64 pages • 2 hours read
This Is Where It Ends
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Chapters 22-24Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 22 Summary
Chapter 22 covers only one minute, from 10:46 to 10:47 a.m., and closes with Autumn roaming the first-floor until she rounds a corner: “Ty stands in the center of the hallway, and he swings his gun wildly […] Tomas’s prone body lies at Tyler’s feet” (248). Students rush outside to safety in the parking lot, as Claire discovers why Deputy Lee wanted to keep her away from the scene. Claire overhears horrific stories, as junior Steve Jackson recalls watching his friend get shot, and wonders if his friend CJ is okay. “I never realized that courage was so terrifying” (247) Claire says, as Chris hugs her and calls Claire brave. The chapter opens with Sylv reminiscing about how Tomas loved to go running on rainy days like today, despite his family’s complaints he’d get sick. “I’m running with the wind,” Tomas used to say, “and no one will ever catch me. Not even death” (244).
Chapter 23 Summary
Another fast-paced one-minute section, Chapter 23 covers from 10:47 to 10:48 a.m. as Autumn confronts Tyler in the hallway, while the gun hangs at his side. Autumn tells Tyler SWAT teams are near and reaches out to her brother: “You know, after Mom died, apart from Sylv you were the only one to ever see me dance” (250). Autumn tells Tyler she’s never taken off the bracelet Tyler gave Autumn on her birthday last year. From the classroom, Sylv overhears Autumn tell Tyler “it’s over” (252). Sylv fears “everyone I love is slipping through my fingers” (252), prompting Fareed to comfort Sylv. Outside in the parking lot, Claire continues watching students exit the school and overhears names of the dead, which officers were supposed to not let students hear: “A current passes through the crowd with the news of each survivor. Relief and sorrow follow each other rapidly, because with the names of those who live comes the void of those who have not. Death brings life; life brings death” (251).
Chapter 24 Summary
Tyler takes his own life in Chapter 24, which covers from 10:48 to 10:50 a.m. Autumn and Tyler talk about how important their family used to be to each of them. “The world is against us,” Tyler tells Autumn, “you need to understand that before it kills you” (259). Tyler asks Autumn, “who will mourn you” (260), then “blows his brains out” (261).
Meanwhile, Sylv recalls when Autumn first started wearing a ballet shoe charm she received from Tyler. Sylv remembers one day when her abuelo told her not to forget family stories, and this healed a rift between Sylv and her mother. Sylv remembers her mother’s wish that Sylv promise to care for her brothers. Outside in the parking lot, Claire sees CJ is safe, as some students reunite with parents.
Chapters 22-24 Analysis
A major change occurs when Tyler ends his life at the end of Chapter 24, as most narrative suspense diffuses here. Nijkamp continues to explore how each narrator’s story intersects with the other narrators. As Nijkamp weaves together the different narrative arcs, she further characterizes each narrator and teaches readers more about the pressures in Autumn, Sylv, and Claire’s lives. Only three narrators remain, all female voices.
Tyler’s death is the final climatic act of the novel. The act adds extra narrative pressure on Autumn, who is left with only her alcoholic father, and her busted dreams of attending Juilliard. At the same time, Nijkamp applies narrative pressure to Sylv, who loses Tomas. Meanwhile, Sylv still has to care for her sick mother, in addition to attending school, and balancing a complex relationship with Autumn. This further characterizes the portrait of Sylv and Autumn’s struggle to remain strong and simply reach college, despite the difficult pressure placed on each girl by reality.
Fareed's courageous behavior continues in these chapters. Claire, meanwhile, provides observations of the scene in the parking lot. Interesting to note is that the guilt Claire expressed in earlier chapters gets replaced by her narrative role of informing readers about survivors. In this way, Claire serves almost as the voice of the chorus, like in a play, representing a wider perspective on the day’s events that connects to the outside community.
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