Hope Versus Despair

The battle between hope in the face of despair is a driving force in both Tamsin’s character arc and the entire novel’s conflict. For a majority of the book, Tamsin is the most pessimistic character in the book, believing that everyone should accept reality rather than believe in a low chance of change. However, with the help of characters like Neve, Tamsin realizes that hope is not a weakness, but a vital chance to change the future.

Tamsin’s inherent pessimism is her main character trait throughout the first half of the novel. She argues that this negativity is just her being prepared for everything, but the others vehemently disagree. Olwen, for example, says, “[I]f you expect to fail, you invite failure with open arms, because you can’t bear the ache of hoping, or the possibility of success” (234-235). However...