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Summary
Themes
and Colors
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
It’s been 30 minutes since Robyn suggested they write everything down, and it’s been 29 minutes since they all decided Ellie should be the one to write it. Ellie is generally considered to be the best writer among the group, so it seemed an easy choice. Chris isn’t a bad writer either, Ellie notes, and he did seem a bit hurt that he wasn’t chosen. Ellie sits down by the creek, a narrow yet deep waterway, and procrastinates. Ellie is procrastinating because she doesn’t want to write their story.
The specifics of Ellie’s story are not initially revealed to the reader, but since the story is significant enough to write down and make a permanent record of, readers can infer that the story is important. The fact that Ellie notices Chris’s disappointment suggests that Ellie is empathetic and kind, which begins to point to her inherent goodness and morality. Ellie’s procrastination implies their story is difficult to tell—if their story was optimistic or happy, she’d perhaps have fewer hesitations to put pen to paper.
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It isn’t that Ellie doesn’t want to tell their story—it’s just that writing it all down won’t be easy. “Feelings” and “emotions” are sure to get in the way, Ellie says. Telling their story is “terribly, terribly important” to them, and it’s the only way to prove that what they’ve done matters. By writing it all down, they will be remembered. If no one knows about the difference they’ve made, then no one will appreciate all the risks Ellie and the others have taken. Ellie considers writing their story with a formal tone, kind of like a history book, but she decides against it. That isn’t who they are.
The fact that Ellie and the others aren’t formal or sophisticated, like a history book, hints at their young age, as does Ellie’s difficulty in processing the “feelings” and “emotions” that complicate their story. “Feelings” and “emotions” connote love, an emotion that can be difficult for young people to navigate. Ellie’s description of the terrible importance of their story and their desire to be remembered for their risks suggests that Ellie’s story isn’t just important—it is a very big deal.
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Their story begins with Ellie and Corrie deciding to go bush camping for a few days. They camp out a lot, usually with Fiona and Robyn, but never with boys. Things are changing, though, and they are all growing up. Ellie says she will ask her dad if they can take her family’s Land Rover, and Corrie suggests they invite Kevin and Homer. Ellie likes the idea but worries that her parents won’t agree. They both decide it’s worth it to at least ask, and they agree to go up Tailor’s Stitch, a mountain range that extends from Mt. Martin to Wombegonoo. It won’t be an easy drive, but the Land Rover will make it, and the views are beautiful.
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Tailor’s Stitch terminates in Hell, a remote bush full of boulders and feral animals. Hell is completely wild and untouched by human hands, and it has several steep cliffs known as Satan’s Steps. According to local legend, Hell was the home of the Hermit, an “ex-murderer” who allegedly killed his wife and infant son. Ellie, however, has a hard time believing there is any truth to the story. If the Hermit really murdered his family, he likely would have been hanged like all the other murderers during that time.
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First, Ellie must convince her parents to let her go camping in Hell with boys. Initially, Ellie’s parents are not so sure it’s a good idea. They recommend inviting a few more girls and going camping near the river instead. Ellie’s mother assures her it will still be “fun,” but since Ellie’s mother’s idea of fun is canning preserves for the local fair, Ellie isn’t convinced. Ellie interrupts her story, explaining that it feels odd to talk this way, especially after so much has happened, but she has promised to be honest.
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Ellie’s parents finally agree to the camping trip in Hell, but they make Ellie promise that she will be the only one driving their Land Rover. Kevin has his provisional driver’s license, but Ellie really is the better driver. Boys will be allowed, too, Ellie’s parents say, but there must be least six people total, and eight is better. Ellie’s parents believe there will be less chances of “an orgy” if there are more of them, but they don’t say this. They say they want more people for “safety” reasons. “I know them too well,” Ellie writes, careful to write “know” and not “knew.”
Ellie’s parents all make her promise that no one will bring any alcohol or cigarettes on the camping trip, and Ellie agrees. Ellie decides to also invite Chris, bringing their number officially to eight. But Chris’s parents are going overseas, and he has to stay home and watch the house. Next, Ellie goes to Homer’s house to invite him. Homer doesn’t so much ask his parents if he can go; he just tells them he is going. Homer’s brother is the only one to protest. Homer will miss the Commemoration Day Show, which means his brother will be stuck grooming the bulls. Homer says his brother is more than capable of handling the bulls and goes to pack.
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Corrie calls and tells Ellie that she has invited Kevin. Kevin would rather go to the Commemoration Day Show, but he agreed to go camping for Corrie. Next, Ellie calls Fiona, but her parents say they want to think about it. Going camping in Hell for nearly a week with boys is a big deal. Ellie hangs up the phone and goes downstairs. He mother is watching a newscast, something about how high defense is on the Government’s agenda, and Ellie is glad to be getting out of town for a while. Next, Ellie calls Lee, and he agrees that camping sounds better than the Show. Corrie was surprised when Ellie said she wanted to invite Lee. He doesn’t really hang out with them, and he is kind of a serious guy.
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Ellie calls Robyn next, who is really excited about camping in Hell, but she worries her parents won’t allow it. “What’s the worst thing that could happen?” Ellie asks Robyn’s father. The next day, Robyn’s parents finally agree to let her go, although Ellie can’t understand what their problem is. Robyn is the most trustworthy person Ellie knows. Robyn is shy and kind of serious, and she’s good at school and is always going to church. Later, Ellie goes shopping in town with her mom, where they run into Fiona and her mom. Ellie’s mom talks Fiona’s mom into letting Fiona go camping, and their number is officially up to seven.
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Fiona is beautiful and elegant, and to Ellie, she is “the perfect person.” Ellie’s mom always says Fiona has “fine features,” and she looks like she has never done a hard day’s work in her life. Fiona’s parents are lawyers, and besides Lee, she is the only one in their group who lives in town. Kevin is an average country boy, and he is also Corrie’s boyfriend. He is a big guy, and his ego is even bigger, but Corrie insists he is sensitive and caring. Ellie isn’t so sure. Lee lives above his parent’s restaurant. Lee’s dad is Thai and his mom is Vietnamese, and they serve Asian food that is pretty good.
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Homer lives near Ellie, and they have grown up together. Homer is a prankster, and a little bit wild, and he is always getting into trouble. For instance, he often breaks windows at school and steals the workmen’s ladder when they climb up to the roof.
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Robyn, Fiona, Lee, Homer, and Kevin are the “Famous Five,” and with Corrie and Ellie, they make the “Secret Seven.” Although, Ellie says, there isn’t much they can relate to anymore in books like those. “We’ve all had to rewrite the scripts of our lives the last few weeks,” Ellie writes. They have learned so much, and they have discovered “what’s important, what matters—what really matters.”
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