This Is Where It Ends

Another one of the four narrators, Autumn hopes to attend Juilliard next year and follow after her mother, who was principal dancer in the Royal Ballet, but Autumn's dreams shatter when her brother Tyler shoots Autumn in the knee. Autumn plays a central role in This Is Where It Ends, as countless times her memories of better times with Tyler create empathy for the shooter, as well as characterize Tyler as capable of beautiful actions. Like the other narrators, Autumn’s fear in the minutes following the shooting turns into courageous action as she confronts Tyler onstage and later sneaks away to find Tyler. Autumn is thoughtful and romantic, and her family plight and shattered knee are tragic character elements. 

Another narrator and school bad boy, Tomas experiences a chance to revive his reputation, but more importantly, his broken relationship with his sister, Sylv. It's Tomas's actions, alongside those of his friend, Fareed’s, that help free students locked in the auditorium. If Tomas can appear prideful early in the novel, by the end of the novel, Tomas's actions paint him in a heroic light. He is shot to death by Tyler in the school. 

The only Islamic student at Opportunity High, Fareed is Tomas's partner in saving students from more harm. At the close of the novel, Fareed's actions lead to a memorial service in honor of those dead and injured during the shooting. 

Also a narrator, Claire is a track runner, member of the ROTC, and misses her sister, Tracy, who enlisted in the military. Claire is torn by guilt at not realizing Tyler's pain, and so Claire feels somewhat responsible for Tyler's actions. In the opening chapter of the novel, Claire is characterized as happy to be missing the corny, first-day-of-spring-semester assembly. Claire feels Opportunity, Alabama has not shaped her life. But the day's trajectory causes Claire to undergo a transformation in understanding. By the end of This Is Where It Ends, Claire understands how essential the entire community has been in shaping not only her own life, but also how events that seem separate from the school shooting provide insight into Tyler's motives. Claire realizes each person in the community plays a role in shaping others. In this way, Claire serves as a chorus, like in Shakespeare's plays, while offering rhetorical insight into the day’s events.