This Is Where It Ends

“After almost four years at Opportunity High, I can recite her words from memory, which is exactly what I did for Matt at breakfast this morning—responsibility, opportunity (“no pun intended”), and her favorite, our school motto: We Shape the Future. It sounds glorious, but with months left until graduation, I have no clue what the future looks like. If Opportunity shaped me, I didn’t notice.”

On the opening page of This Is Where It Ends, Nijkamp introduces the novel’s setting of Opportunity High School in Opportunity, Alabama. It’s important to note Claire’s sarcastic tone here, which displays a contrast to Claire’s tone later, as the novel progresses, once the shooting begins. This quote provides backstory about Claire’s family life, as well as the routine each year on the first day of the spring semester at Opportunity High.

“I don’t know how to put all that into words. I’m not okay. I haven’t been okay in a long time. It isn’t just Mom’s death. Dad—sometimes I’m afraid. And Ty … I’m afraid I’ll lose Ty too.” 

Here, Nijkamp begins to establish the issues in Autumn’s life. This quote establishes Autumn and Tyler's family troubles and characterizes Autumn as thoughtful and tender, a high school senior struggling to find her way. It shows Autumn’s love for Tyler, painting a picture of Tyler before any indication of the tragedy and horror that follows. 

“Autumn’s been training in the music room for months—and I’ve been sending out her applications. Her father may hate her for it, but I’d be a lousy girlfriend if I didn’t see how much it meant to her. It’s her chance out of here, and she deserves to be happy. Even though she can audition at schools closer to home or wait until she’s a senior, she has her sights set on New York. We both did once.” 

In this quote from Sylv’s perspective, Nijkamp begins to develop Sylv and Autumn’s relationship, while establishing Autumn’s dream to follow in her mother’s footsteps and become a ballerina. At play here is Sylv’s thoughtfulness for Autumn, as well as Sylv's emotional investment in their relationship.