Tom Brennan notes

Tom’s letter- sentences- maybe you could go to a councilor or talk to someone outside of the family to help you cope its not your fault mum, you did nothing wrong to cause this
I feel like kylie is punching me away, the whole family changed.
We are all here when the time comes, when you are ready to start again.
I miss the way our family was before the accident.
I am making friends with the guys on the football team, they are a nice bunch of blokes.
You are missing out on so much of my life and it hurts that you don’t care.

Chapter 4 –

His legs had wasted to long pieces of bone wrapped in shiny skin.’ (p. 61)
If I was Fin-
Maybe it’ll come back, first my toes then my legs. What if it doesn’t though? Daniel didn’t know what he was doing, but he still conscious and he’s the only one I can blame. I don’t think I can forgive him. What am I going to do with my life now? I can’t play footy, cricket, swim, and even write. I’ve got future of endless misery for trying to help my mate. Why me?

Chapter 5-
Tom is really upset by Daniel’s behaviour towards him at the beach. Write his diary entry for that day.
The silence, the darkness. I’ve seen it before, the night of the crash.
I saw the anger in his eyes.
Man sometimes Daniel annoys me
It haunts my memories even today
The moment I saw him my heart sunk
Memories that make me hurt make me want to cry
We were able to have abit of a joke and a laught together, but it wans’t the same … it never will be.
Im always in danger when im with daneil.
Daniel would be so but better without his temper.
Daniel likes his privacy, I shouldn’t have told Brendan.
He always takes his anger out on me
He kept me under the water for ages… I thought I was going to die.

Chapter 6-
Activity:
Discuss whether Kylie’s reaction to her situation is the way most teenagers would 
respond.
Discuss how the class would have dealt with Tess. Could Tom have done anything 
to help her?
Activity 1-
All individuals react in a different way, there is no average way to respond to situations like this and kylie has her own way of dealing with it. Some may have hidden away; others block it out and move on. In her situation where she meets new friends and just tries to start a new life to fit in and forget I think it’s a healthier way to respond even though the rebellious attitude she has adopted is impacting on her and others negatively she is at least confronting it.
Activity 2-
In this situation Tom could have tried to help and become more understanding but he himself is trying to find a way to deal with his emotions and past.

Chapter 7-
Activities:
You are a psychologist who has been assigned to help Tess in the days following 
the accident. Write the report you would make on her emotional state.
Discuss Talbot’s recommendations – should Daniel have pleaded guilty or not 
guilty?
Activity 1-
Tess has seen the stages of denial, remorse, sadness and uncertainty. Her progress has been negative as she tries to get a grasp on what has happened and how the community is responding as days before the accident her family was respected and liked. Now they face the families and friends of the 2 children her son had killed.
Activity 2-
Considering the statements that the witnesses made the options for denials plead were restricted. To face the court and have an honest testament the court would see his remorse and character before his actions maybe giving him a better option for his future. If he pleads not guilty and the evidence is against him the sentence will be much larger, the families inflicted will be angrier and the character of Daniel will be compromised.

Chapter 8-
• In small groups, compare Tom how is emotionally at this stage with how he was at the beginning of the story. Is there any change?
At the beginning of the story he was scared and confused as he was pushing his car out the driveway to escape the gaze of the neighbors. This is slightly contrasted with his more developed character by chapter 8 where he starts to put things together and realize why everything happened. He is still emotionally unstable because of the event and what had happened to him, his family and the community but his understanding and progression of the realization of it seems to be developing through the next few chapters.
He now takes control, gets along with life, accepting yet still hiding and burying it below his new life. Gets back into footy nd running, his old life. (JOURNEY INTO THE WORLD)
My short journey to next year. – At this stage in my life with study, work, social life, hobbies, adulthood and other interests its hard to hold it all on one plate, to balance the workload and find the priorities. The journey mainly involves study up until the end of the HSC hopefully, if I can find a routine and beyond that it’s all about work, friends, alcohol and parties. In-between those I should be looking into my future as fair as uni and career goes but at the moment my main concerns are on going well in school but not forgetting the things that make me happy. Although all these things are most important for my future I’m still concerned about the day-to-day things, not being stuck in a rut of study, work, school and sleep. To still have a sense of adventure in-between all the hassles of senior life.
Chapter 9
“the legend of the Brennan Brothers”
- In the last 2 years these two remarkable brothers have almost carried their footy team towards the win. Along with the help of their teammates and rivals to motivate them they have blown away the competition with their brotherly instinct out on the field. They say the strongest bond is love, but there is one stronger than just love, love and brotherhood. In the recent season that has just passed the two have said their intention for the next season, to make it a trifecta, no team has done it before and I have, their family has and the community has high expectations for their future.

