TWTWB Revision

Tomorrow, When the War Began-Revision

The title of the Novel ‘Tomorrow, When the War Began’, suggests both the future and the past. Why do you think the author chose this title.                                                     

 -The author chose this title cause for me after reading the book, the title really suits with the plot of the story and this title kinda makes a mysterious effect that urges readers to read it. The author chose this title to create curiosity in his reader's mind, persuade them to enter the book and feed them information to ease their curiosity.

Homer and Lee reacted in different ways to Ellie’s camping trip invitation. Why? Consider the personality and the background of both boys and explain your ideas in your answer.

-Homer did react immediately after Ellie’s proposal for the camping trip invitation, he even asked his parent’s permission after the invitation. Since these two had their bond together which they already treat brothers and sisters each other it was so easy for Ellie to convince Homer and also based on my perception to Homer’s personality, he always wants to have fun and try new things. Meanwhile, Lee was kind of second thinking to Ellie’s invitation. We know Lee’s character as distant and silent this way shows that it was a shock for Ellie that Lee was convinced to go. If you’ll read the book , Lee’s reaction doesn’t even have a sense of excitement in his tone which is more understandable due to his isolated personality,

Ellie felt uneasy before she left Hell, and she had begun to make some connections. Why was she afraid to ask questions?

-It is because she’s afraid to crack the ball that the fact that she is the one who encourages everyone to be in this trip so she needs to lead them. She is afraid that she might make a nonsense idea and might ruin the exciting trip.

The role of leader immediately fell to Ellie’s shoulders when the group realised the calamity of the situation. Why was that a natural reaction? What about Ellie’s character inspired her friends to trust her as a leader?

-Like what I’ve said before, she formed this trip so she is responsible for all of them. But also based on Ellie’s personality, she is brave enough to lead the group.

Millie and Flip were the two main pets written about in the novel. If you were in Ellie’s of Kevin’s situation, would you choose to endanger the group in an effort to keep your pet with you?

-No. I know the importance of my pet and my friends but sacrificing the important people in my life is much worse than keeping my friends while I’ve lost my pet. Besides, my pet might survive the war because as far as I know, they have their own sense of survival when it comes to this situation.

Think about Homer. He was ‘wild, outrageous. He didn't care what he did or what anyone thought’; yet Homer turns out to make good decisions. Why did this transformation occur?

-He’s maturing. We don’t know what is in Homer’s head so maybe he’s already realizing the bad things he did. Or maybe he is really like this but people just can’t see this side of him cause they are paying attention to what his bad side where is.

Robyn’s character is deeply religious. Why do you think the author added her character to the story? What sort of balance (or imbalance) does she bring?

-There will always be a good one in a circle group of friends. The author added her to balance the characters in the story. It seems to be more realistic that there is someone religious in the group. Especially that Robyn created a big part in the story as she became one of the leaders of the group. And her thinking is so useful when it comes to the decision making of the group.

When Ellie found Chris asleep during his sentry duty, she was ultimately shocked at the violence of her reaction. Was her reaction justifies? Explain your opinion?

-If I’m on her shoes. I would act the same as hers. The friends has already come far from what’ve they experience from this kind of unrealistic time of their life where war began and they fought for their lives. Chris falling asleep in this situation is so unacceptable, that all of their fights might come to nothing with his irresponsible action. And Ellie as the person who was one saw all the hardships they came through, has the rights to shout on him. 

Kevin is depicted as a coward at the beginning of the book. Do you think he redeems himself at the end? Explain your opinion

-Of course, yes. It was a coward of him in the start, the book admitted it. But he took all of that when he decided to fight for his love of Corrie. Not everyone will do that, risking their lives for their loved ones. And also in their age, they are still teenagers but what he did is amazing. Maybe he’s a coward from the start because he wants to play safe.

The group of teenagers broke many laws throughout the novel. Describe five actions they committed that broke a law. Do you think their actions were justified?

