Francis has a drink at the St Jude Club with other veterans from the war. He recognizes them but they do not know who he is. On his way to the Wreck Centre, Francis meets Arthur Rivier, another veteran. Francis feels like an outsider even in his hometown. The chapter explores how the war has changed Francis and the other veterans, and suggests that the reality of war was not as heroic as initially thought.

1. 23rd January 2012
Chapter Four Summary
Copy this in to your books in the right order
1. Together with other young men who have been in the war, Francis
has a drink in St Jude Club.
2. He recognises them but they do not know who he is.
3. On his way to the Wreck Centre Francis meets Arthur Rivier, another
veteran from the war.
‘Don’t sit under the apple tree with anyone else but me’
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5Qx4Y_hUuE
Can I critically respond to the text, ‘Heroes’? (AO1)
I must generally refer to relevant aspects of Heroes
I should discuss thoroughly and increasingly thoughtfully characters/relationships
I could consider and suggest experimental ideas and judgements;

2. Lesson Objectives
Can I critically respond to the text, ‘Heroes’? (AO1)
I must generally refer to relevant aspects of Heroes
I should discuss thoroughly and increasingly
thoughtfully characters/relationships
I could consider and suggest experimental ideas
and judgements;

3. Chapter 3 re-cap
1 Find the sentence ‘I stare at the final proof that Nicole has gone away’
(page 16). How does the writer move from one time period to another
here?
2 In the page following this, what is suggested about Nicole, and how she
changed after Francis left? (p.17)
3 In the section beginning ‘I can never trace the moment …’ (page
20), how does the writer move from one time period to another?
4 In the section beginning ‘I don’t want to think about them’ (page
20), in what ways is it suggested that the soldiers are not heroes? How is
it suggested that war is brutal and nasty rather than heroic?
Can I critically respond to the text, ‘Heroes’? (AO1)
I must generally refer to relevant aspects of Heroes
I should discuss thoroughly and increasingly thoughtfully characters/relationships
I could consider and suggest experimental ideas and judgements;

4. Areas for Discussion
1 What does Francis remember about Arthur Rivier
before the war (page 21)? Why do you think the
writer has included this detail?
2 In this chapter, which is all set in the present time
of the story, how does the writer remind you of the
other periods in the story?
3 How is it shown here that Francis feels himself to
be an outsider, even though he is in his home
town?
Can I critically respond to the text, ‘Heroes’? (AO1)
I must generally refer to relevant aspects of Heroes
I should discuss thoroughly and increasingly thoughtfully characters/relationships
I could consider and suggest experimental ideas and judgements;

5. Why is this chapter important?
A We can see how important the Wreck
Centre is to him and how it is associated with
unhappiness.
B There is evidence of the social circle of
which he was once a part. The veterans
speak about the future in a way that Francis
cannot.
C The comments about heroism add to the
impression of Francis’ low self-esteem.
Can I critically respond to the text, ‘Heroes’? (AO1)
I must generally refer to relevant aspects of Heroes
I should discuss thoroughly and increasingly thoughtfully characters/relationships
I could consider and suggest experimental ideas and judgements;

6. Checkpoint 4
Francis refers frequently to his
loneliness throughout the novel. Can
you find another reference to his
loneliness later in this chapter?

7. Old Friends
Francis thinks back to Arthur’s first visit home in his army
uniform along with other soldiers and he remembers how he
wanted to be like these heroes and how much they impressed
him. He also remembers that Arthur was a very good baseball
player before he went to fight in the war.
As the other men drink beer and chat, Francis does not join
in, although he does state that he wishes he could be part of
the ‘camaraderie’ p.28). He recognised then but they have no
idea who he is. The veterans are talking about their plans for
the future, by taking advantage of the GI Bill.
Can I critically respond to the text, ‘Heroes’? (AO1)
I must generally refer to relevant aspects of Heroes
I should discuss thoroughly and increasingly thoughtfully characters/relationships
I could consider and suggest experimental ideas and judgements;

8. Did you know?
Under the Servicemen’s Resettlement Act of
1944 (commonly known as the GI Bill) soldiers
who had fought in the war were entitled to
thirty-six months of education or training with
financial support for books, fees and living
expenses.

