Themes – WJECLoneliness and isolation

Every character in Heroes could be said to be lonely. Cormier is showing how each one of us is essentially alone – it is the human condition.

Francis Cassavant is alone in the world because his parents and baby brother have been dead since he was a boy. He has isolated himself from other people because of his devotion to Nicole Renard, refusing to show any interest in other girls. In addition, his shyness makes it difficult for Francis to interact comfortably with others as a child.

It is the Wreck Centre which brings him out of his shell. When Francis rents a room from Mrs Belander he is extremely lonely. The descriptions of the room and his solitary preparation of meals, along with his not being recognised, reinforce this feeling of isolation. Francis was lonely when he was living with Uncle Louis because his uncle was such a quiet man. There was very little conversation, although Francis felt loved by him.

When Francis hides in the Wreck Centre on the night of Larry’s homecoming, he leaves Nicole alone with Larry, and this is when Larry rapes her. Nicole isolates herself as a result of the assault, and when Francis finally finds her at the end of the novel they are physically in the same room, but eternally isolated from each other. Larry lives alone in his apartment after the war, disabled and isolated, and he dies alone.

How are the themes of loneliness and isolation explored in the novel?

In Heroes, Robert Cormier explores loneliness and isolation through:

• showing how Francis is set apart from others before and after the war
• showing how other characters are lonely, even when they are not alone

When Francis is a child

How does Cormier show this?

Example 1

Francis is a lonely child. He has no close family and is naturally shy.

Evidence

Standing at the banister in an agony of love and longing, like a sentry on lonely guard duty, I waited for Nicole to come down the stairs...

I had no best friend, although Joey LeBlanc who lived on the first floor of my three-decker, often went with me to the Plymouth on Saturday afternoons.

Analysis

Francis is hopelessly in love with Nicole, even at the age of 12, and he is too shy to tell her how he feels. He lurks in the stairwell of his building, hoping to catch a glimpse of her. The reference to a lonely guard emphasises his isolation as well as his protective feelings for Nicole.

Francis gets on well with Joey Leblanc but he stops short of claiming him as a best friend. This highlights Francis’ loneliness as a boy.

Example 2

Francis feels lonely at Uncle Louis’ apartment, so he goes to look for other people.

Evidence

The loneliness of the tenement drove me to the Wreck Centre after school and weekends.

I picked a spot in the back row to avoid calling attention to myself...

Analysis

In a way, it is because of Francis’ extreme loneliness that he seeks company and activity at the Wreck Centre. Once he is there, he makes sure that he avoids being noticed, so he is still isolated in a way, but it is of his own choosing.

Example 3

Larry invites Francis to start coming to play table tennis at the Wreck Centre.

Evidence

He found me sitting alone on the back steps of the Wreck Centre, looking at nothing in particular. There was nothing in my world that was worth looking at.

Analysis

Francis is evidently feeling depressed here, and it is Larry who recognises his loneliness and helps him to find something at which he excels.

On the night of the rape

How does Cormier show this?

Francis leaves Nicole with Larry even though she asks him to stay, because Larry has told him to go.

Evidence

Nicole and I are going to have one last dance,he said.Just her and me alone. It’s important, Francis.

Did she want to be alone with Larry?

[I was] miserable in my aloneness.

Analysis

Francis always does what Larry tells him to do, and even though he has confused feelings about leaving Nicole with Larry, he opts to go out of the room.

Francis thinks that perhaps he has not been able to understand Nicole’s wishes. At this point he waits alone in the hallway, hearing the sounds of Larry assaulting Nicole. He feels isolated from the other two characters, and his feelings of having perhaps betrayed Nicole add to his loneliness.