Summary Of The Book 'Burning Eddy'

The novel ‘Burning Eddy’ is about a young man named Daniel who has had a rough life so far, along the way he meets an old Dutch lady named Eddy who changed his life forever. Throughout the novel, Daniel is faced with problems that will change his identity and the way he looks at life.

One of the main themes throughout the book is family. While teenage Dan is attending school, seeing Chantelle and working for eddy he still has a massive responsibility at home. As Dan's dad was very kept to himself Dan has to step up and become the father figure in the family, this meant looking after young Toby and helping him grow up, helping mum with problems, cleaning around the house and dealing with moody Kat. As the father, Steve, was not present while

Dan was very young this meant Dan did not have much of a childhood. Building sympathy and responsibility Dan matured at a very young age and became reliable towards the family meaning they trusted him to do things the father would usually do for them. This had an impact on Dan as his spare time turned into looking after the family time instead of spending time with friends. Overall Daniels identity has changed due to the responsibility of looking after the house and Toby, Kat and mum while dad was absent.

As Dan progressively learnt more about the quirky and outgoing Eddy he learnt that she was one of his best friends. What started off as working for an old lady for some money, turned into a life lesson and a lifelong friendship. When Dan met Eddy he was a troubled teenager with a wrecked home and a sad life. He was unfaithful, fearful, unhopeful and depressed, Daniel wanted to start a new life, escape the one he was in and wanted to become a different person. As life went on working for eddy, daniel became more familiar with the type of person she was, he learnt stories about her and what her life was full of, what she believed in and how she got through most of her life. Eddy told stories of compassion, hope and happiness, things daniel could use. As these stories were told Daniel learnt how to be hopeful, how to be faithful, how to be self-confident but most importantly how to be happy. Despite the age difference between Eddy and Dan, they were still the best of friends. Not only did eddy offer dan a job, she gave him friendship and life lessons which shaped his identity to a hopeful and forgiving young man.

Throughout the novel, daniel has faced many deaths that have affected hum majorly.

Daniels past best friend Chris had a tragic death. After this, daniel became hesitant towards making new friends as he thought he would lose them again. This death changed his life majorly, he slowly had fewer friends because he thought the closer he became to them and the more he relied on them he would lose them, He then met eddy who changed his life forever. Even when eddy is dead Daniel kept his emotions and lessons learnt from eddy to use in life, this he did. He used everything eddy said and it helped him through life. Eddy's death made daniel feel happy and sad. Happy because she had died the way she meant to “ Nothing except I felt like she'd died the way she was meant to. No sirens. N needles and tubes. No watching her fade away.” (pg 191) It also made him feel lonely, his best friend in the world had just died “I felt stranded and lost. Alone in the world, it was a feeling that scorched a path in my mind back to the time when Chris had died." Eddy's death made daniel more appreciative of the people around him. He also became very positive and trusting. He knew he could face life on his own, he knew he was independent but also knew when to ask for help, he knew he could find someone else like eddy. “I wasn't alone. I'd never be alone, eddy had taught me that. Alone is a state of mind." Due to the deaths of eddy and Chris daniels identity has changed for the good from lessons in

life.

During the novel, ‘Burning Eddy’ Daniel Fairbrother is faced with problems facing family, Eddy and death. All these events changed Daniels life forever shaping him into the man he will grow up to be.