Hannah

Task 1  **1.** **Homer puts three choices to the group; try to rescue their families (even though it is very dangerous and unlikely to succeed), inflict damage on the ‘enemy’, or sit tight and stay alive. In your opinion what should the group have done?** Homer suggested to the group three options, and of those three options, the best idea was to “sit tight and stay alive”. That way the group could get some rest and calm down. They could think more about the situation they were in and then figure out the next course of action, which should then be to inflict damage on the enemy. If the group were to immediately try to harm the enemy, or rescue their families, the outcome would most likely be bad. Whereas if they calm down and think about a plan, there is more chance of coming out alive.

Ellie feels as though she has turned into a cold-blooded murderer, due to the situations she has been placed in throughout the story. But really, most of the time, her actions were made only to defend herself and her friends, or because she had to “do whatever was necessary” to survive, and cut off the enemy’s resources. Murder is not wrong in war, soldiers are fighting in wars all over the world, and killing someone from the opposing side is just the way war works; it’s the definition of the word. It would be so perfect to have world peace and no wars, but that’s not the case, the world isn’t perfect. So when people go into a war, they know that it is about harming the enemy, and that’s what they are trained to do.
 * 2.** **Ellie is 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. Is murder wrong in war?**

When Corrie was shot, there was no choice amongst the group, she needed professional attention. The hospital was the perfect choice, because then she could get the proper help she needed. If the enemy had realised who Corrie was and the things she had done to them, they still treated her. Because once she recovered, she would be useful for the menial jobs everyone was going to get; she would be one more valuable set of hands. If the enemy hadn’t chosen to treat Corrie, there would be no point, they would just be holding a pointless grudge when they could’ve treated her, then she could be of more value.
 * 3.** **Ellie killed people when she caused the first explosion and when she ‘saved’ Lee. Would the enemy have been justified if they had refused to treat Corrie because of this?**

The opposing country invaded Australia because they were “addressing imbalances within the region”, because they believed Australia was too carefree and loose with their land. Whereas whatever country they were from, was struggling for space. They obviously couldn’t comprehend how Australian life is, and how Australia’s political leaders had laws for fairness. Australia’s inhabitants are so lucky, because even though there are menial jobs existing everywhere, they’re all still treated as equals, most of the time. The opposing country was jealous of Australia’s freedom, and therefore had to invade and change the rules. That role reversal is so much more unfair than the original situation. Australians are only this lucky because we control what we have well.
 * 4.** **Robyn ‘could understand’ why the ‘enemy’ had invaded. They claimed they were “addressing imbalances within the region.” Then 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 role reversal. Is that role reversal any less fair than the original situation where Australia was ‘rich’ and wouldn’t ‘share’ their wealth?**

Task 2  **1.** **Who is the leader of the group?** Throughout the story, every single person becomes a leader in some way. They all have their moment, when they have to step up and pave the way in a difficult situation. Homer’s personality changes immensely throughout the story, because he realises that this new position they’ve all been put in, means thinking practically. In that, he changes so he can step up and lead the way. He is the main leader, and everyone else shows different streaks of leadership also.

Just by being in this situation, Ellie and the others all show courage. It takes a ridiculous amount of courage, to do what Ellie and the group do throughout the story. They fight against soldiers, they blow up a bridge, all just to harm the enemy. Even though the enemy is a whole army of soldiers, they keep fighting for their country, as seven people. The most courageous moment for Ellie was when she first went to the showground, and had to take a few steps (out in the open) to get to a hiding place. She explained her feeling: “At that moment I stopped being an innocent rural teenager and started becoming someone else, a more complicated and capable person, a force to be reckoned with”. It was at that point, she stopped being innocent. The steps she took were made while being terrified and uncertain, but she took them. Ellie is very confused in the story, because she has feelings for both Homer and Lee. This creates tension between Lee and Ellie when she tells him. He is so open and dramatic with his 'love' for Ellie, and that obviously scares her. When Lee confesses everything to her and Ellie tells him she's confused; that's a tense situation
 * 2.** **Who, in the group, shows remarkable courage?**

