The Changeling' by Robin Jenkins is a powerful and heartbreaking novel that ends unexpectedly: with the death of its central character. This character, Tom Curdie, the titular "changeling", is a brilliantly intelligent and perceptive young boy living in a horrible slum with a disgusting family who shows him neither love nor true affection. As such, Tom has put in place a defense mechanism: he refuses to love or show emotions to those around him. However, when Tom is taken on vacation by his pompous English teacher, Charles Forbes, he begins to come undone and love Forbes and his family. When he realizes that this love is unrequited, Tom, unable to stop the flow of emotions, commits suicide, which is all the more surprising compared to the strong individual he was at the beginning. beginning of the novel. In his exploration of characterization, setting, and symbolism, Jenkins emphasizes to the reader the central theme of the novel: the failure of the privileged to alleviate the suffering of the less fortunate, and the devastating consequences this can have. in which Tom commits suicide, and its stark contrast with Towellan's beauty is appropriate in conveying to the reader the central themes of the novel. When the family and Tom first arrive at Towellan's vacation destination, it is described as a place of "liberating and revitalizing beauty." These words evoke rejuvenation and hope for the future, and so it appears that Forbes' plan to "redeem" Tom is going well. However, freedom and regeneration turn out to be the complete opposite of what happens to Tom: he dies alone in a cramped cabin. The description of this cabin is very effective in representing the themes of the novel. Forbes' daughter... middle of paper ... Lian's inability to help affected him: it led him to make the ultimate sacrifice and kill himself, which is a truly horrific depiction of tragic consequences of this failure. It's also certainly surprising, given Tom's initial character. To conclude, through his masterful use of setting, symbolism, and characterization, Robin Jenkins depicts the horrific consequences of people's inability to alleviate the suffering of those less fortunate. This horrible consequence is represented by Tom's suicide at the end of the novel, which is entirely unexpected when the reader compares his initial character to the needy and desperate character he became towards the end. The result is a powerful and heartbreaking novel that certainly leaves a bitter taste in the reader's mouth, forcing them to think about their own life and what they can do to help others..