Nic+B

TWTWB assignment

**TASK 1**(approx. 300 words) relates to - **THEMES (WAR)**
 * Task 1** assessment criteria – content -all about - your ideas and thoughts.
 * 1) Homer puts 3 choices to the group: 1. try to rescue their families (even though it is very dangerous and unlikely to succeed) 2. to inflict damage on the ‘enemy’ 3. sit tight and stay alive.
 * Question ?** - In your opinion what should the group have done?

I think they should have sat tight together as a group and stayed where they had camped at the remote location of “Hell”. Although keeping in mind a few members of the group may occasionally take the long trek back to Wirrawee. For example they may visit Wirrawee occasionally to see if the circumstances had changed and to see what was happening in relation to those held at the showground. Also it would give the group an opportunity to return to their various remote rural farmhouses and gather more supplies. It would be vital for the group to stay as stealthy as possible when doing so. If they were to leave Hell very often, there would eventually be more chance that the enemy could capture them.

As they decided to take the choice to inflict damage on the ‘enemy’, I was surprised with the ending that proved successful in exploding the main bridge access to Wirrawee.


 * 1) Ellie is very relieved that she ‘probably’ has not killed anyone in the bridge explosion. However she understands that her intention was ‘to do whatever was necessary’ and therefore it was only luck that resulted in no lives being lost.
 * Question?-** Is murder wrong in war?

In the novel Homer said “I never thought I’d have to hurt other people just so I could live my own life. But my grandfather did in the Civil War. If I have to do it, I hope I have the strength like Ellie did. Whatever we do I hope we can do it without hurting anyone.”

My thoughts are that if the reason someone committed murder, had been to protect yourself or your family, it would be necessary. Sometimes you would have had to do, what you had to do at the time, out of loyalty. But if it’s for less important reasons, or no particular reason at all, such as ‘spook’ shooting anything that moves, like innocent civilians; it should not be considered reason enough for murder.

In the circumstances of “Tomorrow When The War Began”, my thoughts are that if you do consider murder wrong in war, in that situation of protection, then people on the enemy’s side would not have had any hesitation in committing murder, regardless it being right or wrong.

**Question?** – Would the enemy have been justified if they had refused to treat Corrie because of this?
 * 1) Ellie killed people when she caused the first explosion and when she ‘saved’ Lee.

‘The **Geneva Conventions** comprise four treaties, and three additional protocols, that establish the standards of international law for the humanitarian treatment of the victims of war.’

No, the enemy would not have been justified refusing medical treatment to Corrie, as there is the Geneva Convention Treaties. That any country being part of the Geneva Convention Treaties involved in war, have been required during war, to provide prisoners with basic human rights of appropriate shelter, food, water, treatment and medical care.

I also consider the enemy intruders should have responsibility for treatment of Corrie, for the reason she had not been the cause of that ride-on mower circumstance happening, and Corrie should not be left untreated.


 * 1) Robyn ‘could understand’ why the enemy had invaded. They claimed they were “addressing imbalances within the region”. They had very little. Australia had a great deal. They were going to ‘divide up the farms’ for their people and give Australians the ‘menial’ jobs. This would have resulted in a role reversal. Exists

**Question?** - Is that role reversal any less fair than the original situation where Australia was ‘rich’ and wouldn’t ‘share their wealth?

It is my thoughts that it is fair that population get SOME of the wealth of the country, and also consider that Australians do share their wealth with others less fortunate, and that Australia does continue to assist other countries in various circumstances of need.

In the circumstance of role reversal of the enemy in control, I do not consider it fair that Australians be in position of responsibility for all the menial jobs. My thought is that it would just cause the same thing to happen, but just that Australians would be rebelling instead.

I don’t know how else the enemy intruders could have gotten what they want, but force shouldn’t be involved in any circumstance in any country. That’s why I think it’s important that Democracy should be possible in ALL countries of the world; and that is an important opinion. (I’ve included the Geneva Convention text next page).

