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Chapter 11
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Tomorrow, When the War Began, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
War, Law, and Morality
Family, Friendship, and Love
Coming of Age, Transformation, and the Loss of Innocence
Writing and Storytelling
Summary
Analysis
They finally get back to Ellie’s and find that looters have stripped the place. Corrie, Kevin, and Fiona have been there, too, and they obviously gathered the things on the list. They left a note on the refrigerator that reads: “Gone where the bad people go. See you there!” Ellie laughs and erases the message. Homer and Robyn are looking at Lee’s wound, and he assures them it is much better than yesterday. They have a whole day before they can go into Hell, according to their plan, so they decide to get some sleep. Chris isn’t tired—he’s been sleeping a lot the last few days—so he agrees to keep watch.
The message that says they have “gone where the bad people go,” meaning Hell, is clearly meant to be a joke, but it also suggests that Ellie and the others are bad, too, and this mirrors Ellie’s obvious moral dilemma. She has twice been forced to kill to keep herself and her friends alive, and Ellie worries that such actions mean she is “bad,” just as the message jokingly says. When Ellie erases the message she again shows her maturity and sound thinking, as she takes no chances that their hiding spot will be found by the soldiers.
Themes
Ellie sleeps, but she doesn’t dream about soldiers and bullets—although, she interjects, she certainly dreams of all that stuff now. Ellie dreams of her dad at the barbeque, and Corrie stopping to play at eight years old. She dreams of Lee, and when she opens her eyes, it is midday and very hot. Ellie turns and notices Lee watching her. She becomes self-conscious and begins to babble. Lee says they have no idea how widespread the war is. They could literally be in the middle of World War III. He puts his arm around Ellie, and she tells him that she dreamed of him. He asks what they were doing in the dream, and Ellie says pretty much what they are doing now. Lee says he is glad Ellie’s dream came true, and she agrees.
Ellie again interrupts her story and draws attention to the fact that she is essentially writing it in real-time. Ellie is looking back on her experiences, and since she admits that she now dreams of soldiers and bullets, the war has obviously changed her life in a very profound way. Her dreams here reflect the deep love Ellie obviously has for her father, and the fear and pain she feels in potentially losing him forever. Notably, Ellie also dreams about Corrie (her lifelong best friend) and Lee (her crush), which implies both Lee and Corrie are like family to Ellie.
Themes
Ellie decides she better check on Chris and gets up to leave. When she finds Chris, he is sleeping, and Ellie is instantly furious. She hauls off and kicks him, which surprises even Ellie. He could have gotten them all killed, Ellie screams. Then, Ellie goes into sort of late shock. She can’t remember anything from the course of the afternoon, and when it is time to leave for Hell, Homer refuses to let her drive. Ellie protests, reminding them what her dad said, but she eventually gives up and goes to the back of the Land Rover to sleep.
Ellie appears to be having a sort of mental breakdown here. Chris’s irresponsibility in falling asleep reflects his immaturity, but it also reminds Ellie of how close they are to dying or being captured by the soldiers. One mistake is all it will take to end their efforts, and Ellie collapses under the mental weight of such a reality, which she is ill-equipped to handle at 15 years old.
Themes
When they get to Hell, Ellie somehow manages to hike and climbs in a tent next to Corrie, who is elated to see her. Ellie sleeps for three whole days, waking only to eat and go to the bathroom. She dreams of demons and bullets and of killing everyone, and when she wakes, it is a beautiful day. Robyn makes her something to eat, and after breakfast, Ellie feels like she might be able deal with things again.
Ellie’s dreams are more like nightmares, and they reflect Ellie’s current fears and her obvious moral dilemma. Ellie is clearly worried she is also going to Hell in a religious and moral sense as punishment for murdering the soldiers, and her dreams of demons and murder reflect this.
Themes
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