Talk of Heroes by Carol Bly Summary

Talk of Heroes is about Emily Anderson, a middle-aged woman whose daughter Sandra is having marital problems and is visiting her. Emily sees her daughter's presence as an intrusion on her solitude. Later, Emily goes to a meeting of a Norwegian group, where a man is supposed to give a talk on his heroism during World War II. However, he shows up drunk, and she realizes that she knows him. She had met him years ago, after the war. Since he cannot give the talk, she talks for him and tells the story of how he stood up under Nazi torture long enough for his collaborators to escape to Allied territory.

Talk of Heroes by Carol Bly Analysis

Talk of Heroes contrasts the mundane present with a heroic past and demonstrates the power...