**TASK 2**(approx. 250 words) relates to **LOYALTY, FRIENDSHIP, LEADERSHIP AND COURAGE**
 * Task 2** - assessment criteria –is based on your thoughts - and correct use of textual evidence/quotes
 * 1) **Question?** – who is the leader of the group?

I researched that there are different roles of leadership, with need to be honest, trustworthy, and have good communication skills. Also mentally able to be ‘accountable’ and have the strength of character to make hard decisions.

The characters had to adapt through the circumstances. But Ellie appears to be the leader in the start of “Tomorrow When The War Began”. Through the novel she tries to organise everyone and what they should do to survive. I think that Ellie’s life on a rural property and her responsibility for farm chores were a big factor in Ellie’s role as leader. It was important to the novel that it was Ellie who said in the night “Take me to the ride-on” and continued “Quick. Help me push it. But quietly”. Ellie continued to give instructions to the group to find all the items that resulted in the group exploding the ride-on mower to kill the enemy.

As the novel continues and circumstances increase in danger, it hits them all as a group, of the gravity of the situation. More dangerous situations appear later, and that is when Ellie’s role of leader becomes shared. More than Ellie’s physical ability and strength, logical and rational thoughts and ideas were required to help survive the war.

Homer’s role changed the moment he said “Can we just go up to the Heron, I want to have a look at something” (That comment was also foreshadowing what was to come). Ellie narrates “But that’s where Homer wanted to take us, and that’s where we went”. So the group followed along with Homer.

Homer had spoken up and said his opinion. “Maybe it’s time to decide what we’re all going to do. We have a chance to rest up and think about things. Now we should decide if we stay here hiding till the war sorts itself out, or if we should get out there and do something about it”. Homer had matured mentally and physically, and became more responsible in his actions. Instead of his past circumstances of otherwise getting in trouble at school and misbehaving. It was Homers idea to explode the one kilometre old wooden access bridge to Wirrawee, showing the great initiative he developed.

(may consider more than 1 character) At the start of the novel different characters showed courage during situations including Corrie doing things ‘she would have never thought of in her wildest dreams’. As being a very mentally hard challenge for her, because she had a fear of injections and the sight of blood. Somehow Corrie managed to care for Lee’s wound and provide his injections, even through her fear. At the end of the novel Corrie got shot as well. I consider Fi showed “remarkable courage” at the end of the novel, when helping blow up the bridge. During planning Fi was looking ‘quiet and miserable’, and had said “I know logically we should do this and do that, but all I know is that the thought of doing anything makes my nose bleed”. But even though she felt like that, it was her responsibility later to lead Ellie as she drove the petrol tanker through the town blocks at night. Later, Fi lighting the petrol rope, and always calling out to Ellie to keep running, because Ellie had become over-exhausted. Die to Fi, the plan succeeded without Ellie being burnt or shot.
 * 1) **Question?** – who in the group shows remarkable courage?
 * 1) Ellie is concerned by Lee’s morality: she’s concerned that if the romantic relationship breaks up there will be tension in the group.
 * Question?** – what tests of their friendship - did you observe in the novel?

It is only a small group, based and moving about in very remote areas with their supplies. Instead of families, the group had become dependent on each other. So Ellie had reason for concerns for relationships between the group, and hers with Lee. Their situation wasn’t normal.

At one time, Lee who had a quiet, thoughtful nature, had been shot and lost the ability to do much physically, therefore he wasn’t much help. At one point Lee thought that he was being ignored by Ellie, and asked her questions that annoyed her. She ended up yelling at him. Later in the novel Fi asked Ellie about her relationship. Ellie said “He seems so different to anyone I’ve ever known. He seems so much more mature than most of those guys at school. I guess that’s why he keeps to himself so much. I get the feeling that he’ll do something great in life”. I consider that a good quote.

