Autumn Browne Character Analysis in This Is Where It Ends

One of the novel’s four narrators, a junior at Opportunity High School, and Tyler’s younger sister. On the day of the shooting, Autumn is grieving the second anniversary of her Mom’s death in a freak car accident. She’s also grappling with the consequences of this tragedy on her family: her Dad has descended into alcoholism and is increasingly hostile towards Autumn, who reminds him of his dead wife, while her older brother Tyler is given to disturbing mood swings, alternately loving and violent. Autumn has few friends at school and cultivates a gruff, outsider persona; her two comforts are her passion for dance, which she’s determined to pursue as a career, and her secret relationship with Sylvia, which gives her the love and validation she lacks at home. Although Autumn looks up to Tyler and is shocked by his actions, her flashbacks reveal that he’s been actively sabotaging her relationship and career plans for months in an effort to control her. Autumn’s memories provide a disturbing account of her brother’s sense of entitlement and desire for control, but also humanize him and provide nuance to his character. Although Autumn’s bond with Tyler is a negative contrast to that of Sylvia and Tomás, her persistent love for him argues that sibling ties are among the most central human relationships and the most difficult to escape. Although Autumn confronts her brother and expresses her unconditional love for him at the end of the novel, he maliciously shoots her in the knee before killing himself, ending her aspirations to become a dancer.

Autumn Browne Quotes in This Is Where It Ends

The This Is Where It Ends quotes below are all either spoken by Autumn Browne or refer to Autumn Browne. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

It’s as if all of Opportunity falls away. We’re lost between making a home and escaping one. It won’t be long before our secrets choke us, before she finally realizes I don’t deserve her and she leaves me too.

Related Characters: Autumn Browne (speaker), Sylvia Morales

Page Number and Citation: 12

Explanation and Analysis:

Because what can I tell her? That I have the ticket out of town she’s been longing for? That I don’t even know what to do with it? Before Mamá fell ill, I would’ve leaped at this chance. But how can I leave now? Autumn would never understand.

Related Characters: Sylvia Morales (speaker), Autumn Browne

Page Number and Citation: 22

Explanation and Analysis:

My brother, who cared for my bruises when Dad couldn’t contain his grief. Who helped me dance in secret. My fingers wrap around the ballet charm. Even after everything he’s done, he is my home.

Related Characters: Autumn Browne (speaker), Tyler Browne

Page Number and Citation: 42

Explanation and Analysis:

The only things that give us purpose are the stories that tie us together. We all have so many secrets to keep. And I hold mine close.

Related Characters: Sylvia Morales (speaker), Autumn Browne

Page Number and Citation: 50

Explanation and Analysis:

This town—this school is taking everything away from me. My home. My mother. My sister. Why am I to blame?

Related Characters: Tyler Browne (speaker), Autumn Browne

Page Number and Citation: 99

Explanation and Analysis:

I can’t imagine what it’s like not to have that. For as much as I despise Tyler, I love Autumn. It’s why I could never tell her what he did. I want her to be able to keep the only true family she has.

Related Characters: Sylvia Morales (speaker), Autumn Browne, Tyler Browne

Page Number and Citation: 46

Explanation and Analysis:

“It was your fault,” he says. “All of this, it’s your fault.”

Related Characters: Tyler Browne (speaker), Autumn Browne

Page Number and Citation: 143

Explanation and Analysis:

I need to get to Sylv before Ty sees her. Because if he does, there will be nothing left. If she dies, I will never be able to tell her that she is the one who keeps me standing. That her lips taste like a promise. That she makes me want to be a better version of myself.

Related Characters: Autumn Browne (speaker), Tyler Browne, Sylvia Morales

Page Number and Citation: 187

Explanation and Analysis:

The last thing I see before I fade is Ty turning the gun on himself. The last thing I hear is Ty saying, “I just don’t want to be alone anymore.”

Related Characters: Autumn Browne (speaker), Tyler Browne

Page Number and Citation: 261

Explanation and Analysis:

Ty made good on his promise. I didn’t need to die for him to kill me. He simply lowered his gun and pulled the trigger. And his bullet tore my knee to shreds.

Related Characters: Autumn Browne (speaker), Tyler Browne

Page Number and Citation: 270

Explanation and Analysis:

Autumn Browne Character Timeline in This Is Where It Ends

The timeline below shows where the character Autumn Browne appears in This Is Where It Ends. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Change, Uncertainty, and Growing Up Theme Icon

Inside Opportunity High’s auditorium, Autumn is listening to Principal Trenton’s speech. The principal tells the students that the choices they... (full context)

Sitting at Autumn’s left, Autumn’s girlfriend Sylvia points out the lack of originality in the principal’s speech. Stung,... (full context)

Family and Sibling Relationships Theme Icon

Autumn is determined to study dance after high school, but her Dad won’t pay for it,... (full context)

Sylvia looks at the empty seat next to Autumn as well. She’s relieved that Tyler isn’t going to come to school, and feels safe... (full context)

