Themes in Tomorrow When the War Began

Theme Quote which shows the theme

Self Discovery “I’ve done it! It was a dance of courage. I
felt then, and still feel now, that I was
transformed by those four steps. At that
moment I stopped being an innocent
rural teenager and started becoming
someone else…There wasn’t time to
explore this new and interesting me but I
promised myself I’d do it later.”

“I wanted to spend more time with this

new homer, this interesting and clever
boy whom I’d know but not known for so
many years.”
Courage “That was the first moment at when I started to
realise what courage was.”

“We sat there, in silent agreement, three minds

working on one topic: how to get Lee away
from Barker Street despite his wounded leg.”
Sticking together “Although we’d agreed, so logically to
split up if we were chased, I knew now I
wasn’t going to do that. At that moment
only a bullet could have separated me
from those two people.”

“We’ve got to stick together, that’s all I

know.”
Sacrifice “Bertram Hubert Sexton Christie, believing
their injuries to be fatal and unable to bear
their suffering and knowing also that
medical aid was beyond immediate reach,
killed both deceased with single shots to
the head from a rifle.”
Challenging society’s values “Human Laws, Moral laws, religious
laws, they seem artificial and
basic, almost childlike.”
Keep your friends close, but “We’ve got to stick together, that’s
enemies closer all I know…Humans do such
terrible things to each other…I just
hope we can survive.”
Growing up/ Maturity “He’s changed so much, don’t you
think?”
Survival “Her eyes seemed to fill her face
with shock and horror. ‘We’ll have
to take her into town,’ Homer said.
‘We know the Hospital’s still
functioning: We’ll have to trust
them to look after her. There’s no
other choice.’
He was right. There wasn’t.