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 boy who lives in a horrible slum house with a disgusting family who shows him no genuine love or affection. As such, Tom has set up a defense mechanism: he refuses to love or show emotion to anyone around him. However, when Tom is taken on holiday by his pompous English teacher, Charles Forbes, he begins to unravel and grows to love Forbes and his family. When it turns out that this love is unrequited, Tom, unable to stop the flow of emotions, takes his own life, which is made even more surprising when compared to the strong individual he was at the beginning of the novel. In his exploration of characterization, setting, and symbolism, Jenkins highlights to the reader the central theme of the novel: the failure of the privileged to alleviate the suffering of those less fortunate, and the devastating consequences this could have. The setting of the cabin where Tom kills himself, and its stark contrast with Towellan's beauty is appropriate to convey the central themes of the novel to the reader. When the family and Tom first arrive at the tourist destination of Towellan, it is described as a place of "liberating and revitalizing beauty." These words connote rejuvenation and hope for the future, and so it seems that Forbes' plan to "redeem" Tom is going well. However, freedom and regeneration turn out to represent the exact opposite of what happens to Tom: he dies in a cramped cabin, alone. The description of this hut is very effective in representing the themes of the novel. Forbes' daughter... middle of paper... Lian's failure to help him affected him: it led him to make the ultimate sacrifice and kill himself, which is a truly horrific depiction of the tragic consequences of this failure. It's also certainly surprising given Tom's initial character. Finally, through his masterful use of setting, symbolism, and characterization, Robin Jenkins portrays the terrible consequences of people's failure to alleviate the suffering of the less fortunate. This horrible consequence is represented by Tom's suicide at the end of the novel, which is very unexpected when the reader compares his initial character to the needy and desperate one he has become towards the end. The result is a powerful and heartbreaking novel that is sure to leave a bad taste in the reader's mouth, forcing them to think about their own life and what they could do to help others..