Tom Brennan Feature Article

Good blood spilled on bad roads

Local high school students discuss issues at road safety awareness day

Your Name reports:

LIKE most teenagers Mark Furness couldn't wait to get behind the wheel. He started driving lessons at 16 because those who didn't get a licence were ''regarded as a bit of a loser''.

We were all teens once, and we all, well most of us, had those moments where we were a little silly, speedy or sometimes stupid. But at what cost? Personal freedom comes with responsibility and if you use your freedom without following up on the responsibility then there can be consequences to the actions that you have taken. I have chosen to discuss this issue because it happens all too often in our community. This has been explored in the texts 'The Story of Tom Brennan' by J.C.Burke through the Brennan family and is also shown in the Poem 'No Man is an Island' By John Donne.

J.C.Burke uses the experiences of the Brennan family to educate the world, especially the teenage world about the need to act responsibly. Otherwise the forced transitions and new experiences can be emotionally chaotic. Burke explores this concept through Daniel. Daniel was on a night out celebrating the win of a football game that gets his team into the Finals this was a cause for celebration because they didn't think that they stood a chance. Daniels actions through the night end up in an accident that causes his family to move into a new world. Daniel being an older teen was starting to get his own freedoms driving, drinking also going wherever he wanted whenever he wanted. Although Daniel was free the actions that he took were not taken with responsibility. This was the reason Daniel crashed his car whilst drunk after a disagreement with his cousin Fin. In the novel J.C.Burke shows the consequences of Daniels action through the other characters in his family especially his mother Tess and his sister Kylie.

Burke shows that through Daniels actions Tess has an emotional breakdown. During this period after Daniels sentencing all Tess does is lay in bed she doesn't even get out of bed to have dinner or bathe. Tess has been so emotionally hurt by Daniels actions that she doesn't even listen to how Toms first day at his new school was. "She didn't see me. How could she see under all those covers." Toms emotional language shows that he is hurting because of the state that Daniel has gotten the family into though his lack of responsibility.

Mr Furness recently attended a program offered by his highschool that shows the consequence of speeding and drink driving devolved by the steering committee;

The Steering Committee have developed a road safety program specifically designed for Year 12 students to address the issues of speed, fatigue, alcohol and wearing of seat belts. The program also addresses issues including risk-taking behaviour and peer pressure with other information on insurance, maintenance and care of a motor vehicle. Council has continued to fund the program which has run for the past 9 years with support from local businesses and the community.

At the program they had the author, JC Burke, author of 'The Story Of Tom Brennan'

They chose JC Burke to speak because her book deals with such problems as these.

"In the book I have used flashbacks as a deliberate way to get to the young people who would be reading this book" She said

"I can't stress that enough."

JC Burke also made the comment that "Young people around 17-18 are being launched into the world, they suddenly get all these responsibilities that sometimes they can't handle" "My book" she said "deals with a lot of the newer things that are facing younger people today, death, accidents, relationship problems, family, alcohol"

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