**TASK 3**(APPROX 100 - 200 WORDS) relates to **THE STRUCTURE OF THE NOVEL** In the novel Ellie was chosen by the group to write down what had happened. Ellie did seem a good choice by the group as a narrator, as she included and considered everyone in her narration. No //one// character would necessarily have been the only reliable narrator. Each character could have narrated differently from their point of view, as to complex descriptions of situations or circumstances or result. All may or may not, have been reliable. For example they could have turned something negative they did into being positive. Ellie’s narration as a female character was a success. But I consider the novel narrated by a male character would have emphasised situations or circumstances based more on the physical interaction and the war action taking place, with less emotion in the narration. Question? Why do you think Marsden chose her as the narrator? Marsden may have chosen Ellie because she is one of the most mature and responsible people in the group that Marsden created for the novel. Ellie was depicted as easy to get along with. Unlike Lee whom Marsden created as quiet, and didn’t talk or communicate his feelings to the others as much. Ellie’s character, who came from a rural, hands-on background, meant that Marsden could include novel text from a slightly more masculine point of view as well. If Marsden had chosen another female character, or male character to narrate the book, it would have made a big difference in the way the novel turned out, as each character in the role of narrator would have resulted in different novels. **Task?** Write down an explanation - of what you understand – to be. I researched that ‘foreshadowing” is the use of hints or clues by a writer to indicate events, circumstances and situations that will occur later in the novel. It can be the text in a novel in such a way that later events are prepared for to the reader. Sometimes I noticed the hint or clue as soon as I read that foreshadowing text, and other times when an event took place, I remembered back to a clue I’d read foreshadowing. **Task?** List as many examples of - foreshadowing - as you can. 2.Marsden text - about Ellie’s idea to use the ride-on, but the text just said - “I hurt my leg!” Corrie moaned. “What!” “You didn’t get shot?” ”No I ran into something, just back there’ “It’s a ride-on mower,” Kevin said. “I nearly hit it too”. 3.Marsden text – “Find some matches, and a cigarette lighter, and a chisel. And a hammer.” 4.Marsden text ­– Homer said “Can we just go up to the Heron, I want to have a look at something”. 5.Marsden text – “It was obvious that Homer had spent a good bit of time thinking about the bridge, because he went straight to the point”. 6.Marsden text - Homer said “I’ll tell you what I noticed. That paddock on the highway”. 7.Marsden text – “Then suddenly there was a change in the pattern of activity on the bridge”.
 * Task 3** assessment criteria - is based on your complexity of ideas – use of textual evidence/quotes and language style - in the **3rd** person – past tense –and formal language - to express your thoughts.
 * 1) **Question?** How reliable do you think Ellie is as a narrator?
 * 1) Find out about what the term **foreshadowing** means in relation to novels.
 * 1) Marsden text – described the group together inside and wrote “Suddenly we heard a distant disturbing noise. It sounded like a plane, but louder and rougher, and it was getting closer quickly.” “It’s a helicopter,” Corrie said, looking scared.

**TASK 4**(approx 300 – 400 words) relates to **CHARACTERS** that your character underwent during the novel?
 * Task 4** assessment criteria – is complex – 1. write in appropriate style 2. use textual evidence/quotes - 3. complex and thoughtful ideas –4. clear topic sentences
 * 1) **Question?** – which character do you think undergoes the most change? Explain the journey

I consider that Ellie’s character in the novel remained steady, until Homer started to lead with his ideas for action. But it was Fi who changed most of all through the events of the novel. I have to decide between Corrie and Fi, I choose Fi, as she was a quiet character, she wouldn’t have hurt a fly. Fi said in one situation, “Deliver me, O Lord, from evil men: preserve me from violent men, who plan evil things in their heart, and stir up wars continually”. Fi then found her herself in the position of dealing with her survival from “evil men”.

After Ellie was assigned the role of driving the petrol tanker, and Fi assigned as her support in the plan to be executed. Fi gained respect for Ellie as the two moved towards their target in the night. As Ellie drove the petrol tanker, at times Fi was ‘trembling’ and Ellie narrates “With my typical arrogance I’d been more worried about Fi’s nerves, but I should have been more worried about my own”. Fi had shown great courage while leading Ellie (driving the petrol tanker) through the dark street blocks of Wirrawee to the river. Ellie was watching Fi through the petrol tanker windscreen. This is the important long quote in the novel that Ellie narrated….

