Tomorrow, When the War Began: Difference between revisions
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The novel is recommended by the New South Wales [[Board of Studies]] as a text to be studied in English classes during Stage 5 (Years 9 and 10).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_sc/pdf_doc/fiction_film_text_support.pdf|title=Fiction, Film and other Texts: A support document for the English Years 7–10 Syllabus|publisher=Board of Studies|page=25|accessdate=27 May 2010}}</ref> |
The novel is recommended by the New South Wales [[Board of Studies]] as a text to be studied in English classes during Stage 5 (Years 9 and 10).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_sc/pdf_doc/fiction_film_text_support.pdf|title=Fiction, Film and other Texts: A support document for the English Years 7–10 Syllabus|publisher=Board of Studies|page=25|accessdate=27 May 2010}}</ref> |
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In 2000, the Swedish government selected '' |
In 2000, the Swedish government selected ''give me a blow job'' as the book most likely to inspire a love of reading in young people, and financed the printing and distribution of the novel to teenage school students in the country.<ref>{{cite book|last=Birns|first=Margaret Boe |title=Guide to Literary Masters and their Works |year=2007|publisher=Great Nek Publishing |chapter=John Marsden }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/tv/enoughrope/transcripts/s1137536.htm|title=Enough Rope with Andrew Denton - episode 47: John Marsden (21/06/2004)|date=21 June 2004|publisher=ABC|accessdate=28 May 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.judyoz.com/ccp0-display/john-marsden-books-tomorrow-ellie-novels-australian-fiction.html|title=John Marsden Books - Tomorrow When the War Began & more|publisher=The Bookshelf of Oz|accessdate=28 May 2010}}</ref> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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Revision as of 02:22, 27 July 2010
 3rd Edition front cover | |
| Author | John Marsden |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Series | Tomorrow series |
| Genre | Action, Adventure novel |
| Publisher | Pan Macmillan (Australia) |
Publication date | 1993 |
| Publication place | Australia |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 286 |
Tomorrow, When the War Began is a young adult invasion novel written by Australian author John Marsden, detailing a high-intensity invasion and occupation of Australia by a foreign power. The novel is told in first person perspective by the main character, a teenage girl named Ellie Linton, who is part of a small band of teenagers waging a guerrilla war on the enemy garrison in their fictional home town of Wirrawee. The novel is part of a series called the Tomorrow series, a name derived from the title of this book. In June 2009, Screen Australia announced that it would fund the development of the feature film to be produced based on the novel, to be written and directed by screenwriter Stuart Beattie.[1][2][3]
Plot summary
Ellie goes out camping in the bush for a week with her friends Homer Yannos, Lee Takkam, Kevin Holmes, Corrie Mackenzie, Robyn Mathers and Fiona Maxwell. They find a way into a large, vegetated sinkhole in a remote area of bush the locals have dubbed "Hell", and camp there for the week. During this time they see large numbers of planes flying through the night without lights, and though it is mentioned in conversation the following morning, they think little of it.
When they return to their home town of Wirrawee, they find that all the people are missing and their pets and livestock are dead or dying. Fearing the worst, they break into three groups to investigate Wirrawee's situation. They confirm that Australia (or at least, Wirrawee) has been invaded and local citizens are being held captive by a hostile foreign force. Ellie's group is discovered and, in order to escape, use the fuel tank of a ride-on lawnmower to create an improvised explosive. However, on returning to the nearby meeting point, they discover Robyn and Lee missing. Homer and Ellie search for them and they are met by Robyn, and they discover that Lee has been shot in the leg and hiding out in the main street of Wirrawee, the centre of the enemy's activity. Ellie and Homer confer with the others and Ellie decides that they should attempt to rescue Lee, using a large excavator to move and protect him. After a rough truck chase that sees several soldiers run over, Lee is successfully rescued and returned to the safety of Hell.
While hiding out in Hell, a romantic relationship forms between Ellie and Lee. Ellie is initially attracted to Homer, but as they consider each other to be like brother and sister, and Homer falls in love with Fi (feelings that are increasingly reciprocated over the course of the novel), Ellie accepts the fact that she has Lee and Fi has Homer. Kevin and Corrie continue a romantic relationship started a few months before the invasion.
They decide to raid nearby farmhouses, searching for food and other supplies, and then retreat to Hell to establish a base camp for themselves. The group eventually moves toward waging a guerrilla war against the invaders and Ellie, Fi, Lee and Homer steal a petrol tanker, and blow it up under a bridge, destroying the easiest route into Wirrawee (the detour was very slow and complicated). While this is happening Corrie is shot in the back while finding food with Kevin, and Kevin sacrifices his freedom to drive her to an occupied hospital for medical assistance. This leads onto the end of the book which stops there leaving the reader wondering if Corrie will be all right.
Literary significance and reception
Horn Book Magazine said that Tomorrow, When the War Began is "a riveting adventure through which Marsden explores the capacity for evil and the necessity of working together to oppose it."[4] Book Report magazine said that it was "an exciting story of self-discovery and survival."[5]
Between 1993 and 1998, over three million copies of the novel were sold.[6] During this timeframe, Tomorrow, When the War Began was translated into five languages, and was rated as the "4th best loved book" in an Australian survey.[6]
The novel is recommended by the New South Wales Board of Studies as a text to be studied in English classes during Stage 5 (Years 9 and 10).[7]
In 2000, the Swedish government selected give me a blow job as the book most likely to inspire a love of reading in young people, and financed the printing and distribution of the novel to teenage school students in the country.[8][9][10]
References
- ^ "John Marsden book to be made into film". news.ninemsn.com.au. 22 July 2009. Retrieved 28 October 2009.
- ^ "Stuart Beattie looks to 'Tomorrow'". The Hollywood Reporter. 15 June 2009. Retrieved 28 October 2009.
- ^ "Screen Australia announces funding for five features including Wog Boy 2: Kings of Mykonos and Tomorrow When the War Began". Screen Australia. 16 June 2009. Retrieved 28 October 2009.
- ^ Knoth, Maeve Visser (Jul/Aug95). "Tomorrow, When the War Began". Horn Book Magazine. 71 (4): 467. ISSN 0018-5078.
{{cite journal}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Decker, Charlotte (Sep/Oct95). "Reviews: Fiction". Book Report. 14 (2): 39. ISSN 0731-4388.
{{cite journal}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b Dodds, George T. (1998). "The SF Site Featured Review: Tomorrow, When the War Began, The Dead of Night, A Killing Frost". Retrieved 27 May 2010.
- ^ "Fiction, Film and other Texts: A support document for the English Years 7–10 Syllabus" (PDF). Board of Studies. p. 25. Retrieved 27 May 2010.
- ^ Birns, Margaret Boe (2007). "John Marsden". Guide to Literary Masters and their Works. Great Nek Publishing.
- ^ "Enough Rope with Andrew Denton - episode 47: John Marsden (21/06/2004)". ABC. 21 June 2004. Retrieved 28 May 2010.
- ^ "John Marsden Books - Tomorrow When the War Began & more". The Bookshelf of Oz. Retrieved 28 May 2010.