Extended response – The Story of Tom Brannan is a typical teen genre novel, discuss. The Story of Tom Brennan by J. C Burke is a typical teen genre novel. This is depicted through the concept of characters coming of age, themes such as drink driving and relationships and romance which teenagers understand and relate to as well as language techniques such as colloquial language in which the responders use.
Burke uses a number of different themes in her novel The Story of Tom Brannan to explore the concept of Teen Genre. In specific, underage drinking is a theme explored through the start of the novel in which majority of teenagers would be able to relate to. To explore the concept of underage drinking Burke uses the celebration of Tom’s footy team making it out of the sudden deaths round. There was alcohol at the party and some were drinking underage.
“Sheridan and Nicole, two girls from my year were screeching songs from The Mikado and were totally pissed. ” Underage drinking relates to many teenagers today and would relate to many of the responders of this novel as they would be the same age as Tom or even younger and would be influenced to do it or at least know friends that have been underage drinking. Another theme depicted in Burke’s novel The Story of Tom Brannan to emphasise that it is a teen genre novel is relationships and romance.
The Essay on Drinking a Love Story by Caroline Knapp
Drinking a love story by Caroline describes a life of an alcoholic daughter of rich parents. Excessive wealth, love and carelessness from her parents caused her to adopt life threatening habits. She later on started consuming alcohol. She indulged in alcoholism so much that her life was completely devastated. Caroline describes in details the bad outcomes of excessive consumption of alcohol. One ...
All throughout the novel the concept of relationships and romance between characters is explored having both gay and straight couples, brake ups and even the concept of cheating is seen in the novel. Of these concepts at least one is going to relate with the responder as they will have been through the same thing and understand what the characters are going through. Relationships and romance is a huge part of Burke’s novel and is how Tom’s problems started and how he overcomes them.
For example Daniel had the accident as he was angry Claire broke up with him, although he was drunk the effect that the relationship between him and Claire had and now have really affected Daniel and caused him to have the accident. Tom overcomes his problems by him and Chrissie starting a relationship and him feeling comfortable with her to let her help him and support him, “that was the morning we swam and loved each other and that was the morning Tom Brennan came back forever.
” This quote emphasises that fact that Tom feels like him normal self again thanks to him starting a relationship with Chrissie. Language techniques such as colloquial language are used to emphasize that The Story of Tom Brennan is a teen genre novel. The novel its self is written in first person from Tom’s perspective. Though this the language used by Burke is much simpler, easier to understand and relate to as she has to write is coming from a young teenager’s perspective.
Colloquial language is used all throughout the novel The Story of Tom Brennan and helps the responder to relate to the book and to Tom. Tom uses colloquial language when with his friends and uses words that most teenagers use understands and relate to. The use of this language also is used to express and emphasise certain characters emotions. The concept of coming of age is another technique used to show that this novel is a teen genre novel. Burke uses her characters in an important way to explore the concept of coming of age.
The personalities and special traits that she gives her characters are important as theses are how they overcome problems and mature. For example Tom becomes mature enough and starts a relationship with Chrissie which helps him overcome his problems and makes him feel like his normal self. In conclusion, the concept of themes such as underage drinking and relationships and romance, as well as the use of language techniques such as colloquial language and characters coming of age are used to depict that the novel The Story of Tom Brennan by J. C Burke is a teen genre novel.
The Essay on Coming of age is a process, not an event
Coming of age is a procedure of growth and maturity seen within individuals; not an event that is celebrated. Several composers have the ability to express the notion of Coming of Age through creative writing literature and films. This is evident within the two texts; Raw written by Scott Monk and The Breakfast Club directed by John Hughes. Both texts articulate ideas about decisions during Coming ...
