Tomorrow When the War Began
John Marsden is the author of 'Tomorrow When the War Began', the first of the Tomorrow Series which is one of the most popular and successful series of teenage novels. The seven main characters – Ellie, Homer, Lee, Kevin, Fi, Corrie, Robyn and Chris, who joins the book later on, are extremely realistic teenage characters. During the course of the book Marsden has continues to introduce the characters. All of them are carefully described giving the reader a picture of what the characters look like and their realistic emotions. Marsden as been able to construct the characters to have emotions that are appropriate for the situations they are in and what is happening to them.
The first impressions of the characters tend to be the most important as to whether or not the reader will continue to read the book. At the beginning of 'Tomorrow' the characters are just ordinary teenagers. Homer Yannos is the trouble maker that over the years has grown a reputation throughout the school and town. "Homer was wild and outrageous. He didn't care what he did or what anyone thought... Homer always seemed to be in trouble," (Pg 15 – 16). Over the course of the book homer starts to become one of the group leaders, stepping up to take the position of leader always thinking rationally. Homer likes Fi throughout the book. Fi gets round his defences and Ellie is stunned by the realisation that she has let one of her best friends' trick her for years about whom he really is.
Fiona Maxwell (Fi) is unassertive, pampered, with no real knowledge of camping or the bush. She is someone who has never done a day's hard work in her life and even she knows it. While she is totally out of her depth at the start of "Tomorrow", well illustrated by her packing for the initial trip – 'Fi's pack was in direct line of vision from me, and the more I looked at it the more I began to realise how swollen it seemed... She started looking a bit embarrassed... Pyjamas...Oh Fi... Dressing gown,' (Pg 20 –
The first impressions of the characters tend to be the most important as to whether or not the reader will continue to read the book. At the beginning of 'Tomorrow' the characters are just ordinary teenagers. Homer Yannos is the trouble maker that over the years has grown a reputation throughout the school and town. "Homer was wild and outrageous. He didn't care what he did or what anyone thought... Homer always seemed to be in trouble," (Pg 15 – 16). Over the course of the book homer starts to become one of the group leaders, stepping up to take the position of leader always thinking rationally. Homer likes Fi throughout the book. Fi gets round his defences and Ellie is stunned by the realisation that she has let one of her best friends' trick her for years about whom he really is.
Fiona Maxwell (Fi) is unassertive, pampered, with no real knowledge of camping or the bush. She is someone who has never done a day's hard work in her life and even she knows it. While she is totally out of her depth at the start of "Tomorrow", well illustrated by her packing for the initial trip – 'Fi's pack was in direct line of vision from me, and the more I looked at it the more I began to realise how swollen it seemed... She started looking a bit embarrassed... Pyjamas...Oh Fi... Dressing gown,' (Pg 20 –