The experience of moving up the ladders and into the world can mentally challenge individuals and also their attitudes to the world and their beliefs. The Novel explores the aspects of growth, transition and change. The novel written by JC Bourke looks at the different ways and paths individual’s take when they outgrow their current comfort zones and look for new things in life and new experience’s. The story involves transitions into new chapters in order for them to move on and achieve growth and progression in their maturation phases. The novel “The Story of Tom Brennan” follows the Brennan Family in the aftermath of a fatal car crash in which the protagonists (Tom Brennan) brother Daniel was drunk behind the wheel which ended up taking the lives of two others and paralysing a third person (Fin). The story follows the Brennans and it shows how Tom Brennan struggles to cope with past events. JC Bourke was able to use a large variety of techniques in the novel, J.C Burke uses many themes throughout such as fear, relationships and growing up.
The Brennans have been through a lot in the novel as they have to come to terms that Toms brother Daniel Brennan had caused the death of two innocent passengers who were popular throughout the community and also paralysing his cousin Fin because he made a mistake by drinking and driving which ultimately leads him to jail and is the major factor of the Brennans leaving Mumbilli due to the constant harassment by the townspeople who they once used to be very close with before the incident. The life that Tom and his family now lead is affected by the prejudice that has forced the family out of their home town Mumbilli and into Tom’s Grandmother’s house in Cogshill. Tom is then made to cope with the inevitable and move ‘into the world.
All of Toms family members have changed since the accident. Juxtapositions are used to show