At the start of the story, Daniel is young, immature, and full of rage. He's profoundly dissatisfied with life under the Roman occupation and wants nothing more than to join with the zealots in driving the oppressors from Israel once and for all. To that end, he dedicates himself to pursuing a life of violence, as this is the only way he sees of achieving this goal.

But over the course of the book, Daniel experiences profound change. He comes to see that the life he's chosen isn't the right one. As well as being dangerous, it simply leads to an ever greater spiral of violence and bloodshed, with no end in sight. Gradually, Daniel turns his back on the life of the zealot and takes his first faltering steps on the path to righteousness. Finally, he takes a proverbial leap of faith and turns to the healing power of Jesus's love, which, he realizes, is far more powerful than any weapon.

At the beginning of the novel, Daniel is full of hatred and resentment. He's spent the last five years in the mountains contemplating his revenge on the Romans for ruining his family and life. Daniel's bitterness has kept him removed from his grandmother and sister who live in the village. After sharing a bond with Joel and Malthace, Daniel begins to long for their friendship. As the novel progresses, Daniel becomes increasingly jaded about Rosh's objectives and feels comfortable living in the village. Daniel's anger towards Rome does not subside, but his tolerance for his sister and Thacia fluctuates. Gradually Daniel begins witnessing Jesus preach and develops a loving relationship with his sister. After Samson and Nathan die attempting to free Joel, Daniel becomes very depressed which negatively affects his sister. Daniel is not able to rid himself of the hate and malice he feels towards Rome. It takes a visit from Jesus to heal Leah and Thacia's compassion, before Daniel's life begins to change for the better. By the end of the novel, Daniel is able to let go of his bitterness towards Rome and those around him. Daniel accepts Thacia's gift of love and invites Marcus, the Roman soldier, into his home. Instead of being filled with spite, Daniel learns to love, and his future looks positive.

How does Daniel change in The Bronze Bow?

Daniel is a young man consumed by vengeance. His father and uncle are crucified by the Romans. His mother dies shortly afterward, leaving both Daniel and his sister, Leah, orphaned. Their grandmother sells Daniel to the town blacksmith out of dire poverty. These circumstances turn Daniel into a bitter and angry person and push him into joining a group of rebels. His time with the rebels only stokes his rage.

Daniel slowly changes over the course of the story, becoming a more merciful person. His encounters with Jesus of Nazareth aid in this progression. Jesus's message emphasizes compassion and mercy, even towards one's enemies. It takes a long time for Daniel to accept these ideas because he does not see how they will help liberate the Jewish people from imperial domination. He continues to cling to violent acts and aggression, believing these will push the Romans out, but these hostile tactics never work and only perpetuate Daniel's hatred.

Eventually, it takes his beloved sister, Leah, being on the point of death for Daniel to reach out to Jesus, who heals her. This final encounter opens Daniel's heart and inspires him to invite the Roman soldier Marcus into his home, an act symbolic of his forgiving his enemies.