The Story of Tom Brennan
THE STORY OF TOM BRENNAN
J.C. Burke
TEACHING SUPPORT KIT by Joy Bloumis B.A. B.Ed. M.P.C.A
1
THE STORY OF TOM BRENNAN Teaching Support Kit
CONTENTS
Notes on the author Synopsis Genre, structure and style Background notes on alcohol abuse Chapter summaries Themes, motifs and symbols Character analysis Quotations General discussion questions and activities Essay questions Oral assignments Short written responses Extension work Appendix: How to plan a text response 3 4 5 6 7 17 22 26 29 31 32 33 34 35
These notes may be reproduced free of charge for use and study within schools but they may not be reproduced (either in whole or in part) and offered for commercial sale. Visit www.randomhouse.com.au/readingguides for information on other Random House Australia teaching support kits and reading guides. Copyright © Random House Australia 2008
2
NOTES ON THE AUTHOR
J.C. Burke was born in Sydney in 1965, the fourth of five daughters. With writers for parents, she grew up in a world full of noise, drama and books, and the many colourful characters who came to visit provided her with an endless supply of stories and impersonations. Burke decided to become a nurse after her mother lost a long battle with cancer. She specialised in the field of Oncology, working in Haematology and Bone Marrow Transplant Units in Australia and the UK. A creative writing course at Sydney University led to a mentorship with Gary Crew and the publication of Children’s Book Council Notable book White Lies (Lothian) in 2002. Burke has since written The Red Cardigan, also a CBC Notable Book, and its sequel Nine Letters Long (Random House Australia). The Story of Tom Brennan won the 2006 Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year: Older Readers award and also the Family Therapists’ Award for Children’s Literature 2006. It has also been added to the NSW HSC Syllabus list. J.C. Burke’s latest books are Faking Sweet, Starfish Sisters and Ocean Pearl (to be published
J.C. Burke
TEACHING SUPPORT KIT by Joy Bloumis B.A. B.Ed. M.P.C.A
1
THE STORY OF TOM BRENNAN Teaching Support Kit
CONTENTS
Notes on the author Synopsis Genre, structure and style Background notes on alcohol abuse Chapter summaries Themes, motifs and symbols Character analysis Quotations General discussion questions and activities Essay questions Oral assignments Short written responses Extension work Appendix: How to plan a text response 3 4 5 6 7 17 22 26 29 31 32 33 34 35
These notes may be reproduced free of charge for use and study within schools but they may not be reproduced (either in whole or in part) and offered for commercial sale. Visit www.randomhouse.com.au/readingguides for information on other Random House Australia teaching support kits and reading guides. Copyright © Random House Australia 2008
2
NOTES ON THE AUTHOR
J.C. Burke was born in Sydney in 1965, the fourth of five daughters. With writers for parents, she grew up in a world full of noise, drama and books, and the many colourful characters who came to visit provided her with an endless supply of stories and impersonations. Burke decided to become a nurse after her mother lost a long battle with cancer. She specialised in the field of Oncology, working in Haematology and Bone Marrow Transplant Units in Australia and the UK. A creative writing course at Sydney University led to a mentorship with Gary Crew and the publication of Children’s Book Council Notable book White Lies (Lothian) in 2002. Burke has since written The Red Cardigan, also a CBC Notable Book, and its sequel Nine Letters Long (Random House Australia). The Story of Tom Brennan won the 2006 Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year: Older Readers award and also the Family Therapists’ Award for Children’s Literature 2006. It has also been added to the NSW HSC Syllabus list. J.C. Burke’s latest books are Faking Sweet, Starfish Sisters and Ocean Pearl (to be published