Individuals venturing into new experiences may encounter obstacles, but may also gain

significant rewards.
Transitional phases can test an individuals ability to cope with change by providing them
with the opportunities for growth and perspective, as well as the development of new
relationships or the improvement of those already existing. This is because obstacles may
force an individual to reflect on their choices, as well as creating a situation where they
may need to reach out to others. This concept is evident in J.C. Burkes novel, The Story
of Tom Brennan (2005) and Allan Baillies short story Only Ten (1992). These texts both
explore how an individuals transition can be hampered by feelings of guilt, fear and
alienation, which serve as obstacles, while both texts also display how new experiences
can be rewarding, as they assist an individual to better understand themselves and
others, resulting in new relationships.
Similarly, Only Ten provides insight into the challenges an individual may face when
they transition into a new phase of life, such as the feelings of fear and alienation one
may have towards new experiences. This story follows the journey of Hussein, a young
Middle-Eastern boy who moves from his war-torn country to Australia and attempts to
transition into a new school. Husseins fear of his new life is metaphorically portrayed as
a private tribe of goblins, which demonstrates how his memories of the past are
polluting his mind, making it difficult for him to transition into a new culture. The
hyperbole he seemed to push himself around by centimetres displays how
change is an agonisingly slow process, as Husseins lack of trust is symbolically revealed
by his refusal to expose his scars by removing his shirt at the swimming carnival.
Husseins reaction to the starting pistol reinforces his fear of his past, as he is
dehumanised in the simile, The Shah made a funny little sound, like a strangled
cat, showing his struggle to forget his old life. His broken dialogue and truncated
sentences, Hed say yes. Just yes, convey how he is uncomfortable around his
classmates and hesitant to open up to them. This odd behaviour causes him to be
alienated, as his loneliness and anxiety are highlighted in the negative connotations he
stood alonehis fists by his side. Thus this story reveals how an individuals
transition may be difficult, as feelings of fear and traumatic memories may inhibit a
persons potential to build a better life.

In addition, The Story of Tom Brennan examines how transitional phases can be
rewarding, as an individual may form new relationships as a result of gaining a better
understanding of the self and others. Toms disconnection from his family following the
accident is expressed in his sister, Kylies angry tone and rhetorical question Did you
even notice I was up cooking half the night? No! His detachment from his own
identity is also emphasised when he refers to himself in third person in the accumulation
of I missedSimple Tom Brennan no ties, no debt, no guilt, no bad
thoughts, displaying how Tom feels separated from his earlier carefree and happy self.
However, during his runs with Brendan the recurring motif of a hill is used to represent

2 [Type text]
Toms healing process, as at first it is a hyperbolic mountain but later becomes a
metaphorical piece of cake. In contrast to previously feeling judged by his Grans
personified gallery of saints, Tom begins to understand his Gran better and build a
stronger relationship with her, shown in the accumulation of positive connotations She
actually touched me kind of playfully, ruffling up my hair and tweaking my ear.
Toms healing is also conveyed through the high modality in That was the morning
we swam and loved each other and that was the morning Tom Brennan came
back, forever, as the water motif symbolises his rebirth into a new life, and how his
relationship with Chrissy has helped him to rediscover his self. This novel therefore
reveals how new experiences may challenge existing relationships, but also lead an
individual to develop new and enriching connections with others.
Likewise, new experiences may allow an individual to venture outside their comfort zone
and provide them with the opportunity to build new friendships with others, as seen in
Only Ten. Initially Hussein is hesitant around his peers because he perceives them as
dangerous, shown when he describes them as a metaphorical pack of apes. However,
at the plant nursery Husseins optimistic tone and repetition in the metaphor See? Its
growing. Theyre all growing, indicates his appreciation for nature, something
absent in his war-torn country; as well as symbolising the growth of friendships with the
people around him. This is reinforced by the accumulation of positive connotations, He
walked up to [Pearl], looked at her and squeezed her hand, which demonstrates
his newfound confidence around his classmates and how he is beginning to care about
their feelings. When Hussein and Pearl later share lunch her vegemite sandwich and
his funny flat bread, they create a positive image that symbolises the mixing of
cultures and the acceptance of the differences between them. The development of
friendships is further symbolised in the contrast between Husseins nicknames, as at first
he is labeled The Shah, but later his friends invent humorous nicknames such as
Huss and Horse. Hence, transitional phases can be rewarding as through the
process of maturation an individual can form new friendships, as they are able to better
understand and connect with those around them.
It is evident that individuals experiencing a transition may venture through a mental and
emotional journey full of obstacles, which may prompt reflection upon the past and thus
the development of a new sense of self and relationships with others. The Story of Tom
Brennan, by J.C. Burke and Allan Baillies Only Ten both explore how new experiences
can be obstructed by negative feelings such as guilt and fear, but also bring the rewards
of a new understanding of the self and others, new relationships and opportunities for a
new beginning.

Spare Paragraph: Two Beds and a Coffee Machine by Savage Garden 1999
Similarly, in their song, Savage Garden provide insight into the challenges an individual
may face when they transition into a new phase of life, such as the feelings of fear and
dependency, which may negatively affect their new experiences. Two Beds and a Coffee
Machine delineates the journey of a young woman who ventures into a new life when she
decides to remove herself and her children from an abusive relationship. The song opens
as she takes another step, which can be viewed symbolically as a step into a new
world, without her abusive husband, whose violent nature is revealed in the confronting
images of a shattered life broken glass and furniture on the floor. However, the
womens fear and feeling of emotional and financial dependence serve as an obstacle to
her transition, constantly bringing her back to her partner, shown through the high
modality declaration, there are groceries to buy/And she knows shell have to go
home. As she drives away from her partner, the symbolic ditch in the road and
stop sign, which are repeated in the chorus of the song, are representative of her
doubts, which become obstacles that slow her down and impede her progress,
threatening to turn her back. The metaphorical reference to a living nightmare and
personification of the lonely highway convey her feelings of isolation and terror as
she struggles with the transition. Thus this song reveals how an individuals transition
may be difficult, as feelings of fear and traumatic memories may inhibit a persons
potential to build a better life.