An Outline of "Heroes"
Heroes – Robert Cormier
Key Quotations
Chapter 1 – page 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.” Establishes the setting Introduces narrator in first person Surprising statement creates mystery
Chapter 1 – page 1
“Oh, I have eyes… but no ears to speak of, just bits of dangling flesh. But that’s fine, like Dr Abrams says… He was joking, of course.” Conversational style of address Creates a close bond between the reader and the narrator
Chapter 1 – page 1
Description of Francis’s physical injuries. Described in a matter-of-fact way Creates sympathy in the reader – but does Francis expect this? Makes the reader want to know why he looks like this
Chapter 1 – page 2
“But not having much success” and “I don’t blame them” Francis has low self-esteem and lacks confidence Presented as single-sentence paragraphs to draw attention to them
Chapter 1 – page 3
“This was proof that the scarf and the bandage were working in two ways: not only to hide the ugliness of what used to be my face, but to hide my identity.” Why is Francis trying to hide? Creates mystery Francis believes he is ugly
Chapter 1 – page 4
“I thought of Nicole Renard, realizing I had not thought of her for, oh, maybe two hours.” First mention of Nicole Suggests Francis may be in love with her Makes the reader ask questions
Chapter 1 – page 4
“She had always been generous when I did her errands and her tips paid for my ten-cent movie tickets at the Plymouth on Saturday afternoons.” Francis knows Mrs Belander from before the war In a first reading, the Plymouth seems unimportant
Chapter 1 – page 4
“At that moment, I knew that I was really anonymous, that I wasn’t Francis Joseph Cassavant anymore but a tenant in Frenchtown.” Why does Francis want to be anonymous? Contrasts with the opening sentence
Chapter 1 – page 5
“I was home again in
Key Quotations
Chapter 1 – page 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.” Establishes the setting Introduces narrator in first person Surprising statement creates mystery
Chapter 1 – page 1
“Oh, I have eyes… but no ears to speak of, just bits of dangling flesh. But that’s fine, like Dr Abrams says… He was joking, of course.” Conversational style of address Creates a close bond between the reader and the narrator
Chapter 1 – page 1
Description of Francis’s physical injuries. Described in a matter-of-fact way Creates sympathy in the reader – but does Francis expect this? Makes the reader want to know why he looks like this
Chapter 1 – page 2
“But not having much success” and “I don’t blame them” Francis has low self-esteem and lacks confidence Presented as single-sentence paragraphs to draw attention to them
Chapter 1 – page 3
“This was proof that the scarf and the bandage were working in two ways: not only to hide the ugliness of what used to be my face, but to hide my identity.” Why is Francis trying to hide? Creates mystery Francis believes he is ugly
Chapter 1 – page 4
“I thought of Nicole Renard, realizing I had not thought of her for, oh, maybe two hours.” First mention of Nicole Suggests Francis may be in love with her Makes the reader ask questions
Chapter 1 – page 4
“She had always been generous when I did her errands and her tips paid for my ten-cent movie tickets at the Plymouth on Saturday afternoons.” Francis knows Mrs Belander from before the war In a first reading, the Plymouth seems unimportant
Chapter 1 – page 4
“At that moment, I knew that I was really anonymous, that I wasn’t Francis Joseph Cassavant anymore but a tenant in Frenchtown.” Why does Francis want to be anonymous? Contrasts with the opening sentence
Chapter 1 – page 5
“I was home again in