The Labors of Hercules Beal

“If you are in the elementary school, you need to go back to the lobby—the one with the mynahs—and take the green stairs up to the second floor.”

The first words Lieutenant Colonel Hupfer says to Hercules are an assumption that the boy is younger than he is. This physical characterization of the boy establishes irony. Because his name is Hercules, the expectation is that he is physically massive and strong, yet the boy is small for his age.

“I thought about Mr. Moby and his old dog the rest of that afternoon…I thought of him alone in his house, watching for falling sugar maple leaves and peeing dogs…I thought of him when we passed his house heading back, Mr. Moby and his old dog. Then, Mr. Moby, alone.”

Mr. Moby is the Beals’ grumpy neighbor who finds every reason to complain. However, earlier, when Hercules, Elly, and Mindy walk by his house, the man softens momentarily when remembering a dog he once had. Hercules cannot shake the thought of Mr. Moby for the rest of the day, focusing on the dog the man loved as well as how the man is now alone. Hercules begins to take a different perspective and consider why the old man might be grumpy. Hercules can connect with this loneliness because he is grappling with the loss of his parents.

“Can we return to the emergency room stuff for a minute?”

Ty Malcolm, Hercules’s classmate, says this as they prepare themselves to rid the abandoned house of the Ugly Cat Pack. He repeatedly asks this question and even runs away when the cats scratch Hercules’s arm into a bloody mess. This is ironic because Ty is physically the largest of the kids, yet he is the most terrified. Hercules, however, is the smallest—and often teased for this fact—but he is the one who sticks with the plan, despite the creepy atmosphere and violent felines.

“It was what the lightning showed:

a section of the living room ceiling missing

glinting eyes perched all around the hole, hating us

cats with their nails on the edge of the remaining plaster

mouths drawn back to sharp incisors

claws extending like sharp hypodermics

a hiss, then a hundred more hisses

one of the cats starting to leap.”

This passage is when Hercules, Henry, and Elly are inside the house, and a flash of lightning reveals the felines staring down at them from a hole in the ceiling. The structure of the text here alludes to that of an epic poem. In verse, the lines describe what sounds like mythical monsters, not mere stray cats. This parallel to how the original story of Hercules’s labors would have been told suggests that this indeed is a labor of mythic proportions and is the true beginning of his project.

“Your faces relax, and you stop worrying, and all that grit you two carry around falls away, and you’re just you.”

As they drive to Cleveland for the plants, Viola tells Hercules that he looks just like his brother when he sleeps. Hercules notes that they do not look alike, but her response here reveals just how much their grief and stress are evident to others. The “grit” they carry is the responsibility for the family business and mourning for their dead parents. Hercules believes himself to be nothing like his brother, but Viola, who is perceptive, emphasizes their similarities.

“But it’s not. Everyone says I should be okay by now. I’m supposed to move on and stuff. Everything will be fine.”

Viola suggests that it is okay that Hercules continues to grieve, but here, the boy’s response reveals the pressure he feels to move on and feel better, even though the loss of his parents is so painful. The platitudes he hears from others are meant to help but are not necessarily true, proving that the grieving process varies from person to person.

“‘We get better,’ she said. ‘It takes a long time and there’s a whole lot of scars, but we get better.’”

After they return from Cleveland, Viola encourages Hercules with these words, another example of her perceptive and kind nature. She can see how much the boy is struggling and tries to bolster him. He later goes to watch the sunrise and feels better than normal, imagining his parents holding hands. This shift in Hercules proves just how big of an impact Viola’s words have on him.

“I think that even the classical bearer of your name would be impressed by that feat. Go inside. Get ready for first period. And keep your heads down for the rest of the week.”

Lieutenant Colonel Hupfer makes this remark to Hercules when he learns that they painted every leaf on the tree. This compliment is a rarity from the man who frequently reminds students that he does not care what they think, and it demonstrates that his stern veneer is tough love and not meanness. His parting advice gives Hercules and Henry the boost needed to get through the week.

“I was back at the hole and screaming for Achilles and he was telling me to get off the stupid roof and I was telling him to give me his stupid hand and then the wreck shifted again with the waves and Mrs. Neal’s mother’s hutch smacked toward me and I pulled it back as Achilles scrambled up and things started to let go beneath me and in that millimillionth of a second, that one-millimillionth of a second—he was out.

My brother and I holding each other for another millimillionth of a second.”