Autumn’s back is full of knots, which Sylvia patiently massages. Autumn didn’t sleep well last night,... (full context)

Suspecting what she’s feeling, Sylvia tells Autumn that she can talk about anything, but Autumn just shakes her head. Another girl comes... (full context)

Turning to Autumn, Asha tries to make conversation, asking what she did over the break even though Autumn... (full context)

Sylvia listens hopefully as Autumn opens up about her Mom’s beautiful dancing. Students are trying to exit the auditorium and... (full context)

When Autumn asks Sylvia if she’s heard from Brown yet, Sylvia says no, even though she’s actually... (full context)

Autumn reflects that while Sylvia thinks of dance as a career, Asha understands that for Autumn,... (full context)

Sylvia lightly holds Autumn’s wrist as they move towards the back of the auditorium, even though her girlfriend hates... (full context)

...shocked and terrified to see Tyler standing at the front of the room. She and Autumn are too far from the doors to escape; they can see teachers trying to approach... (full context)

Sylvia screams and Asha drops her bag. Autumn realizes that all the doors are locked, and there’s no way out of the auditorium.... (full context)

...Most of all, she think of the two people most important to her: Tomás and Autumn. (full context)

...tear them all apart, although Sylvia has never told the others about this. Sylvia and Autumn habitually spend the summers hanging out in an abandoned shed, where Autumn dances and Sylvia... (full context)

Sylvia hoped that Autumn heard her brother’s voice and would come out of the shed, but she didn’t. Tyler... (full context)

Autumn knows that people only feel fear when they have “something to lose;” she hasn’t been... (full context)

...he once liked Opportunity High and wanted to fit in, but instead he “lost everything.” Autumn feels sick hearing his words and continues pulling Sylvia towards the door; she doesn’t want... (full context)

...efforts were rebuffed several times, the townspeople lost interest in trying to rehabilitate the family. Autumn is the only person who didn’t notice her growing exclusion. (full context)

Despite Tyler’s behavior, Autumn is extremely loyal to her brother and only questioned his character once, when Sylvia revealed... (full context)

...to know who their friends are and learn to stop caring. His malicious smile reminds Autumn of an incident only a few nights ago, when Tyler revealed to their Dad that... (full context)

Sylvia looks at Autumn, who she knows would “do anything for Tyler.” She wants to hug her girlfriend, feeling... (full context)

Seeing Sylvia backed against the door, Autumn hates to think that her tough girlfriend is breaking down under her own brother’s actions.... (full context)

Autumn wonders where Tyler got the gun and remembers seeing him hunt with her Dad, “laughing... (full context)

In a flashback, Autumn recalls Tyler accosting her after finding her Julliard audition invitation. He threatens to tell their... (full context)

...auditorium, Tyler says that the community has “corrupted” his own family into abandoning him. Addressing Autumn by name, he calls for his sister to come forward and confront him. (full context)

Autumn hesitates to answer her brother’s call. She’s surprised that the people around her don’t point... (full context)

...to run to her, but other students tackle her to keep her safe. Still addressing Autumn, Tyler says that “it’s a terrifying idea” to “lose everything you care about.” Autumn knows... (full context)

...protect the younger girl from Tyler, who “clearly doesn’t care about anything anymore.” She sees Autumn crawling down the aisle as Tyler threatens to continue killing people unless she reveals herself.... (full context)

...from Tyler and possibly able to help. But she’s immediately terrified again when she sees Autumn walking slowly towards Tyler. (full context)

Autumn seems to get smaller with every step she takes toward Tyler, and Sylvia wonders when... (full context)

Autumn can’t stop thinking about Nyah’s brutal death. Even though Tyler is her brother, she wishes... (full context)

...will help and fear for his safety. She can’t imagine the pain of losing both Autumn and her twin, the closest of her many siblings. She has to believe that Tyler... (full context)

...then he grabs her and threatens to hurt her if she doesn’t stay away from Autumn. Sylvia has to kick him to extricate herself. He reminds her of the people in... (full context)

...“a score to settle with [his] sister,” as well as with his own. More loudly, Autumn calls out to him again; her brother looks at her with contempt, taunting her that... (full context)

In a flashback, Autumn remembers Tyler’s announcement of his decision to return to OHS. Speaking formally and stiffly to... (full context)

Tyler shoots at the air over Autumn’s head and warns her to keep walking, or he will shoot Matt. She steps over... (full context)

Sylvia watches Autumn and vows to kill Tyler if he hurts her. On the other side of the... (full context)

In a flashback, Sylvia remembers Autumn’s fifteenth birthday. Still alive, Mrs. Browne takes them to Birmingham to see The Nutcracker and... (full context)

More loudly, Autumn tells Tyler that she loves him and that he is her best friend. She doesn’t... (full context)

Becoming increasingly angry, Autumn asks how she could have abandoned him when he himself has been so distant and... (full context)

...Tyler was dangerous. Still, he knows that as long as Tyler is paying attention to Autumn, people can sneak out the doors. He gently taps Sylvia, who is relieved to see... (full context)

