“The Legend of the Brennan Brothers” Symbol Analysis

Back in Mumbilli, the local paper followed Tom and Daniel's rugby career closely, often referring to the two as "The Legend of the Brennan Brothers." Though Tom used to believe that the paper's interest was emblematic of his future rugby success (and of Daniel's as well), after the accident and the move to Coghill, reminders of the paper's interest help to trap Tom in thinking only about the past. The feature then comes to symbolize Tom's past and his fixation on linking rugby with Daniel, a habit that keeps Tom from recognizing his own potential and the fact that he's a valuable player in his own right. When Tom later makes the scrapbook for Daniel and includes newspaper clippings about “The Legend,” Tom is symbolically able to give away the burden of the legend, which in turn allows him to focus on his future as an individual. In this way, when Tom is finally able to recognize his value as a player separate from his brother—and by extension, separate from "The Legend of the Brennan Brothers"—it symbolizes Tom's final coming of age and understanding of himself as an individual.