Hercules’s love for his brother is evident in his fear that Achilles might get trapped and killed in the rubble of the Neal house; he screams for his older brother, yells at him, and then hugs him. Furthermore, the lack of punctuation in the first long sentence creates a rapid pace, much like the panic Hercules feels. Thus far in the narrative, neither brother has expressed love for the other, so this moment reveals the depth of their care despite their inability to articulate it. That it takes a natural disaster for Hercules to express his love for his brother reveals The Significance of Setting on Personal Development.

“I left out everything about how I was thinking about my parents and the white pickup truck. And I left out how I almost cried when I felt Mrs. Neal’s hand leave mine. And I left out what I didn’t tell you either—that I might have peed my pants that last time when the whole roof shifted and I looked down and saw the white water coming toward Achilles.”

When Hercules tells his principal what happened at the Neal house, this is everything he leaves out, specifically his fear and panic. This revelation highlights that Hercules keeps much to himself, not allowing others to fully see him. It also demonstrates what Dr. S. Klatt says about courage: It is not what you feel but what you do. This implies that heroism does not mean the lack of fear but, rather, action despite that fear.

“Overnight, you could hear the storm getting stronger and stronger and meaner and meaner. For a while the wind was gusty, smacking its fists against the corners of the house. But then the gusts gave way to a pretty steady howl, and that howl sometimes rose to a scream, and sometimes that scream pitched a fit up to a shriek and tried to tear at whatever it could tear at. You could almost hear the cries of the last leaves being torn from their branches, and sometimes the wind battered so hard that I almost wondered if Elias and Elene’s house itself could keep standing after all those years.”

Here, Hercules describes the increasing intensity of the storm the night before emptying out the Academy. Although his words depict the strength of the wind and his fear that maybe his old house might not withstand it, they are also a metaphor for life. He and his family have endured much through time, like the house. When he worries that the house may not make it, the connotation is that he worries that he and his family cannot withstand much more tragedy and trauma. Furthermore, the personification of the wind as “smacking its fists” and emitting a “steady howl” that “pitched a fit up to a shriek” sounds like the painful ululations of grief.

“And I thought about…you know…until it was time to get changed and walk to classes in the Cape Cod Academy for Environmental Sciences.”

After the school relocates to the farm, Hercules has more time on his hands. Here, the ellipses and “you know” emphasize that the thoughts he omits are those of his parents. Hercules references their death yet simultaneously refuses to name it, which demonstrates how deep his grief and guilt run. Any moment he is not busy with school or work, he is consumed by thoughts of their death.

“No. I know what it’s like to be angry all the time, and that’s not you. You’re not that Hercules. I think there are a lot of times when you’re not angry. I think there are a lot of times when you think the world is pretty amazing.”

Lieutenant Colonel Hupfer says this to Hercules after the boy breaks Ty Malcolm’s nose and claims to be angry all the time. The man’s words show that he truly sees Hercules and understands him. Additionally, this passage reveals that the retired marine is more complex than his tough exterior suggests. He cares so much about Hercules that he wants to help him navigate through his anger and grief, illustrating the theme of Community Impact on Individual Healing.

“Mr. Moby shook his head. ‘I guess it doesn’t matter,’ he said. ‘And she is a good dog.’ He reached down to rub her between the ears. ‘You better come inside. I’ll get you some lunch. You okay with tomato soup and grilled cheese?’”

After returning from the animal hospital, Mr. Moby shows kindness to both Mindy and Hercules, which the boy would have considered out of character before the day’s events. However, Mr. Moby has a soft spot for the dog and shows that he is kind, despite his cranky exterior, for not only does he pet the dog and offer lunch, but he risks his life driving through the snow to get to the animal hospital. Additionally, this passage emphasizes The Benefits of a Shifted Perspective as Hercules learns that if he looks at someone in a new light, they may be much different than one originally thought.

“Mindy and Pirate Cat and Achilles and I were on the Dune for the dawn almost every morning, watching the white sun come over the sea, a sea that most mornings sent up tendrils of steam that wound high into the sky.”

While the brutal killings happen at night, each morning Achilles accompanies Hercules to the Dune. This shift represents their growing bond and better understanding of each other. At the outset, the boys are at odds, but now they enjoy this morning ritual together, something that helps them through their grief.

“And an Ugly Cat Pack that now had another surprising change: a single kitten that bumbled along just in front of the last cat in line, who was never far away from it. That cat would nudge the kitten along to keep it with the others, or sit and wait for it to walk on, or sometimes she’d grab it by the back of the neck and hoist it forward to the rest of the Ugly Cat Pack line.”

