Heroes Robert Cormier Analysis

Have you ever felt so reprehensible and responsible for someone else’s actions that you wanted to die? It sounds exaggerated, but in Heroes, Robert Cormier makes it seem relatable and realistic. In the story, Francis Cassavant's depression and iniquity lead him to become suicidal, so he joins the army to try and die heroically. These characteristics determine his actions through the story and help develop him as a real person. In Heroes, we learn that Francis has always had a low self-regard, even as a child. “‘I’m rotten at everything,’ I confessed. ‘I can’t sing. I can’t dance. I’m no good at baseball.’ And I can’t even get up the nerve to hold a normal conversation with Nicole Renard, I added silently” (Cormier 56). When Francis a child, the problems began. He did not believe he was talented, popular, or adequate at anything. This carries over into his adult life, and leads to many of the conflicts that Francis faces.
Towards the middle of the story, we learn that Larry LaSalle sexually abused Francis’s girlfriend when they were young. Francis was there the entire time, but did not do anything. For this reason, he feels liable about what happened to Nicole and thinks he should have helped her. “In the spill of moonlight, her eyes flashed black

He tells Larry LaSalle that he only joined the army because he wanted to die and rid himself of the guilt and desolation that he was overcome with. Therefore, Francis only became a hero because he wanted to die. “‘When I fell on that grenade, I wasn’t trying to save those GIs. I saw my chance to end it all, in a second. But a freak accident happened. My face got blown off and I didn’t die…’” (Cormier 113). Francis’s actions saved his platoon, but he cannot actually be considered a hero because he was not trying to save them, he was only thinking of himself. His heroism is still being decided which brings him more