9. Checkpoint 5
Why does Cormier give
details of Arthur Rivier’s
baseball achievements on
p.23?

10. Examiner’s tip: writing about the shadow
of war
Different kinds of heroism and different types of heroes are portrayed in
the novel. Before he enlisted in the army, Arthur Rivier had been a star
first baseman, a sporting hero. It should be noted that Arthur Rivier no
longer looks like a hero - ‘his eyes are bleary and bloodshot’ (p.26). The
war has destroyed his hero like qualities.
Francis was impatient to join the older boys in ‘that great crusade for
freedom’ (p.24). His idealistic attitude towards fighting appears to have
altered considerably. Towards the end of the chapter he states that he is
not the hero the others think he is. It is ironic that while others respect
him as a hero, Francis feels he is not one at all.
Can I critically respond to the text, ‘Heroes’? (AO1)
I must generally refer to relevant aspects of Heroes
I should discuss thoroughly and increasingly thoughtfully characters/relationships
I could consider and suggest experimental ideas and judgements;

11. Look back at your title for today
Circle the correct label for the
structure –
after the war or flashback?
Can I critically respond to the text, ‘Heroes’? (AO1)
I must generally refer to relevant aspects of Heroes
I should discuss thoroughly and increasingly thoughtfully characters/relationships
I could consider and suggest experimental ideas and judgements;

12. Plenary
Which theme do you think the novel is mostly
about so far:
Heroism?
Guilt?
Loneliness?
Answer in a full paragraph.
Can I critically respond to the text, ‘Heroes’? (AO1)
I must generally refer to relevant aspects of Heroes
I should discuss thoroughly and increasingly thoughtfully characters/relationships
I could consider and suggest experimental ideas and judgements;

13. “I wanted to be like them, these heroes, fighting
the Japs and the Germans, going off to battles
on land and sea.”(p.23-24)
• Francis used to have a romantic idea about war
• Later, he learns that they weren’t heroes they
“were only there” (page 47)
What is the effect of Francis’ realisation?
Francis’ realisation shows…
Can I critically respond to the text, ‘Heroes’? (AO1)
I must generally refer to relevant aspects of Heroes
I should discuss thoroughly and increasingly thoughtfully characters/relationships
I could consider and suggest experimental ideas and judgements;

14. “Big Boy… is now sleek and hard with no soft
edges”(p.25)
• The war has transformed Big Boy physically
• There are many ‘then and now’ comparisons
within the novel showing the effect of war
What does this suggest?
The ‘then and now’ comparisons
throughout the novel suggest…
Can I critically respond to the text, ‘Heroes’? (AO1)
I must generally refer to relevant aspects of Heroes
I should discuss thoroughly and increasingly thoughtfully characters/relationships
I could consider and suggest experimental ideas and judgements;

15. “I am not the hero he thinks I am, not like the
other veterans here in the St Jude’s Club.”
(p.26)
• Again, Francis says that he is not a hero
• He compares himself with everybody else for
a negative effect
Why might Francis do this?
Francis compares himself with
everybody else for a negative effect to
Can I critically respond to the text, ‘Heroes’? (AO1)
I must generally refer to relevant aspects of Heroes
I should discuss thoroughly and increasingly thoughtfully characters/relationships
I could consider and suggest experimental ideas and judgements;

16. Reflecting on my learning: copy out ONE skill you
need to work on the MOST at the moment.
Part 2: When studying the novel ‘Heroes’, I need more
practise...
1. Describing and explaining characters personalities
2. Understanding the links between the themes and
characters
3. Using a quotation that matches my point
4. Identifying and exploring language techniques
5. Explaining and commenting on narrative
techniques
6. Interpreting the messages within the story
Can I critically respond to the text, ‘Heroes’? (AO1)
I must generally refer to relevant aspects of Heroes
I should discuss thoroughly and increasingly thoughtfully characters/relationships
I could consider and suggest experimental ideas and judgements;