Tommy D. Timeline & Summary

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This timeline is in chronological order—not the order in which events occur in the book. Think of it as a mini Tommy biography.

• Tommy is a student at Hailsham and has always been a bit of an outcast, poor guy.
• One day in art class, Tommy's childish elephant drawing receives excessive praise from Miss Geraldine. So the other students begin to tease him incessantly. 
• Tommy's position as a social pariah leads to temper tantrums, particular one on the soccer field where he accidentally hits Kathy. 
• Tommy has a conversation with Miss Lucy and feels better about not being creative. The temper tantrums stop. He tells Kathy about his newfound inner peace down by the pond one day. 
• As a teenager, Tommy dates Ruth for about six months. Then they break up for unknown reasons. 
• In the interim, Tommy has another important chat with Miss Lucy, but this time she tells him that he should worry about being creative. 
• When Miss Lucy gets kicked out of Hailsham, Tommy gets back together with Ruth. 
• At the Cottages, Tommy keeps dating Ruth. He also gets into a creative groove and starts working on complex animal drawings. 
• During the road trip to Norfolk, Tommy buys Kathy's re-discovered Judy Bridgewater tape for her. He also tells Kathy his theory about the Gallery, and how artwork can reveal if you are really in love. 
• Back at the Cottages, Tommy becomes victim to Ruth's malicious teasing about his animal drawings. 
• Tommy becomes a carer and then a donor at Kingsfield recovery center. Eventually, Kathy becomes his carer. 
• Together, they visit Madame to ask for a deferral. When they learn that deferrals never existed, Tommy throws his final tantrum in the middle of a cow field.
• When he gets the summons for his fourth donation, Tommy tells Kathy he wants a new carer, so they say good-bye. 
• Tommy completes.