This is another moment when Hercules sees something in a new light, again illustrating The Benefits of a Shifted Perspective. After watching and hearing the cat pack brutally kill other animals, and after enduring the shrieking of the cats themselves as the coyotes pick them off, Hercules witnesses the care provided by one of the cats for its kitten. This observation helps the boy understand that living things are complex and cannot simply be categorized as good or bad.

“Lieutenant Colonel Hupfer turned and looked out the window of the Small Barn. Then he turned back to me. ‘What are you going to do about it?’ he said.”

Just before this, Hercules shares that Mrs. Savage plans to sell all her sculptures, even her beloved statue of Ira the hippo, a reminder of her late husband. By asking the question, Lieutenant Colonel Hupfer suggests that Hercules can do something to change the outcome and pushes the boy to think of his own solution. Despite his tough façade, Lieutenant Colonel Hupfer is a mentor for Hercules, and this conversation shows both their growing connection and the Community Impact on Individual Healing.

“You can’t fix everything. But some things you can fix. And when you can fix them, you should.”

After helping Mrs. Savage get her beloved statue of Ira the hippo back, Hercules reflects on the experience. His positivity here is a direct contrast to the beginning of the school year, highlighting his growth. No longer dwelling on all that is wrong with his life, he is focused on making positive change when he can, and, in this case, the change is to help fix someone else’s problem.

“Sometimes you lose what you love because something happens and you can’t stop it. We know that. But you can stop it this time. You can.”

When Hercules talks to Achilles about Viola going to medical school, this is the advice he gives his older brother. He applies a lesson he learned earlier—with Ira the hippo—to fix the things you have control over, which demonstrates the boy’s growth. Furthermore, he is now being honest with his brother and showing his love for Achilles by encouraging him to do the right thing. Not only has Hercules grown and matured, but his relationship with his brother has too.

“You know, Beal, you’ve been fighting a whole lot of monsters this year, monsters much more real than any the mythical Hercules fought. And you’ve been fighting stuff that’s come at you out of the blue. And none of it is fair, and none of it is right, and none of it is anything you’ve deserved. That’s the world, Beal. But you haven’t crumbled, have you? And you haven’t disappeared. You’re still here. And the truth is, no matter what happened with your parents, and no matter what happens with Elly, you’re still going to be here.”

Lieutenant Colonel Hupfer’s words of encouragement after Hercules learns that Elly will not return to Truro characterize both the teacher and Hercules. These words exemplify the sentiments of a mentor and someone who truly cares for the boy. Furthermore, his observations of Hercules demonstrate just how strong the boy is. He may not have physical prowess like his namesake, but his emotional strength to endure and survive is the mark of a hero, which is why, after this passage, Lieutenant Colonel Hupfer gives Hercules one of his military medals.

“Mr. Moby gave a slow smile—and let me tell you, there weren’t that many times that I’d seen Mr. Moby smile.”

When Hercules asks Mr. Moby to drive the pickup truck to deliver the crabapple trees, the man says it will take too long, but then he smiles. First, this shows that despite his cranky demeanor, Mr. Moby is kind. He smiles because he plans to use the bus to help with the delivery. Also, because his smile is rare and because he reserves it for the boy, this moment reveals how much Mr. Moby cares for Hercules. He is another community member willing to support the boy, further illustrating the theme of Community Impact on Individual Healing.

“And I miss them more when I think that if I hadn’t been a jerkface and told them I didn’t want to go with them that morning to deliver Mrs. Kinnamon’s stupid flowers when they asked me to go, I might have seen the stupid truck and yelled and my father could have swerved or something and they would have been okay.”

In his reflection on the 11th labor—delivering the crabapple trees—Hercules admits guilt over his parents’ deaths. This marks the first time he has explicitly stated his guilt. Previously, he has only hinted at it or started to say it but then stopped. Because he finally reveals this not only to himself but also to Lieutenant Colonel Hupfer, Hercules can begin to move forward. The accident cannot possibly be his fault, but Hercules, like others in grief, places the blame on himself.

“Being with Elly was like walking out into the sunshine after a long, long night.

It was like being more grateful than angry.

It was like getting something back that you thought was gone.

[…]

It was like the morning sun on the Dune with Mindy and Pirate Cat and Achilles and Viola.

It was like all of that.

It was all of that.”

When Hercules visits Elly in Ohio, this is how he feels. Until now, he has been holding back how much he cares for Elly. This series of similes suggests that being with her not only makes him happy but marks his return from “hell.” Furthermore, the final comparison demonstrates that Hercules fully recognizes that he is not alone. When he changes “like that” to simply “that,” Hercules not only shifts from simile to metaphor but underscores just how important Elly is to him.