Quotations Heroes by Robert Cormier

www.teachit.co.uk 2009 7903 Page 1 of 3

Read the following quotations carefully and complete the table below. Explain what each
quotation tells us and its significance to the novel. You may need to remind yourself of the
relevant section of the novel. Page numbers have been provided to help you do this.

Quotation Page Explanation
People glance at me in
surprise and look away
quickly or cross the street.
2
The pale purity of her face
reminded me of St
Thrse.
8
A childs small face
appears at a window like
the ghost of the little girl
Nicole once had been.
13
I saw how young they
were, boys with apple
cheeks, too young to
shave. Like me.
19
Its a bad luck place a
place of doom.
25
Uncle Louis seldom spoke
but I never doubted his
affection.
28
Dazzled by his talent and
his energy, none of us
dwelt on the rumours the
air of mystery that
surrounded him added to
his glamour.
29
I turn away from the Wreck
Centre, knowing that poor
Joey Le Blanc, who died on
a beach on Iwo Jima had
been right, after all.
30
This is the pause between
one life and another.
31
There are lots of medals
for outstanding service but
only the Silver Star is for
heroism for gallantry.
33
Quotations Heroes by Robert Cormier
www.teachit.co.uk 2009 7903 Page 2 of 3

Quotation Page Explanation
Two games were being
played the sharp, take-
no-prisoners game the
hushed audience was
observing and the subtle
tender game in which Larry
La Salle was letting me
win.
44
No heroes in that
scrapbook only us, the
boys of Frenchtown We
werent heroes. We were
only there
47
When I study myself in the
mirror, I dont see me any
more but a stranger slowly
taking shape.
55
I knew what they were
doing- the thought streaked
through my mind
63
I recognised in her eyes
now what I could not deny:
betrayal. My betrayal of
her.
64
Soldiers were dying with
honour on battlefields
Noble deathsThe deaths
of heroes. How could I die
by leaping from a steeple?
69
Everybody sins, Francis.
The terrible thing is that
we love our sins. We love
the thing that makes us
evil Does that one sin of
mine wipe away all the
good things?
76
The sound of a pistol shot
cracks the air almost like
a ping-pong ball striking
the table.
79
Quotations Heroes by Robert Cormier
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Quotation Page Explanation
For one lightning moment, I
dont recognise her, fail to
see Nicole Renard in the
girl who has just entered
the room.
83
You werent to blame for
what happened there.
84
For a while, he made me
feel special. Made us all
feel special Now Im
starting to find out who I
am, who I really am
85
I dont know what a hero
is any more, Nicole. I
think of Larry La Salle and
his Silver Star. And my own
Silver Star, for an act of
cowardice.
88
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 itThe
real heroes.
89
Maybe if Im going to write
as Nicole hopes I will, I
should write about them.
89