Jane Burke said that the main focus of her novel, The Story of Tom Brenna was on Tom’s Journey out of the darkness which engulfed him after the tragic road accident. After Daniel Brenna crashed his blue ford falcon into a tree, killing two and injuring another, Tom’s world spun into a darkness he couldn’t explain. The feelings of rage and desperation or normal life consumed him. The Story of Tom Brenna is all about dark and light, the things that turn us dark and the things that can turn us back into the light. Focusing on Tom after the accident, his mind was dark.
Despair grew around him; kicking him into a place he wasn’t sure if he wanted to go. The cave, ‘a dark brown place’ is his room, the room his uncle called his own when he was a boy. The cave signifies the inside of Tom, but not throughout the whole book. Tom moves through life day by day, moment by moment, in a struggle to get back to the happy place he was before the accident. The darkness Jane Burke focuses on at the start of the book shows how much dark is compared to light, from the start of the book to the final page. Brendan help Tom make the transition from the darkness of his past to the light of his future.
Brendan provides an escape for Tom, running with him, giving all he has to make Tom look forward to things. Running made Tom fit, which helped his self- confidence and his rugby fitness. Providing him a trip to Nepal , something he can look forward to, giving Tom someone to talk to. It all helped so much, assisted Tom keeps his head on the light side and out of the darkness. ” It was peaceful”, was Tom’s look on the waterhole Brendan took him to. Tom Is moving no from darkness to light, as he Is starting to see the beauty In things again. Christy and Tom’s relationship makes Tom feel wanted, desired and appreciated.
Christy gets Tom to talk, to explain what he feels, to try and make him feel better. “l felt lighter… I had no longer had the burden of carrying a secret… ” Tom has something to look forward to everyday. The way he feels about her, Is the opposite to the accident. Tom felt a depression and sadness about the accident, whereas when he Is with Christy, the happiness and Joy he feels Is the total opposite on how he used to feel. The way Christy comes Into Toms life, It makes all the difference. “You helped me find my old self’ was what Tom said to Christy.
The Story of Tom Brenna Is about the Journey Tom takes to get out of the darkness. Tom Brenna transition from the darkness of his mind to the light of life after the accident Is the mall theme In the book. The transformation Tom Brenna takes Is Like a caterpillar Into a butterfly- the darkness of the cocoon, then with a little bit of help, comes out Into the light as a butterfly, free, happy, content. Tom Brenna By salamander’s look on the waterhole Brendan took him to. Tom is moving no from darkness to light, as he is starting to see the beauty in things again. Something to look forward to everyday.
The way he feels about her, is the opposite to he is with Christy, the happiness and Joy he feels is the total opposite on how he used to feel. The way Christy comes into Toms life, it makes all the difference. Muff helped me find my old self” was what Tom said to Christy. The Story of Tom Brenna is about the Journey Tom takes to get out of the darkness. Accident is the main theme in the book. The transformation Tom Brenna takes is like a caterpillar into a butterfly- the darkness of the cocoon, then with a little bit of help, comes out into the light as a butterfly, free, happy, content.