Disguise

• Quote 1

  • “I have no face.” – Francis
  • This is both literal and symbolic. Francis’s physical injuries serve as a mask that hides his identity, but also reflect his inner emotional disfigurement. He is hiding from his past, and from himself.
• Quote 2

  • “I wear a scarf and bandage to hide my face, to hide my identity.”
  • Francis deliberately uses his appearance to avoid recognition in Frenchtown. His disguise is not just physical — it’s a way to delay confrontation with Larry, Nicole, and his guilt.
• Quote 3

  • “My mission is to kill Larry LaSalle.”
  • Francis uses this ‘mission’ as a moral justification for his return, disguising his emotional turmoil as a soldier’s duty. The language of military honour masks a personal and emotional motive.
• Quote 4

  • “The war is over and I have no face.”
  • Reinforces the idea that Francis's face (or lack of one) is a form of emotional disguise. He is trying to disappear, to avoid facing what he did — or failed to do — before the war.
• Quote 5

  • “He was our hero... the movie-star smile.” – On Larry LaSalle
  • Larry presents a charming, heroic façade that hides his true, predatory nature. His disguise as a role model is what allows him to manipulate and betray others — particularly Nicole.