Tomorrow, When the War Began Themes

As the title suggests, war is central in John Marsden’s Tomorrow, When the War Began. After a group of Australian teenagers return from a camping trip in the bush to find their small town invaded and taken over by an unknown foreign power, they fear it is the beginning of World War Three. The small group of seven, including Ellie and her best friend, Corrie, find their houses abandoned and their families missing…

Family and friendship are motivating factors for all of the characters in Tomorrow, When the War Began. When Ellie and her friends return from their week-long camping trip in the bush, they are devastated to find their families have been taken captive during some type of invasion. Ellie and her friends must know if their families are safe, and they are willing to do anything in order to find them. As the war unfolds…

While they are certainly lesser themes within Marsden’s novel, writing and storytelling are nevertheless important aspects of Tomorrow, When the War Began. The story is told through Ellie, an Australian teenager nominated by her friends to record their experiences after their country is invaded by an unknown foreign power. Ellie is the best writer among her friends, and they elect her as Australia’s Poet Laureate when they fear their small group of eight…