Tom Harriman A Hero Sparknotes

937 Words2 Pages

In Hero by Mike Lupica, Tom Harriman has died in a mysterious plane crash in which the facts just do not add up, Zach Harriman, his son, is determined to find the truth about his father’s death. There is one more small factor; Zach is starting to have powers, indescribable powers, he is able to cross great distances in almost no time at all, he has unimaginable strength. Throughout the story, Zach has to learn even the people that he believed were closest to him, people he considered family, he can no longer trust. The six most important people in Zach’s life are Alba, the house’s caretaker, Zach’s mother, his father, Alba’s daughter Kate, his Uncle John, and Mr. Herbert, who teaches him how to use his newfound powers to fight “the bads” who …show more content…

Zach’s mom is a heavy supporter of Senator Bob Kerrigan being president, this is because, before Tom Harriman’s death, Senator Kerrigan had picked Tom as his running mate. Senator Kerrigan decides to have a massive speech in Central Park, bringing in thousands of people. Just as Senator Kerrigan begins to talk Zach’s eyes fall onto a man on the roof of the building, holding a gun, “The gun taking dead aim at the man who’d just been introduced as the next president of the United States.”. (Lupica, 274) As quickly as the man pulls the trigger on the gun, Zach tackles the Senator, as the bullet rips through the canvas backdrop exactly where the Senator was standing only a second ago. As Zach starts to rise, then he is the one being tackled and he hears, “”Down Zacman!”” This is old Mr. Herbert, protecting him from the second bullet that ends up lodged in Mr. Herbert’s midsection, then as soon as he appeared, Mr. Herbert is gone. After a small search Zach finds Mr. Herbert sitting up against a tree bleeding heavily, Zach begins to call for help but Mr. Herbert refuses, he says, “”Let me die in peace,” “With my grandson next to me.”” This news of his newly found grandfather shocks Zach into silence, he had always thought that his father was an orphan. After this shocking news, Zach rushes home to his apartment only to find his Uncle John who greets him proudly calling him, “”The hero of the day!”” Zach simply replies with “”He’s dead”” (Lupica, 284) As both men begin to argue, Zack discovers that his Uncle John is the one that killed his father, brought down the plane. Uncle John then tries to defend himself by saying, “”I know these people. [The Bads] You don’t know what power they have. The way you can’t even begin to know the powers you’re going to have.””(Lupica, 288) After this comment, when Zach finally decides who he should trust, who really cares for him,

Open Document