-Breaking into people’s house, driving cars without a license, taking cars not their own, killing people, and stealing things. Yes.these are all justified. Like what Homer said, it is already a war why think to all the rules?. Would you care for the rules even though you are in the middle of death? 

The novel was very much about the invasion of Australia, yet the relationships between the friends are documented quite often by Ellie. Why do you think that is?

-Because friendship is what saved them from all the trials they experienced in the war. Because of their friendship they made it possible to save each other, friendship made them build confidence and courage to fight for their freedom, friendship made them strong.

Many invaders died in the novel, with no casualties in Ellie’s group. Do you think that it is fairer if the enemy dies? Or does it become fair when both ‘good’ and ‘bad’ sides die?

-If this is war, why would they even care for that?. Yes, it is not fair to kill someone and to see people die but isn’t obvious that this is war? Death, chaos, fights are expected so nothing is fair cause life and death is something that isn’t measured by quantity but the importance of it.

The novel reminds us that even in times of chaos and trauma, the human spirit will always triumph. Do you agree? Explain your opinion.

-Yes. With the human spirit, they manage to overcome all the chaos and trauma. The human spirit is a big deal that means so much in it. Without the human spirit, independence and freedom won’t be achieved.

Do you think that it is friendship and family, and not revenge that provides the motives for the characters’ action in the novel? Explain your opinion.

-No. If we’re going to look up all the actions of the characters in the story, you could sense the anger and revenge to it. Hence, it was all combination of friendship, family, and revenge. It is just they have no enough power to take revenge on them or what we not expect is that they might take revenge in the next book of the story. After all, they admit it to themselves when they are talking about the war especially Kevin.

There are four female and four male main characters in the story. Why do you think this is? Would the story be different if the ratio was changed?

-Because in the first part of the story, you will read that Corrie and Ellie are not allowed to have boys on their trip but in the end, they managed to convince their parents to have boys in their trip. This is the ratio of the group to balance the people. It creates more sense since almost everyone in a couple except for Robyn and Chris. Yes, it would be different if the ratio has changed.

Tomorrow, When the War Began, shows us that war always brings out the worst in people. Do you agree? Use three examples from the text to support your opinion.                              -Yes. 

• Ellie killing people.
• Them bombing the bridge.
• Kevin’s cowardness.

All of the rules they broke for the sake of fighting in the war.

Which character in the novel is the most ‘useless’ in your opinion, why? What could be changed about this character in order to make them more useful?

-It’s obviously Chris. He had the most comfortable condition among all of the characters in the story. I found it so dumb for him to stay only in his house not finding for solutions to look for someone who can help him or he can help. He is so irresponsible to give not care to what duty is given to him. It would be more useful of him if he tried to get out of his comfort zone and tried to help somebody from his town or he can even get out of his house and observe the sentries and them make up a plan to make himself safe,

What would you say was the overall message of the novel? What parting wisdom did John Marsden intend you to uncover in his story?

-Life is full of surprises is the overall message of the novel. Nothing.

Whose voice is not heard in this story? Why do you think the author has not included their thoughts and opinions.

-The Invaders. I think it will be clearer if he inserted the invader's point of view. John didn’t include theirs because it will ruin the flow of the story, especially that the story is centered to the teenagers’ experience and story.

Create an argument and justification from the point of view of the invaders as to why the invasion was necessary and beneficial.

-Invaders’ POV

           It was a long and disastrous war isn’t? Well, what would you expect? It’s a war after all. We are not actually wanting this to happen but since we are suffering from all of our country’s problem we needed to do this. We all know that it is not fair for your side but we have no choice. Yet it is also unfair that your country is rich so we made a way to share with your blessings. We are not blessed with those kind of natures you have so we need to divided it. We can also build forces for the other invaders that will try to invade you, well, you don’t have any choice but to joined forces with us since you don’t have enough equipment so be thankful to us. We hope you see the different side of this war. Sorry not sorry.