“I watched her through the windscreen. I always admired so much about Fi, but now it was her courage I was admiring, instead of her grace and beauty. She looked like a breeze would blow her over, but here she was going alone through the deserted streets of a town in a war zone. __Not many people would do it__: still fewer people who’d had the sheltered life she’d had”.

and to destroy the bridge?
 * 1) Ellie at one stage outlines what she sees as ‘Homer’s genius’.
 * Question?** was Homer a genius’ for coming up with the plans to ‘rescue’ Lee?

Even though it was Ellie who came up with idea of the ride-on mower to kill the enemy, and Ellie who came up with the use of the dumpster. It was Robyn who showed courage when she lifted Lee into the dumpster bucket. As to the question I do consider Homer came up with the most ingenious thoughts, and also Homer initiated his thoughts into action by group members. Those resulted in success in both rescuing Lee and later destroying the bridge.

**“Collateral damage ** is damage that is unintended or incidental to the intended outcome. [|[1]] The phrase is prevalently used as an [|euphemism]  for [|civilian casualties]  of a military action.” Collateral damage is what came to my thoughts when considering this question, and I consider it sort of applies to the question. Ellie always had good intensions as a character, and tried to be strong in front of the group, even at times she was really scared. It was in her actions, regardless of how she felt about the enemy, she knew the group had to consider their survival. So it was due to situations where the enemy were killed, Ellie in her mind only committed ‘collateral damage’ to others.
 * 1) Ellie worries that she might become ‘like a war criminal’ because of the acts she’s committing. She says she uses “a sense within (her)” to determine what was “good or bad”.
 * Question?** was Ellie a ‘good’ person?

**Question?** did Chris belong in the group?
 * 1) When Ellie finds Chris asleep on sentry duty she loses her temper with him. She understands why sleeping sentries should be ‘shot’. She becomes ‘logical, cold-blooded and merciless’. Later she says that “I **guess** he atoned”.

I do not consider Chris as a good addition, or ‘belonging’ to the group. It was only incidental that Chris became involved later in the novel, when the group members arrived at his home after the prior events of the novel. Chris then became part of later events of the novel. Chris’ character was more immature than others, and morally irresponsible. He is not very adaptive or responsive to contributing to the needs of the other members of the group.

But later in the novel when Corrie was shot – all the group came together as a “tableaus” with different emotions. Kevin was sitting with Robyn crouched beside him, Chris was standing on the other side “looking down at Corrie” and as Ellie had looked down at wounded Corrie, Kevin and Chris and Robyn looked to Ellie. Chris was “almost unnaturally calm, Robyn was sobbing soundlessly; Kevin was shaking”. Fi asked “What are we going to do?”, ‘with shock and Horror’. It was Homer who said “We’ll have to take her into town, there’s no other choice”.

The group had come together in a shed, and shared their emotions, and after it was decided Kevin would take Corrie into town, Homer said “let’s go home, to Hell”, and that included Chris.

Then author John Marsden continued with a second novel, and then five more.

**TASK 5**(approx 100 – 150 words) relates to **LANDSCAPE** **Question?** what role does “Hell” play in the novel? Marsden explained in an interview that the Australian landscape would play “a major part” in the novel. Especially as the location of “Hell” was an isolated place to get away from the war, and for the group to get back to as close to a normal life as possible. Marsden had a need to “revive adventure” novels for younger readers, as Marsden states “urbanisation had seen the gradual disappearance of “rippling yarns and bush tales”. The group based in ‘Hell’ could not have found a more rugged, safe haven. They were able to stock up on supplies, even though it involved difficulties. The group had a base where they could sleep, eat and relax, and gain some rest and recreation in the rugged terrain of the land. Marsden explained in an interview, that he also intended to bring the “interior landscape” of the characters into the novel. Marsden referred to “the thoughts and feelings of characters who are struggling to make sense of their lives, who are trying, sometimes reflectively to move forward”.
 * Task 5** assessment criteria – use all skills 1. write in appropriate style 2. use textual evidence/quotes 3. complex and thoughtful ideas –4. clear topic sentences 5. finish each paragraph strongly.


