars. Less likely to have a wider appeal though. References in the book do show the popularity of the sport.)

Chapter 5

St Jude: 10 things you need to know about the patron saint of lost causes1. St Jude was one of Jesus' 12 apostles, chosen to spread the word of the gospel.2. He was also known as Thaddeus or Thaddaeus - said to be a surname for the name Labbaeus which means "heart" or courageous".3. He is believed to have written the book of Jude. Religious scholars say it contains some of the finest expressions of praise to God in the Bible's New Testament.4. Jude became associated with desperate situations because of a letter he wrote to the Churches of the East. In it he says that the faithful must keep going even in harsh or difficult circumstances.

Chapter 5Name the three places in Frenchtown linked to St Jude.

Why do you think that Robert Cormier chose this particular saint?

Chapter 5Joey Le Blanc...died on a beach on Iwo Jima in the South Pacific.Read the article from the History Learning Site and answer the questions. Iwo Jima is a very small Pacific island just over 4.5 miles long and 2.5 miles wide Despite its size, Iwo Jima was considered to have great tactical importance. There were two airfields on the island under Japans control; they could be used by Japanese fighter planes to attack American bombers on their flights to Japan. The tiny island had taken America over one month to take. The Marines lost 6,891 men killed and 18,070 wounded. Out of the 22,000 Japanese soldiers on the island, only 212 were taken prisoners. What the battle did show the Americans was how far the Japanese would go to defend their country a decision that was to influence the use of the atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Chapter 5Circle the chart representing the data in the article.

Chapter 5 Look at the map below. Why do you think there were so many US marine casualties?

Airfields

Chapter 9Local man Larry LaSalle is in line to recieve a military award after savingthe lives of an entire platoon of soildiers. LaSalle, known locally as the heroe of thewreck centre, is said to have captured an enemy machine gun nest as part of the courageous raid.

Restrictions on reporting make it impossibleto reveal further details at this time but thepeople of Monument are sure to welcome LaSalle home on furlough in the coming weeks with speaches, gifts and parties inrecognition of his achievements.

Chapter 11

Why have you written the first of your Trickster Tales series on the Pied Piper of Hamelin?I think the Pied Piper is such an interesting figure. When you think about its weird what he did, taking them children away and it makes you ask questions. Why did he do it? Is that okay? Why did it happen? Whats the story trying to tell us? The Pied Piper makes you think. Theres something about it. You have your basic story: theres a town, the town has a rat problem, the town calls the Pied Piper, the Pied Piper gets rid of the rats, the town doesnt pay the the Pied Piper and the Pied Piper takes the children. But everything else is up for grabs, you can change it, you can set it anywhere in the world, you can say it means anything you like.

Chapter 11QuotationExplanationHis slenderness was knife-like now, lethal, his features sharper.This line is sickeningly ironic in the light of the events that follow.Nicole bowed, tilting her head like a ballet dancer...his eyes full of herFrancis naivety is clear here. He never, for a moment suspects Larrys real intentions.We have to keep the world safe for these young people - they are our future.The choice of language fits in with the idea of a predator trapping an innocent victim.Stay close to me,Stay and watch,The colour is symbolic of a loss of innocence.I wondered if he had a big announcement for her. That he had found a way to make her a starThere are hints of danger in the way Larry is now described.We always did what Larry LaSalle told us to do...And now I seemed actually to be tiredThe fact that Nicole does not speak here has a greater impact on Francis than if she did address him.Then, a whimpering, like a small animal caught and trapped...Larry has successfully groomed Francis to the extent that he can almost influence how he is feeling.Her white blouse torn...Larrys lack of remorse is evident and in huge contrast to how Francis responds.My betrayal of her in her eyes.There is a clear contrast between Nicoles innocence and Larrys predatory nature....whistling softly as he stepped through the doorway.Nicole may be aware of some impending danger.

Chapter 15

Look at the images above. They suggest that:

The symbol on prayer beads is not important.

Prayer beads are only used in the Catholic faith.

Prayer beads are exactly the same as rosary beads.

A range of religions use prayer beads.

Chapter 17 I remember what I said to Nicole about not knowing who the real heroes are and I think of my old platoon. Sonny Orlandi, Spooks Reilly and Blinky Chambers. Eddie Richards and his diarrhoea. Erwin Eisenberg. Henry Johnson, hit by shrapnel. And those who died, Jack Smith and Billy OBrien, and all the others. I think of Enrico, minus his legs, his arm. I think of Arthur Rivier, drunk and mournful that night in the alley. We were only there. Scared kids, not born to fight and kill. Who were not only there but who stayed, did not run away, fought the good war. And never talk about it. And didnt receive a Silver Star. But heroes, anyway. The real heroes. Maybe if Im going to write as Nicole hopes I will, I should write about them. Maybe I should buy a typewriter and get started. Maybe I should try to find Dr Abrams telephone number in Kansas City. Maybe I should track down Enrico, check out those hospitals he told me about. I should do all those things. I think of Nicole. I think of the gun inside the duffel bag at my feet. I pick up the duffel bag and sling it over my shoulder. The weight is nice and comfortable on my back as I cross the lobby, heading for the exit and the next train to leave the station.

How does Cormier make this an effective end to the novel?

Chapter 17This is an effective passage to end the novel as Francis apparently begins to come to terms with his past and look forward to some sort of future. However, there is enough doubt to keep the reader questioning where the next stage of his journey will go.Firstly, Cormier returns to a familiar theme in the novel: the real heroes. It is significant that the names we are familiar with such as Blinky Chambers, Enrico and Arthur Rivier are the ones who fought the good war...And didnt receive a Silver Star. It is evident that Cormier wants the reader to understand that the impact of war is evident in both physical and psychological ways and that bravery is not just measured by the award of medals.The repetition of the word maybe does ensure that there is some question as to whether Francis will buy a typewriter and get started, find Dr Abrams telephone number, track down Enrico, check out those hospitals he told me about. However, he does say that he should do all those things and it is implied that he wants to fulfil his ambition to write, partly for himself and partly for Nicole.Arguably, the final image in the book is the most significant in this chapter. Franciss duffel bag, a symbol of his guilt and pain for much of the novel, now feels nice and comfortable perhaps suggesting that Francis has at last reached some sort of peace. It is particularly effective as it seems to me that Cormier wants the reader to finish the book with the sense that it has been the first thing Francis has written and is a part of his recuperation process.

OverviewCh2Meets Nicole1939Seventh grade2. Ch5Wreck CentreLarrys arrival3.Ch7Table Tennis1941Pearl Harbour4. Ch9Larry enlists. Francis and Nicole5. Ch11Larry returns.The rape6. Ch12Guilt.Francis enlists7. Ch1Return to Frenchtown

8. Ch3(Flashback to 1943 Norman Rochelau, the war, grenade)9. Ch4 Arthur RivierSt Jude Club10. Ch6St Jude ClubScrapbook11. Ch8Pee Alley12. Ch10(Flahback- London)Waiting for Larrys return.13. Ch13Hears of Larrys return

14. Ch14Cannot complete mission. Larrys suicide15. Ch15Discovers where Nicole is.16. Ch16Sees Nicole.Encouraged to write17. Ch17The real heroes.New journey begins

ian.altman@erw.org.uk