Characterization is a tool that
helps develop plot. When done effectively, a well-developed character not only
enhances the storyline but helps to fuel the tension in a given work. By
placing the characters in a complicated setting, the author can build
believable suspense leading to a sufficient climax. In this way, the novel This Is Where It Ends, by Marieke
Nijkamp seeks to utilize the point-of-view of multiple characters to tackle the
extremely relevant topic of school violence. As a result, the novel’s character
development and utilization of setting contribute to a compressed timeline that
propels the conflict.
Writing from the perspective of
multiple characters can at times result in a confusing narrative, weakening the
central storyline for readers; however, Nijkamp purposefully leaves the
antagonist, Tyler, without a direct voice which builds suspense throughout the
book. Readers are forced to take the journey along with other characters, producing
a tension filled experience and the knowledge that “fear and survival are two
sides of the same coin” (57). Tyler’s
motives for the shooting may at times seem almost trivial, but the reactions of
those he is related to, claimed to love, was rejected by, and particularly the
ones he targets all give credence to the totality of the experience. Certainly,
the young adult reader will relate to the notion of senseless violence while
understanding sometimes society is not afforded an opportunity to make sense of
such tragedies. Thus, the characters’
voices unfold along with the action and serve to heighten a realistic building
of suspense.
Furthermore, because an antagonist
(even one as vile as a school shooter) is still a human being, Nijkamp offers
the lens of four unique perspectives by using the characters closest to the
villain: his sister, his ex-girlfriend, the girlfriend of his sister and her
brother. Additionally, the secondary and tertiary characters are sufficiently
developed through action and dialogue and add a richness to the narrative that
a singular perspective might not be able to handle. When readers realize the
villain “is the only one who does not feel lost” during this experience, the
tension overflows with anticipation about how this issue might be resolved
(62). Nijkamp also does a sufficient job of creating the suspense as something
showed through the story not merely told to the reader. The novel’s subtitle
hints at this exact relevance as well indicating “everyone has a reason to fear
the boy with the gun” (1). Moreover, by weaving bits of narrative via snippets
of social media reaction throughout the novel’s main events, the author is also
able to expand upon that development through a compressed timeline.
The compressed timeline at once
narrows the focus so readers are forced to react to each ticking minute. In
fact, the entirety of the main narrative lasts for only 54 harrowing minutes
which allows the author to heighten emotion and draw upon the necessity for
resolution. While it is understandable that the author needs the compressed
timeline to make her story plausible, there are some flaws in the action as
well. For example, the entire school is said to be in the auditorium, providing
Tyler (the shooter) a perfect opportunity to corral his would-be victims and
maximize damage. However, as a high school teacher, I must acknowledge some
realities that Nijkamp asks readers to suspend in order for this to be
plausible. For one, no school would ever leave the office or front security
area empty and even if the shooter manages to kill the guard and janitor before
everyone arrives, there would still be secretaries, nurses, and guidance
counselors preparing for the day, answering phones, and tending to the business
of the school day. Typically, these professionals do not attend school
assemblies as they are needed to ensure other aspects of the day are dealt
with. Nijkamp needs the office to be empty in order to allow Tomas and Fareed
to save the day and develop the narrative beyond what is happening inside the
auditorium; however, this quickly becomes a plot problem for anyone in the
know. Perhaps, the narrative seeks to do too much in terms of maximizing the
peril students in the auditorium find themselves when simply being cornered by
a madman with a gun would suffice.
Overall, however, the progression of
the plot is quite authentic. By highlighting the point-of-view of multiple
characters and compressing the timeline, suspense builds to a heartfelt
crescendo. Kudos must also be awarded to the author for avoiding the temptation
to tie this package up with a pretty little bow as she does not offer the
conclusion of a truly happy ending for all the characters. As in life, endings
do not always serve to justify actions. The bravery, sacrifice, and genuine
reactions of the main characters serve to “express how a heart can burst and
break at the same time” resulting in a “sun” that cuts “through the darkness
but ….[also] cast[s] shadows everywhere” at the same time (252). While we may
never know why something happens, this novel allows readers to understand how
it might happen at all.
Conclusively, the best, most
realistic, novels are the ones that force us to face dark realities about
humanity and deal with the aftermath of such events the best way we know how –
through art. In the end, whether we believe the main character’s motivation to
be sufficient or not, villains in real life are rarely justified either. We can
speculate, study, and seek to know why but often times come up empty in the
search for meaning. In This Is Where It
Ends, the author merely holds up a societal mirror allowing for the journey
to speak for itself through the crafting of various character perspectives and
a compressed timeline that fuels the tension in the work. The feelings and
experience of these characters are as real as anything seen on the news today,
and Nijkamp’s novel can certainly aid in understanding how to prevent such
actions in the future.