Larry LaSalle

• 'I just prayed for the man I'm going to kill'


  First time Larry is mentioned. Creates suspense as we wonder why Francis feels like this about Larry; what has he done so badly that Francis wants to kill him?
• 'dazzling movie-star teeth'


  ambiguous - stands out and is amazing but may be too blinding so you can't see. Disguising the monster that lies beneath. Never fully know movie stars, just know their characters and facade.
• 'broad shoulders of an athlete and the narrow hips of a dancer. He was both'


  Seems to be perfect in appearance and ability, combining skills that most people admire.
• 'He could tap-dance with machine gun speed'


  machine guns can cause pain and misery in seconds, just like Larry LaSalle can.
• 'I stood spellbound by his words'


  Shows the control Larry has over Francis. Everyone is under his spell and his uses it the wrong way. His words have lots of power.
• 'he allowed her'


  good example that he is manipulating and controlling Nicole
• 'Dancing in the dark'?


  Dancing is freeing,happy and relaxing. The dark is scary, unknowing and we don't know what is lurking there. Compares to how we don't know LaSalle's intentions.
• 'Larry LaSalle was everywhere in the centre' ?


  Ambiguous. Could be helping everyone and does not have favourites. Or he is always watching everyone and he knows everything; nothing gets past him.
• 'I want to be with the wreck centre gang ... they are our future'


  Sickening. He has planned what he will do and feels no guilt about it. Can lie so easily that it is scary.
• 'Tamed the notorious school bully' 


  Tamed is used whne dogs are trained. Cormier suggesting the children are animals and he is their trainer. Could be seen as he is helping them become better people or that he has the power and is training them to do what he wants.
• 'Larry LaSalle had been a bright pied piper for their children'

  The bright pied piper hypnotised the rats to follow him. Then he hypnotised the children. LaSalle is similar to him. He leads the children into danger but most people still see him as a hero.
• 'You are all stars'


  Gives people who have low self-esteem or confidence. Doing it to make them trust him and like him. He later manipulates them, using the trust he gained.
• 'knife-like now, lethal'


  He has lost weight yet gives semantic field of knifes. Foreshadows. This man is a dangerous weapon. Cormier has used the language specifically to show even his face is a weapon.
• 'an elaborate system Larry LaSalle had devised'


  He is smart and he wants to uses his knowledge in a bad way. It is a small competition between children and it is set like a professional league. He wants Francis to win and will manipulate the system so that it is ensured that he will.
• 'We knew little about him, however, he discouraged questions'


  Ambiguous. Trying to shine the light on the children and for them to focus on themselves. But he wants to hide what he has done in the past because it could lead to consequences for him. Hints - foreshadowing.
• 'Instantly caught the attention of Larry LaSalle' 


  initial interest and the sinister understanding takes shape. The predator has his eyes on his prey.
• 'the patron saint of the wreck centre'


  holy, has not done anything wrong in anyone's eyes. He is trusted by everyone in Frenchtown.
• 'stood modestly before the crowd'


  clever. He knows how to play the crowd so they like him. Ambiguous. Humble or embarrassed or he's ashamed because he knows what the mayor is saying is untrue.
• 'one of the first Frenchtown men to enlist' 


  He wants to look good to everyone else in Frenchtown. He wants people to believe that he is the best and they do. He creates the image that he is a good person.
• 'LaSalle earns Silver Star' ?

  He is a hero to everyone in the country except 2 people. He dies a hero to everyone. He is untouchable by anyone he has wronged.
• 'Two games were being played at the same time'


  Like what Larry LaSalle is doing. He is making it look like he is being kind to and helping the children. Yet he is a monster who is using and manipulating the children to get what he wants.
• 'Lt Lawrence LaSalle ... holder of the silver star'?


  Introducing line of ch 11 - the chapter where we learn who LaSalle really is.
• 'he was letting me win, was guiding the game with such skill that no one but me realised what he was doing.'

  foreshadowing. He is fully controlling what is happening and only Francis figured out what he was doing.