Larry encourages Francis to take up table tennis, at which Francis excels. He wins a tournament and grows more confident. Nicole calls him her champion. I also really liked Nicole, up until a certain point. She wasn't to blame for what happened, and how she reacted, but her behaviour still irritated me. But, prior to that, she came across as a genuinely kind girl, who was very sweet to Francis. This pressure utterly destroyed Francis’ mental health, as he grew depressed and suicidal- wanting to jump off the roof of a church, but ultimately stopped because he considered it cowardice. Remember when I said Francis almost sacrificed his life, fell onto a grenade, and tried to “shield” his comrades from a grenade explosion? Left without a face or a future, but sustained by his deep sense of shame, Francis watches. He thinks of the gun in his duffel bag and waits, alone, for the return of another supposed hero.

Nicole is a kind girl, and wants to help people. She becomes a volunteer... with the Monument Red Cross... preparing food kits for servicemen. Francis is plagued by the fact that he couldn’t stop his then-girlfriend, Nicole Renard from getting raped by Larry LaSalle.Likewise when Francis throws himself onto a grenade, it appears to show a willingness to sacrifice his own life to save the lives of his comrades but later on he reveals that his real motivation was a way to committing suicide without disgracing his family. Thus his act of apparent selfless heroism hides a selfish action. Francis lies to Mrs Belander about his parents because he does not want to be recognised. He goes to bed one night thinking about all the soldiers in his platoon close platoon A company of soldiers.. Their horrific injuries are described. He meets an old friend, Arthur Rivier, but does not reveal his identity. Arthur invites Francis for a drink at St Jude’s Club where he sees several other old friends who have also returned from the war.

Mrs Belander: Francis's landlady. She feels sympathy towards Francis, as he is a veteran and is the person who inadvertently reveals that Larry LaSalle has returned to Frenchtown.Ultimately both men are flawed, both carry out heroic acts for the wrong reasons. Thus Cormier questions whether 'true heroism' can ever truly exist. Is the notion fact or fiction? Yet he doesn't stop there. The rape of Nicole also seems to question the morality of of society's acceptance of actions carried out during war-time whilst in uniform against those perpetrated when out of it. Which rather begs the question, can might ever be right? I even liked Larry, to an extent, if 'like' is the right word. I thought he was an intensely interesting and complex character, and I could never quite make up my minds as to whether I admired him, felt sorry for him, or downright disliked him. Was he a victim or a villain? I am still undecided.