Novel ‘the Story of Tom Brennan’ by J.C Burke

In the novel ‘The Story of Tom Brennan’ by J.C Burke a fatal accident faced the Brennan Family. They were faced with tragedy and the consequences all branch from six themes of grief; denial, anger, guilt, depression, acceptance and growth. Each member of the Brennan’s progressed through these stages however not all displayed the theme.

The first theme demonstrated was denial, which was displayed when the family’s refusal to converse about what had happened to each member and Tess’s vigorous insistence that the incident was in fact not Daniel’s fault. By refusing to discuss with one another about the accident the family were dismissing the events and their situation in Coghill. This was displayed by the way they avoided speaking about important information it was as though they were playing a “tip toe” game. Tom believed he ”didn’t feel the need to blab” because he and Kylie did “all that crap … back home with the councilor” (pg87) and that “there was no point talking about it, cause there was nothing to gain” (pg85). Following visiting Daniel, Brendan “didn’t want to say how bad Fin really was because it would upset Dad” and Dad “couldn’t tell Brendan, or probably anyone for that matter, what state Daniel was in” (pg83). If “they weren’t playing tip toe … Tom whished they were” (pg87). Denial was demonstrated differently by Tess when she questioned Tom about the conditions of the accident she asked whether Tom was “sure it was Daniel who was driving” or “Daniel who started the fight” (pg105). Denial is a defense instrument; once a person has realized that they can no longer continue denying the facts they advance on to the second stage of grief.

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