Intoduction-the Story of Tom Bennan

Year 12 Standard English Assessment Task
Texts and Society: Into The World.

“The experience of moving into the world can challenge individuals’ attitudes and beliefs.”

The experience of moving into the world has the ability to challenge individuals’ attitude and beliefs; it explores growth, change and transition. The Story of Tom Brennan by J.C. Burke, follows the protagonist Tom while he deals with the family’s tragedy, caused by Daniels drink driving accident. The movie The Blind Side directed by John Lee Hancock, released in 2009 is about a boys’ life being radically changed which challenges his and others attitude and beliegs.

Throughout the novel The Story of Tom Brennan J.C. Burke uses many techniques such as flashback, motif and symbolism. The novel written in first person also gives the audience a better understanding of feeling and emotions faced by the character Tom.

Throughout the novel J.C. Burks uses flashbacks to provide juxtapose between the life before the accident and the present time.   The flashback show the impact the accident had on the family especially Toms life. An example of this is how before the accident dinnertime was full of enjoyment, but during the present time the energy has been lost. As the novel progresses the use of flashback reduces, this shows that there has been a change in Tom’s attitude and beliefs. Tom learns to forget the past and look towards the future.

Another technique is the use of a motif, a motif is a element that has a symbolic significance, in this novel water is the motif in Toms life. Throughout the novel Tom experience comfort when he is around water, he blocks out the negative attitudes and focuses on the positive thing and the future. Tom experienced this when he went to the local pools with his friends. By the end of the novel Tom starts a new life the books quotes “that was the morning Tom Brennan came back forever”. This occurred at the waterhole which shows that water is Toms motif...