Chapter 10- 6 lines on reasonable assumption
It wasn’t a reasonable assumption by tom but because of his state of mind in the time this line was said its understandable. He didn’t take into account the opinions and perspectives of the people in the town and his familys view of how they should react. It was more of an emotional response than a conscious one, making the reaction usually more heated and unstable.
6 lines on …… a discussion of dan’s future. For Daniel I belive his future is looking to be that of progressive. From the news of his condition in gaol and how he is helping other inmates he is already on the way to his new life outside of gaol. I believe that his journey will have foundations around his family and final maintenance by the people he positions himself around.

Chapter 12
6 lines to say
I don’t think it is fair for the whole family to be blamed for daniels actions but that is the reality with their circumstance in their community. I think from what has been stated up to this point that the blame shouldn’t go towards the whole family. That is what one persons downfall. Although I think it shouldn’t be shared by the family its almost better that way so we can see the developmet and reaction of each individual character.
Chapter 13
Kylies speech
Good morning my fellow Coghill classmates.
Today I am going to talk to you about a very serious

Chapter 14
Journal entries. (3)
Journal entry 1-
Going out for dinner, I thought it’ll be a change from eating hard boiled meatloaf all the time so I was up for it, real excited. My heart droped when I found who was joining us though. Crissy, the goddess who walked among us. I was so nervous. The start of the night went slendardly, I was interrupted naked and burnt as I was showering, but in a way it was good. The rest of the night went well, just jokes and laughs. I’d forgotten all about my nervousness of the glistening beauty of Crissy and it just seemed like it was a normal dinner with mates. It was an amazing night, seemed like old times,
Entry 2-
Heading off to the footy camp I had very low expectations for the resulting week but it didn’t mean we couldn’t have a bit of a social thing. These boys couldn’t catch a cold but it started out to be a lot of fun. I tried teaching them a few moves that Daniel and I use to do, killer tacktics they were but it didn’t work out. I was beginning to get abit upset because from the years past footy camps were all about learning new things, refining our skills and fitness. This excuse for a gathering was mostly the opposite. My attitude must have been showing because dad pulled me over and started to have a word.
Entry 3-
After dad had a very meaning full conversation, he almost had a tear in his eye. For the next 4 days I worked those boys through all the training runs dan and I use to do, teaching them new tricks and refining their skills as much as I could. After the conversation dad made me realize that the game wasn’t all about winning and getting the shield but doing it as a team and enjoying it.

Tom b-

1st person flash backs non- chrono accident obsticles- mother, kylie sport/girlfriend transition

change, obsticles, transformation, responsibility, choice, identity.

ORT- the kings of summer
Tommy B

Chapter 16 –
‘He was on a self-destruct mission.’ (p. 229)
Activity:
• In a class discussion students could share ideas on this topic. Do they believe that Daniel’s parents should have been also charged for taking a passive resistance towards his behaviour? What could have been done to help Daniel prior to the accident? Are liquor laws the same for underage drinking in all countries? What influence do friends have when someone is going off the rails?
Question 1- no I don’t. they were having a hard time controlling their sons behavior like many parents do around the same age as dan. It is completely understandable and excusable.
Question 2 – taken a deep breath, and thought about what has happened. Maybe taken a walk to relax and sweat the alcohol out, sober up.
Question 3 – no, some countries take it very seriously having harsh penalties such as probation and steep fines. Australia is quite relaxed about the matter and consider it within our culture I believe. Although this is my opinion there are still judges and officers that take it very seriously and go beyond the laws to teach the offended a leason.
Question 4 – depends what sort of attitude and frame of mind they are in. if they are negotiable and sociable friends can have a very big influence. Calming them down or sometimes heating the situation. But while they are totally neglectable friends advice can be easily deflected.

Chapter 17-
‘The siren rang for full-time, the score still 9–7 but you would’ve thought we were the winners.’ (p. 251)
Activity 1:
• Students are to write a sporting column for a local newspaper describing the match.
‘I’ve got to ring him.’ (p. 253)
Activity 2:
• What would Tom have said to Matt? Working in pairs, write a script of this phone call.
Activity 1-
One of the most intisepated matches for the season

Chapter 18-
‘I think I’ll call you Harvey’, she crooned. ‘Because Saint Harvey was famous for his miracles.’ (p. 268) 15

Activity:
• As a class discuss the concept of one miracle. If the Brennan family could have been given just one miracle, what do you think it would be?

Chapter 19-
‘Have a wonderful trip, Thomas.’ (p. 279)
Activity:
• Draw a timeline of the relationship between Gran and Tom, starting from page three. Graph the ups and downs of their relationship.