64 pages • 2-hour read
This Is Where It Ends
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Chapters 19-21Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 19 Summary
As the clock moves from 10:42 to 10:44 a.m., Sylv reveals, though only to the reader, that Tyler raped her, and that she cannot let Tomas or her mother know, because she wants them to remember Sylv happy: “There was nothing either of them could have done to stop him” (222).
This happens as Sylv, Tomas, and Fareed discover most classrooms get locked between classes, until they find Mrs. Miller’s class, which they know is open because last year Tomas blew up the lock. There Sylv, Tomas, and Fareed realize the roof provides little safety. Adding pressure to the suspense and tension is the fact that Tyler lurks somewhere in the hallways.
Tomas presses Sylv about what Tyler did to her, which causes Sylv to remember times before their mother took ill. The two have not talked in months. She remembers one summer on the farm when they were young and Sylv and Tomas were inseparable: “We stayed at the farm and sneaked out almost nightly to search for lost treasures on the farm and in the woods. Mama didn’t know” (221).
Meanwhile, SWAT teams reach the auditorium, as Autumn promises Matt that he’s okay. Matt tells the story of the single time it snowed in Opportunity. Autumn sees Matt is dying in front of her from his gunshot wound. In the parking lot, Claire also dives into memory, revealing Matt suffers from lupus. Her confusion leads her to kiss Chris.
Chapter 20 Summary
Chapter 20, which covers 10:42 to 10:44 a.m., ends with a twist, as Tomas helps Fareed and Sylv onto the roof, then shuts the window, leaving Fareed and Sylv and reentering the school. Though the chapter closes before Tomas leaves the classroom it suggests Tomas plans to confront Tyler: “Tell Mama…I – I don’t even know,” Tomas says, before surprising Sylv and Fareed by staying inside: “Tell her I picked the locks on the auditorium and that supergluing Mr. Herrera’s desk was the best decision I ever made […] just tell Mama I had a wonderful sister” (230).
Meanwhile, from the parking lot, Claire tries to convince Matt he’ll be okay as Matt's voice fades. Claire fears that Matt dies while she talks to him because the SWAT teams that reach the auditorium must first assist those less injured. The pain of the fact that Claire's ex-boyfriend, Tyler, shot her brother, Matt, is not lost on Claire. In the confusion of SWAT teams helping students, Autumn plans to stay behind in the auditorium.
Chapter 21 Summary
Chapter 21 concludes with Tyler shooting Tomas in the hallways, but this scene is not observed; instead, Sylv hears the gunshots after she escapes Fareed’s grip and enters back into the classroom through the window. She hears Tyler say: “I win” (242). This chapter covers from 10:44 to 10:46 a.m.; just forty minutes have passed since the first shots rang out. It opens with Claire reminiscing about Matt’s intelligence. Once, they had driven to the coast, and Matt talked about his wish to study the stars: “Do you know the light we see really means we’re looking back at history” (234).
The most significant chunk of Chapter 21 hinges on Autumn sneaking away to find Tyler, and Tomas’ confrontation with Tyler. Tomas knows Tyler will find the open classroom, so he wants to get as far from the room as possible. During the confrontation, Tyler fires a warning shot, prompting the two to speak. Tomas says he will always protect Sylv and that his own death to protect Sylv is worth it. “You’re a maggot,” Tomas tells Tyler, “[s]oon you’ll be a dead maggot. I may be dead, but you won’t hurt her anymore” (240).
Chapters 19-21 Analysis
Nijkamp continues to follow the narrative threads of personal relationships between the four narrators, while raising the dramatic pressure and stakes each character faces. Tomas sacrifices himself, becoming a martyr. Most important is the major heroic change that occurs inside protagonists Autumn and Sylv, as each girl decides to forfeit safety for a second time and search the hallways to confront Tyler. The same is true for Tomas.
Chapter 19 enriches and characterizes the sibling relationships central to This Is Where It Ends. Sylv and Tomas seem to overcome their personal differences in this moment of tragedy. Nijkamp withholds Autumn and Tomas’ motives for staying behind, but it’s clear they want to confront Tyler, which occurs. It’s important to note Nijkamp’s cliffhanger technique of ending chapters right before a big moment. This allows Nijkamp to pause time, which is one of the major narrative strategies relied on in This Is Where It Ends. This technique also raises suspense and drives the narrative forward. Matt’s death adds another layer of tragedy and family catastrophe to the day’s events.
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