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
Ellie plans to leave for Hell by 8:00 a.m., and by 10:30 a.m., the Land Rover is packed and the group is making their way up Tailor’s Stitch. The road is full of mud slides and small water crossings, and by 2:30 p.m., the group is at the top of the mountain. They can see Cobbler’s Bay off to one side, which, except for an occasional fishing boat, is usually empty. Ellie’s dad says Cobbler’s Bay is the best natural harbor in the world, but since it’s so remote, it’s barely used. Today, a pair of large ships float in the distance, and one looks like it may be a commercial fishing boat. On the other side of the sharp mountain of Tailor’s Stitch is Hell. The group stands staring, intimidated by the difficult terrain.
Ellie and the others get a late start and leave two and a half hours after they initially planned, which makes them appear disorganized and also points to their young age and inexperience. It takes Ellie and the others four hours to drive partway to Hell, a remoteness that lends to the ominous nature of the bush, and the intimidation Ellie and the others feel as they look down on Hell further imbues the area with type of fear and foreboding. It is highly unusual for there to be any ships in the remote Cobbler’s Bay, which suggests something out of the ordinary is happening.
Themes
Ellie tells the group about the Hermit, a supposed “ex-murderer,” and Robyn asks how anyone can be an “ex-murderer.” Either you’re a murderer, she says, or you’re not. They unload the Land Rover and marvel at the size of Fiona’s bag. Ellie asks Fiona what is in her bag, and Fiona says “clothes and stuff.” Ellie asks her to be more specific, and Fiona ticks off a laundry list of items, including jumpers and a dressing gown. Ellie organizes a committee of six to repack Fiona’s bag—excluding Fiona—and explains they must also get food into their packs. And it is a long walk into Hell.
This is the second time Ellie refers to the Hermit as an “ex-murderer.” This time, Robyn comments on how strange this term is, which suggests the Hermit really isn’t a murderer at all. The contents of Fiona’s bag again suggests that she is pampered and a bit naive. There is no way she will need jumpers and dressing gowns in the bush, but she packs them anyway—instead of food. At this point, Fiona isn’t responsible enough to pack her own bag.
Themes
They plan on camping for five days, but Ellie says they can probably come back to the Land Rover if they need to get more supplies. They set out with their packs at 5:00 p.m., and they each carry three water bottles. They are hoping to find a water source in Hell. Ellie walks along with Lee, talking about horror movies, of which Lee is an expert. This detail surprises Ellie—she always associates Lee with the piano and violin, which seem at odds with horror movies. They climb down Satan’s Steps, where they find a beautiful stream and, to everyone’s surprise, a bridge.
Ellie’s surprise that Lee—whose association with classical music makes him appear uptight—is interested in horror movies again suggests there is more to people than what actually meets the eye. Marsden frequently draws attention to this lesson, which Ellie and the others learn as they grow and mature over the course of the novel.
Themes
