Heroes

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes depictions of wartime violence and death, as well as depictions of racism and anti-Asian racial slurs.

Frank stares in horror at the burning wreck where his house used to stand. A large piece of the Arizona has crushed it. Frank grieves over the loss of his home and belongings, especially his family mementos and comic book scripts. However, this latest explosion has brought Mrs. Summers to her senses, and she drags the boys away from the burning house. They walk to the Dungeon but are stopped at the entrance by Arthur and Johnny, the two bullies Stanley fought.

The bullies tell them that Frank can enter, but neither Stanley nor his mother is permitted because they are “Japs” (113). Frank and Stanley are shocked and horrified. Mrs. Summers is less surprised but angry, insisting that they are American citizens. The bullies still refuse, claiming that Japanese forces have already taken over parts of Hawaii and that the Japanese Americans in Honolulu are storming Pearl Harbor. Johnny spits at Stanley’s feet and tells him to go die in the attack.