Tom Brennan Into the World Yr 12

Synopsis:

The story of Tom Brennan by JC Burke starts with a fatal car accident- a young driver who’s had too much to drink, goes too fast and in an instant two of his friends are dead and his cousin is left with permanent spinal injuries. But the novel isn’t about the crash; it isn’t even about the driver. His novel is about seventeen-year-old Tom Brennan, and how his life changes when his older brother, Daniel, kills two people and paralyses another.

The family must move from Mumbilli because they are no longer welcome in the town- Daniel’s actions have affected all their lives. Because they fear the reaction of the township, they quietly leave at 4.30am to avoid being seen. JC Burke uses their “escape” as a prologue, which lures the reader immediately into the story as the mystery develops.

In the year that follows, while the family tries to settle into their new lives in Coghill, Tom develops immensely-from a teenager who feels constant torment, especially at the thought of his cousin Fin’s injury, to one who ia able to accept the situation and move on. This Heraculean feat involves a number of other aspects and characters.

Discovering that he can play football without his unbeatable partnership with Daniel, running with his Uncle Brendan, the possibility of a climbing trip to the Himalayas, seeing Daniel drag himself back from the brink of suicide, finding love amid chaos- all these things help Tom find a ticket out of the past.

Characters:

·  Tom Brennan- Yr 11 student and rugby half-back

·  Daniel Brennan- Tom’s popular brother and star rugby five-eighth

·  Kylie Brennan- younger sister of Tom and Daniel, doing year 9

·  Joseph Brennan- father of Tom, Daniel and Kylie; rugby coach

·  Theresa Brennan- mother of Tom, Daniel and Kylie

·  Fin- cousin to Tom, Daniel and Kylie; injured in car accident

·  Mrs. Healy/Gran- grandmother(Theresa’s mother)

·  Uncle Brendan- Theresa’a (emerging) gay brother; Gran’s son; Tom’s mentor

·  Chrissy- Tom’s love interest

·  Claire- Daniel’s girlfriend

Features and Techniques:

·  The concept of 1st person narrator who is a young male who can express his internal battles, dialogues and thoughts with sophistication and complexity; yet is quiet, stoic and simple around his male friends.

·  The effect of revealing more about the night of the accident in flashback

·  The contrast between Tom and Daniel and their representation

·  Judging Daniel as the story continues, firstly through the eyes of Tom and then through his own words

·  Impact of letters

·  Not hearing the story from the victim’s perspective

·  The effect of placing Tom and his family from being well known in a small town to having a small presence in a larger town

·  The role of the grandmother and her social beliefs in the judgement of the family