Ellie is very confused in the story, because she has feelings for both Homer and Lee. This creates tension between Lee and Ellie when she tells him. He is so open and dramatic with his 'love' for Ellie, and that obviously scares her. When Lee confesses everything to her and Ellie tells him she's confused; that's a tense situation
 * 3.** **Ellie is concerned by Lee’s morality; she’s concerned that if**
 * the romantic relationship breaks up there will be tension in the group.**
 * What tests of their friendship did you observe in the novel?**

Task 3  **1.** **How reliable do you think Ellie is as a narrator? Why do you think Marsden chose her as the narrator?** James Marsden must have taken a long time to define each character to make the perfect balance, and Ellie was obviously made for the narrating role. She is insightful and genuinely interested in everything that is happening around her. Ellie is a very reliable narrator because as she tells the story, she explains all the little details, and the thoughts going through her mind, and what she thinks the other people are thinking about. She also asks questions about the situation she is in. She explains different scenarios of what could go on, while their planning an attack, so it gives the readers more to picture in their heads. Ellie creates a scene for us to imagine, but the scene isn’t just the land, it’s the people and their emotions. She is the best choice for narrator because she is so emotional, and explains everything well.

Foreshadowing is when a narrator or character in a novel subtly predicts the future. There are many examples in Tomorrow When the War Began, such as when the group are camping out in Hell, they start talking about the planes that were flying very low the night before. “It’s probably the start of World War Three; we’ve probably been invaded and don’t even know.” Lee had predicted. In a way foreshadowing is very ironic; it’s stating the obvious without really catching on until everything is pieced together. It was ironic how at the start of the book, Ellie was watching the TV, and they were talking about the new foreign minister. “We’ve got a wimp for a Foreign Minister. He’s weak, he’s gutless, he’s the new Neville Chamberlain. He doesn’t understand the people he’s dealing with. They respect strength, not weakness!” That narrative is describing how the Foreign minister obviously isn’t doing his job correctly, and therefore the country is vulnerable. Yet they have no idea how vulnerable they really are, and how a foreign country is about to invade within a matter of days.
 * 2.** **Find out what the term ‘foreshadowing’ means in relation to novels. Write down an explanation of what you can understand it to be. Then list as many examples of foreshadowing as you can. (Make sure you work with your friends on this question, as it is a tough one and you’ll need to help each other come up with different examples).**

Task 4  **1.** **Which character do you think undergoes the most change? Explain the journey that your character underwent during the novel?** Homer underwent the most change during the novel. Ellie explains how everyone used to perceive him as heartless, and the joker of the town. He has had a wall up around his emotions, and has only ever been known as the troublemaker. Homer is the macho, wild, immature boy with no limits. Then two things knock that wall down, the first is Fi and the other is the war. Somehow, the delicate and beautiful Fi breaks through that wall and wraps herself around his heart, Homer falls for her. When they come home to find everything different, his wall is completely vanished. Homer is no longer the immature boy from Wirrawee. He is the smart, responsible soldier from Hell.

The reader can really understand the group’s desire for something to do, an act to make against the invaders. When Homer comes up with these brilliant ideas, you can really tell he is changing, becoming more responsible, and using his initiative. He becomes a genius of sorts, to the group, and they realise how incredibly smart he is in this situation. Homer really was a genius in this position, as while everyone else is scared and have no idea where to go next, he leads them and helps them immensely. He really becomes the group leader, due to his brilliance.
 * 2.** **Ellie at one stage outlines what she sees as “Homer’s genius” – was Homer a ‘genius’ for coming up with the plans to ‘rescue’ Lee and to destroy the bridge?**

