Tomorrow When the War Began Literary Elements

Young Adult.

Wirrawee, Australia

The novel is told from the point of view of the protagonist of the story, Ellie Linton, an intelligent and inventive teenager from the town of Wirrawee, Australia.

The novel is violent, oppressive, frenetic, and dark.

Ellie Linton is the protagonist of the novel, whereas the invading force is the antagonist of the novel.

The major conflict of the novel is between Ellie Linton and her group of friends who fight against the invading force which is occupying her hometown. Linton and her group of friends engage in a guerilla war to expel the invading force from their hometown, and from their country.

When Ellie and her group successfully complete their mission, collapse the bridge, and get medical attention to Corrie.

The group's near failure to complete their mission foreshadows Corrie eventually getting shot and injured.

The transformative effect the soldiers had on the culture and geography of Ellie's town is understated by Marsden.

The novel is full of rich allusions to the history of Australia and the history of military warfare, as well as allusions to films like Red Dawn, an ANZAC Day march, and to the religion and customs of the Australian and Aboriginal people.

As the group's plan comes to fruition, Marsden utilizes increased imagery of teenagers with wounds.

Ellie and the rest of her teenage friends have seemingly no skills and little more than a high school education, but they are able to rig an improvised explosive device (IED).

Ellie's initial experience with the aliens is paralleled with her friends' experience with the aliens. Marsden does this to reinforce how strange the situation is involving the force that has invaded Australia.

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The landscape of Australia and the girls' town is personified in the novel.