Runner Loss Quotes

In Robert Newton’s 2005 novel, Runner, the concept of loss is a common theme that occurs to many characters within the novel, with Robert Newton showing them to manage loss in many different ways. Some examples of how the characters have managed loss are by moving on and being resilient after experiencing loss, grieving the loss and having a stage of isolation, or having no option but to embrace the loss and live with it. Robert Newton has shown us how the different characters in Runner manage loss in many ways, expressing to us that loss is quite a complex concept and can be dealt with using various strategies.
Within the Runner, we mainly observe the actions of Charlie Feehan after the loss of his father, with him being the main example of

Finally, another character named Norman Heath, better known as Nostrils, has also experienced loss within this novel, with this loss impacting his future forever, having no choice but to embrace it and live with it for the whole rest of his life. In Nostrils’ first few games of his AFL debut, he surprised everybody, being described to be “as ferocious as anyone”. After only a few games, “the name Norman Heath was already doing the rounds amongst the people of Richmond as a junior who would one day wear the yellow and black at senior level”. However, after sustaining a serious injury from Barlow beating him up,
Nostrils’ dream at becoming an athlete were essentially ruined for good, with his potential career being thrown down the drain due to the loss of his leg. Although such an important part of both his life and character had been taken away from him, he still did not complain or blame people such as Charlie, for leaving him there to deal with Barlow alone. Instead, he simply accepted it. When Charlie went to look after him in the hospital after the injury,

He explained that there was simply
“no point [for] the two of [them to be] laid up [over this]”. Even though Nostrils has not only lost the hopes for his future in sports, but also suffered an extreme leg injury that would impact the rest of his life, he is not angry at Charlie or even remotely blaming him, instead simply embracing the fact that what has been done is done, and that there is quite frankly nothing that you can do about it. Unlike the loss of Charlie’s father, there is simply no way to improve his situation and heal his injury, with Nostrils realising this and accepting this fact for good.
In conclusion, throughout the novel Runner, we are exposed to many different ways of managing loss. We have been shown that we can deal with loss in many ways, such as moving on after loss, having trouble moving on and instead taking some time to ourselves, or embracing the loss and acknowledging that whatever has been done is done and nothing else can change that. Robert Newton has shown us through this novel that no matter how bad a loss can be, ultimately, finding the right way to cope through it and enduring