Ellie was fighting for her home in this war; she was being as good as she could. Though Ellie sometimes had struggles with how to handle her emotions in the different situations, she was faithful to the side she was fighting for. Murder is never justified, but in the war she wasn’t fighting and murdering people in cold blood, she was fighting to survive.
 * 3.** **Ellie worried 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”. Was Ellie a ‘good’ person?**

Chris was found when the group had just rescued Lee, and were drowning the BMW car in the dam on Chris’ property. He told them about how there had been groups of foreign soldiers coming to his house almost every day, and he had to hide all the time. When he went back with the group, Chris really didn’t contribute that much, he doesn’t belong in the group. However, if there was no Chris in the storyline, everything would be pretty monotonous; having the same group. In a way his presence goes unnoticed, but without it, the story would be different.
 * 4.** **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.” Did Chris belong in the group?**

Task 5  **1.** **What role does “Hell” play in the novel?** Hell, to the group, is considered as their headquarters, or their ‘base camp’. But after really getting settled and acquiring the land for them to live off, Hell becomes home. The group realise their resources will soon run out, so they make changes and become more independent. They bring chooks and goats down to Hell, as well as seedlings for a vegie patch. That is one of the smartest moves they made in this novel, because it helped them be more self-sufficient. In chapter sixteen, Ellie talks about her relationship with the land. “This was my country; I felt like I had grown from its soil like the silent trees around me, like the springy, tiny-leafed plants that lined the track.” This sentence deeply describes how Ellie belongs to the land and isn’t afraid to be walking around alone, in the dark, because she’s is used to it and it is her home now.
 * 2.** **Does the novel suggest that people can ‘belong’ to the land?**

Task 6  **1.** **What inspires Ellie to use the ride on mower as a bomb?** Ellie used the ride on mower as an act of self-defence. Kevin had tripped over it, and mentioned it. Ellie knew the opposing country was coming and when they did, they would either kill her or take her back to the showground, and that would be it for saving their town, it just wouldn’t be possible. Ellie had to do something, and quick. Marsden uses such technique to make the scene so tense and quick. You can feel the adrenalin rushing though Ellie when she gets the idea and acts on it.

When Ellie is lighting the match to blow up the ride on mower, it keeps on going out and Ellie panics. The situation is so blood rushing, even for the reader, because there are soldiers coming to kill her and all Ellie has to do is light a match. Marsden keeps referring back to how close the soldiers are, and Kevin yells at Ellie telling her sternly to “do it”. The scene is so tense that the readers are absolutely hooked and on the edge of their seats, because Marsden explains the adrenalin and the rush and panic of the situation so well.
 * 2.** **What techniques does Marsden use to create tension in this scene?**

Marsden is careful to not make connections between reader and victim of death in this scene. He doesn’t explain their features or their life story as he normally would with other characters. This ensures that readers don’t become ‘friends’ with a character, through learning about them. When Ellie kills people from the opposing country, using the ride on mower, readers don’t feel angry at Ellie as though she did the wrong thing, it just passes by them. Because the reader didn’t make an ‘friendship’ with the victim, they don’t condemn Ellie for the murders.
 * 3.** **Marsden is careful not to let the reader strongly identify with the people who die. How does he achieve this and why does he do this?**

The readers do not condemn Ellie for the murders because Marsden was careful to not make any large connections between reader and victim. The way people become to like a character in a book is if they learn lots about them, and they feel they know the character inside-out. The reader can relate to the character in the book, they can cry when the character cries, and laugh when the character laughs; it’s a connection. When Marsden explains the opposing country, he is careful to make sure he doesn’t explain too much, so the reader doesn’t make a connection. The reader doesn’t condemn Ellie for the murders because they simply don’t consider it.
 * 4.** **Why do we not condemn Ellie for the murders?**