 * 1) **Question?** Does the novel suggest that people can ‘belong’ to the land?

There is a difference to people having their souls in the land, or belonging to the land, or living off the land. Areas are very important to the souls of indigenous Australians, and their historical cultures continue, and important emotional values exist for people in the rural and remote areas of Australia. No, I don’t think that the novel suggests that the people can belong to the land, but can feel the land is where they ‘belong’ and they can ‘live off the land’. In Marsden’s novel the group discus their survival on the land, for example the discussion about getting ferrets. The group assume that they will be living in the rugged, remote area for an extended time, as they don’t know the extent of the invasion, and it is not mentioned, or how long the war will last. Even though the novel describes various circumstances of events that took place, the period of the novel was only two weeks. Read Chapter 7 from “So at last we knew”.
 * TASK 6**(approx 300 words) relates to **CLOSE READING – FOCUS ON ONE SECTION – CHAPTER 7**
 * 1) **Question?** what inspires Ellie with the idea to use the ride on mower as a bomb?

Ellie had the thought … PETROL … as Ellie came from a rural upbringing, and was very practical and usually a strong character. But for moments in the scene Ellie was overwhelmed. Then Ellie had the thought to use the mower, after both Corrie and Kevin mentioned the ride-on mower left in the darkness at Mrs Alexander’s house.

“I was struggling to get some air, to breathe. At last I was starting to think. But my brain was operating like my lungs, in great gasping bursts. ‘Yes petrol…. We could roll it …. No that would give them time … but if it sat there …. matches… and a chisel or something….”

Marsden makes the reader wait in suspense and he slowly builds up the scene of the ride-on mower to a climax. From the moments in time, that Ellie was calling for matches or a cigarette lighter, and a chisel and hammer. Marsden created the tension to the exact moment as to whether the matches would light, and describes everything that suddenly happens.
 * 1) **Question?** What techniques does Marsden use to create tension in this scene?
 * 1) Marsden is careful not to let the reader strongly identify with the people who die.
 * Question?** **How** does he achieve this? **And** **why** does he do this?

By moving the action of the novel quickly on from the ride-on mower scene, and only mentioning the enemy, by saying that the characters could see the shadows of the enemy, and Marsden did not have Ellie describe them to the readers.

Marsden wrote the novel in that way, so as the readers concentrate on the characters, and don’t feel bad about the enemy who died in the scenes. And so the readers don’t dwell about deaths occurring in wars. Marsden keeps the novel storyline moving, and the action of the novel took place in only two days.


 * 1) **Question?** Why do we not condemn Ellie for the murders?

Ellie’s priority is considering her town and saving her family and friends. And so Marsden makes the enemy sound like bad people but doesn’t describe them in detail, and only provides a few ideas as to their country’s background. So the readers concentrate on the personalities of the characters, instead of having thoughts think that the murderer (Ellie) is a bad person, and should be condemned for what Ellie had done.
 * TASK 7**(approx 100 words) relates to **EXTEND YOURSELF**
 * 1) **Task 7** Marsden refers to other text novels –that in some way reflect to this novel TWTWB.

Marsden refers to this novel called “My Brilliant Career”, because Ellie also being a female character, in the novel ‘Tomorrow When The War Began’, and very practical, and strong mentally and physically, and was rational and logical. Ellie was not ”constrained” by gender role of being a female – and neither was the female character in “My Brilliant Career”.
 * Text novel - In Chapter 18 Page 236** –Marsden writes that the character Ellie described “Robyn was lying on her back on the bank, reading My Brilliant Career” ( autobiography about a girl in the late 1880’s who refuses to be constrained by gender roles)