‘The Story of Tom Brennan’
Melany Rooney

Prologue
‘In a couple of hours they would wake up and find us gone, far away, so as not to remind them of their pain and what our family now meant to this town’ (p. 2)

The novel begins with a journey, both physical and emotional; the Brennans are physically moving houses and towns, but also moving into new, unfamiliar territory. The leaving of ‘home’ is synonymous with the leaving of what id known, familiar and comfortable, in a literal and metaphorical sense.

Chapter 1 ‘I hadn’t decided if I was playing rugby this year. In fact, I hadn’t decided if I was playing ever again. I didn’t know if I could without my brother. Things just weren’t that simple anymore.’ …show more content…

I hear they’re delicious.’ (p. 167)

Gran is genuinely trying to grow closer to Tom, by showing her concern for his wellbeing and her want to resolve Tom’s inner turmoil and the distance he feels between himself and the rest of the family. This demonstrates the resolution of the families fighting, and beginning of acceptance and growth.

Chapter 13
‘You know why I feel so bad?’ I rolled my eyes at her. ‘Cause it affected you, Tom, and that’s the thing that dawned on me afterwards. I’m so angry at Daniel because, well, because what he did has ruined everything for me and you.
As if he ever would have thought of that.’ (Kylie, p. 189)

Although Kylie has done wrong by the family, and a fight has occurred, this quote demonstrates how Kylie’s coping with the accident and moving towns, how Kylie feels and who she blames, and the beginning of Tom and Kylie’s relationship repairing.

Chapter 14
‘They deserve a fair go, like you did.’ (Joe, p. 210)

This quote demonstrates that although Tom doesn’t feel the same about rugby anymore, and he’s new team can’t live up to his old team, he needs to move on and come to accept things the way they are now.

Chapter 15
‘But I was beginning to think it wasn’t a load of crap. Something was dawning on me. Something I thought I’d never feel.’ (p. 214)

Tom visits Daniel, and Tom begins to understand that winning isn’t everything when Daniel questions how someone could lose, and still