 * Task 7 **


 * The Scarlet Letter Summary **

// ‘The Scarlet Letter’ // follows the public shaming and punishment of a young woman named Hester Prynne in mid-17th century Boston. When Hester becomes pregnant, everyone believes her to be guilty of adultery: she has been separated from her husband for two full years, and the baby cannot be his. The magistrates (local law enforcers) and ministers order her to wear a scarlet letter "A" on the bodice of her dress, so that everyone can know about her adultery. The //Scarlet Letter// begins when Hester is briefly released from prison so that she can be paraded through town, displaying her scarlet "A" while standing on top of the town scaffold (a public stage). She carries her baby daughter, Pearl, in her arms. Pearl was born in prison. Hester steadfastly refuses to reveal the name of Pearl’s father, so that he might be saved from punishment. Hester Prynne’s long lost husband arrives in the midst of this parade through town. He visits her in prison before her release and asks her not to tell anyone that he’s in town. His plan is to disguise himself so that he can ferret out and seek revenge on her lover. Hester’s husband tells the townspeople that he’s a physician, and he adopts a fake name: Roger Chillingworth. Hester keeps his secret. Chillingworth soon realizes that the minister, the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, is the likely father of Hester’s baby, and he haunts the minister’s mind and soul, day and night, for the next seven years. The minister is too afraid to confess his sin publicly, but his guilt eats away at him; Chillingworth’s constant examination really makes him antsy. Seven years pass and, finally, Hester realizes the evil her husband has done to the man she loves, the father of her child. She reveals Chillingworth’s true identity to Dimmesdale, and the two concoct a plan to leave Boston and go to England, where they might hide from Hester’s husband and create a new life together. The minister is ultimately unable to go through with the plan. Dimmesdale confesses his sin to the townspeople on the scaffold that had, seven years earlier, been the scene of Hester’s public shaming. His dying act is to throw open his shirt so that the scarlet //A// that he has carved onto his chest is revealed to his parishioners. Dimmesdale finds peace through confession. When Chillingworth dies approximately a year after his rival, Dimmesdale, he leaves all his money and property to Pearl. Hester and Pearl leave the community where they have been named outcasts for so long and return to the Old World (a.k.a. England). Many years later, Hester returns to the New England community that had been the site of her shame, resuming the scarlet letter of her own will. When Hester dies, she is buried near the minister, and they share a gravestone. On the gravestone is an image; is a scarlet letter //A// drawn over a black background.

Marsden mentioned this book in his story, because it related to Ellie and her emotions. Ellie is feeling trapped and confused with who she has feelings for, and in the Scarlet Letter Hester is confused about who she is to be with, whether it be her husband or the father of her child. Hester doesn’t want Dimmesdale to be declared guilty of adultery just like herself. She wants to run away with Dimmesdale; away from her husband, Chillingworth. Hester feels trapped in her options, just like Ellie. Ellie feels passionate towards Homer, but there is something about Lee that really gets under her skin.
 * Why do you think Marsden mention this novel in Tomorrow When the War Began? **

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 * Bibliography **

**Task 8 ** **Eternally Numb by Bertram Christie ** They were dancing around me, dancing like giant flame men aggressively trying to engulf me in their heat. I didn’t know what you’re supposed to do in that situation. Do you run? Do you hide? Do you douse yourself in gasoline and just let the flames consume you? I don’t even know what made my legs move, all I knew was that I wasn’t choosing the third option.