From the corner of her eye, Autumn can see people leaving the auditorium; she knows she has to keep Tyler’s attention on... (full context)

...then he shakes his head and turns around, glimpsing the students crawling toward the door. Autumn grabs his shoulders and he hits her in the face with his gun, throwing her... (full context)

Sylvia sees Autumn fall to the ground and watches Tyler strike her again. She wills Autumn not to... (full context)

...ground as he makes his way through the auditorium. He can see Tyler leaning over Autumn onstage. He wishes that he’d done something about Tyler’s behavior earlier; he thinks that, after... (full context)

Tyler “seethes” at Autumn that he hates her, especially because all she cares about is dance. He tells her... (full context)

When Autumn catches sight of Sylvia, she’s able to dance again with joy and hope. But then... (full context)

...still full of dead bodies. Sylvia knows she could turn away, but she can’t leave Autumn alone with Tyler. As she moves, she thinks of Autumn’s hand touching her own, Tyler’s... (full context)

Autumn waits for Tyler to shoot and kill her, feeling totally blank. But he continues to... (full context)

...to build a picture of Tyler’s motivations. Chris explains that Tyler has a younger sister, Autumn, and that everyone knows the Brownes, who own a store on Main Street. At first... (full context)

...again, he’s full of rage. Suddenly, Sylvia darts onto the stage to help the injured Autumn and confront Tyler. Tomás wants to do something, but Fareed pulls him out of the... (full context)

Autumn wants to think that the worst is over, but Tyler continues to fire on the... (full context)

Sylvia is bolstered by Autumn’s declaration of love for her in front of Tyler. Approaching him, she quietly says that... (full context)

...the building as long as he believes she’s inside, since he blames her for taking Autumn away from him. (full context)

...they don’t know if it’s better to risk escaping or barricade themselves in the building. Autumn stands up to survey the dead bodies all over the floor and the teachers tending... (full context)

...report that the police have arrived and secured the outside of the school. Speaking loudly, Autumn suggests that anyone who can run should get out of the school, while those who... (full context)

Autumn listens to the other students quietly conversing with the police. She returns to Matt as... (full context)

...police. She hears another girl’s voice reassuring Matt that Tyler won’t come back, and recognizes Autumn. Autumn says she’s sorry for everything that happened, and Claire responds that she is as... (full context)

Sylvia can’t believe that she’s left Autumn behind in the auditorium. In a flashback, she recalls enlisting her family’s help to throw... (full context)

In the flashback, Autumn opens up enough to ask Sylvia for help preparing her Julliard audition, and Sylvia agrees.... (full context)

Autumn sits with Matt leaning against her, the position that seems most comfortable for him. The... (full context)

Autumn confesses that she too relies on her brother a lot, especially since her mother died.... (full context)

Over the phone, Claire hears Autumn telling Matt that the SWAT teams are finally inside. In relief, Claire turns and kisses... (full context)

The auditorium door opens, and Autumn sees a group of SWAT officers sweeping through the aisles. She wants to show Matt... (full context)

The SWAT officers lead a group of students out of the auditorium, with Autumn trailing behind; as they leave she sees bullet-riddled lockers and more bodies on the floor.... (full context)

Autumn walks down the seemingly endless second floor corridor, looking for Sylvia. As she rounds the... (full context)

Autumn’s appearance startles Tyler, but she ignores him to bend over Tomás and close his eyes.... (full context)

Inside the classroom, Sylvia can hear Autumn telling Tyler that the police have arrived, and knows that the ordeal is over; if... (full context)

In a flashback, Sylvia recalls the day that Autumn came to school wearing the bracelet that Tyler gave her. Autumn says the gift is... (full context)

Autumn tells Tyler that she has always loved him and only ever wanted to be a... (full context)

Angry, Autumn snaps that the police are coming and Tyler has accomplished nothing. Tyler turns the gun... (full context)

...though she should feel “victorious” that her enemy is dead, she’s overcome by “emptiness.” Nearby, Autumn is alive but injured on the ground. She’s holding Tyler’s hand and can’t stop sobbing,... (full context)

Overcome by pain, Autumn can’t stop thinking about her brother’s cruel smile as he shot her in the leg.... (full context)

Sylvia follows Autumn as the paramedics put her on a stretcher and take her out of the building.... (full context)

Autumn floats on the stretcher, holding tight to Sylvia’s hand. She feels that the world has... (full context)

...any other drive to school, except everyone is aware of the thirty-nine people now dead. Autumn is in the hospital having surgery on her leg, any plans for dancing now forestalled.... (full context)

This Is Where It Ends

Autumn Browne Character Analysis

Autumn Browne Quotes in This Is Where It Ends

Chapter 2 Quotes

Chapter 4 Quotes

Chapter 5 Quotes

Chapter 8 Quotes

Chapter 10 Quotes

Chapter 12 Quotes

Chapter 16 Quotes

Chapter 24 Quotes

Chapter 25 Quotes

Autumn Browne Character Timeline in This Is Where It Ends