Betrayal
Betrayal is a key theme in Heroes and is felt by different characters. Firstly, Francis feels incredibly betrayed by his childhood idol, Larry LeSalle. Larry helped Francis at a time when he felt very vulnerable and unnoticed. However, later in the text, Larry rapes Nicole and therefore betrays both Nicole's and Francis' trust.
Nicole also feels betrayed by Francis, as he witnessed the attack and didn't help her. Francis blames himself for what happened, and almost attempts suicide.
Guilt
Guilt is a motivator for many of Francis' actions in the text. After witnessing the rape of Nicole, Francis feels it is his fault and vows to kill Larry as revenge.
After witnessing the attack Francis is beside himself and contemplates committing suicide. However, he feels that this is not an "honorable" death, and instead joins the war effort. As such, his guilt influences his decision to sign up as a soldier.
Larry is also shown to have some guilt for his actions, saying that his guilt has also made him contemplate suicide. After Francis leaves Larry's apartment he hears a gunshot, suggesting that Larry has gone through with it.
War
War influences many of the characters in the text, including Francis. His facial deformities are a physical impact of the war, but he also suffers from psychological and emotional trauma. The many flashbacks in the text are significant, as they reflect the experiences of a war veteran after experiencing trauma.
Throughout the text, Francis encounters other war veterans in Frenchtown. They are stoic about their experiences and don't talk openly about it. This being said, Francis finds his old friend Arthur drunk in an alleyway, and he opens up about his experiences and the trauma he suffers. Later, Larry also says he suffers from trauma as a result of the war, which has led him to contemplate suicide.
Suicide
After Francis witnesses Larry rape Nicole, he feels a terrible guilt. He concludes that he cannot live with this guilt, and therefore contemplates suicide. However, after some thought, he concludes that suicide is not an "honorable" death, and instead joins the war effort. As such, Francis's joining of the war effort is essentially a death wish.
Later, Larry commits suicide in his apartment after Francis confronts him.