 I ran outside the house carrying Alfred, calling out to Imogen telling her to follow me. The house was about to crumble into nothing but a pile of dust. I kept on running, trying to calm down Alfred as giant, troubled tears streamed down his face. I remember looking at his face and seeing so clearly; the fear, the shock, the immense pain.  As I reached the safe-house door, I glanced behind me and saw no Imogen. She had disappeared. I put Alfred down on the ground and ran back to the house to find her. All that was there was fire, and she had been killed. It sounds so cold and blunt as I write this down, but there is no nice way to explain death. I was absolutely numb with fear as I turned around to get Alfred, but then realised he too had disappeared. I looked up at the red, hot flames and thought the inevitable; he had been engulfed by the fire.  I walked back to the safe-house, hoping that Imogen and Alfred would be inside waiting for me. But when I went in, there was no one. I waited there until the flames died down a little then I finally emerged, not quite sure what do with myself. I walked over to where my house had been and saw it, my family; just two limp, dead bodies. I ran over to them and collapsed, I could hear my heart beating through my chest and I wondered why, why didn’t I die? Why couldn’t it have been them looking over me, with their hearts beating? I cried until no more tears would come, and just sat with them.  Then I heard something, a murmur. I looked down and saw that Imogen was still just alive, and was squeezing Alfred’s hand. I realised then that his heart was still beating too; I could hear it as I bent over his chest. But it was way too late for them… I had no other option. I went to the safe-house and grabbed the rifle. Walking back to the house I didn’t stop once to assess the situation. I just went on and acted on whatever thought I had in my mind. When I reached Imogen and Alfred, I kissed them both and told them not to be afraid. I whispered my love to them and then, without another thought, grabbed the rifle and aimed. Bang, Bang.

**Task 10 **

**Tomorrow When the War Began – Essay **

“Loyalty, courage, goodness. I wonder if they are human inventions too, or if they just are.”

__ What does TWTWB suggest that loyalty, goodness and courage are? DISCUSS. __** 550 words **

Tomorrow When the War Began is a novel written by John Marsden. It is about an invasion IN Australia and it explores how the invasion affects a group of people who have not been captured. The teens act as a small army, and transfer from small-town high school kids into guerrilla experts. The group of teenagers lose everything they know. During the hardships their qualities will stand out and the ones they will need now more than ever are loyalty, courage, and goodness. Their old lives are in the past now; completely gone. They are relying on each other in much more dire situations. Loyalty is all they have, courage is all they can give, and goodness is the thing they doubt most in their situation.

The definition of courage is ‘the ability to do something that frightens oneself’. Marsden completely and constantly refers to courage throughout the book. Everything the group did after the invasion was an act of courage, because it wasn’t an act of giving up. The group are thrown into the war, and the only way they came to harm the enemy was just them trying to protect themselves from being killed or captured. From those acts of blowing up the lawnmower, and rescuing Lee, stemmed a bigger realisation that they could do some real damage to the invaders. Courage is the central message that Marsden is trying to put across. The teenagers realise they have no option now, “kill or be killed”.

When the group emerge from Hell, and discover the devastation, they lose everything they have known in the past. They lose the safety of ‘home’, and the comfort of family. They lose their whole normal life, and from that point, there is no going back. All the group have now is each other. When they leave Hell to gather resources or check up on the town situation, they need to know that someone’s got their back. They trust and rely on each other, because if they don’t trust each other they will have nothing. The only thing that keeps the whole group from being captured or killed, is their loyalty to each other. Without loyalty, the group would have failed.

There is good and bad inside each and every one of us, what matters is the part we choose to act on, that is what defines us. However, in different situations, goodness and badness are defined differently. How are we to know where the line between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ is drawn, in all of these different situations? Before the invasion, if Ellie were asked whether she believed murder was okay or not, she would’ve said it’s not okay. Now, when she has murdered so many people to protect herself and her friends, she would say murder is okay depending on the situation. Everything depends on its situation, to define whether it is right or wrong. A solid representation of complete goodness however, in Tomorrow When the War Began, is Robyn. She is the perfect role model for a good person, while getting effort certificates at school and solidly believing in god. “She skims lightly across the ground, where the rest of us trudge across it like it’s made of mud”. Goodness is something that we all possess, but some people show it more than others in different situations.

 Tomorrow When the War Began is about 8 teenagers that are thrown into a war, and learn how to deal with all that comes with that situation. Courage, loyalty, and goodness are really important in their position, because they are pretty much all they have. Marsden wrote this book for young adults to teach them these qualities, and the importance of being grateful for all we have. Through his writing, he conveys a lesson for readers, to always believe in oneself.