John Marsden and Tomorrow, When the War Began

Novel Notes

John Marsden

Family● Father: war veteran (WWII) and bank executive● Mother: teacher● Three siblings: a brother (Andrew) and two sisters● Born in Victoria, in 1950

Citizen of...● Lived in Kyneton,

Victoria and Devonport,Tasmania.

● Moved to Sydney at 10 years old

Education● Various primary schools● Private military school: King’s School Parramatta (7 years)

○ Barely survived○ Rebel child

● Sydney University○ Studied Law/Arts○ Dropped out due to personal issues and institutionalized.

Hospitalization● Major turning point● Able to reflect on his own desires and talents

Career● After being hospitalized, he drifted for 10 years.● Became a teacher in 1978 (at 28) at All Saints’ College, Bathurst, New South

Wales.○ Sports Master (athletics director) and taught P.E.

● Head of English at Geelong Grammar School, Highton (2 years)● Head of English at Timbertop campus

Career● January 1998:

○ Bought the Tye Estate: 850 acres of bush property north of Melbourne, in the Hanging Rock area

○ For eight years he ran writing camps

● 2006: ○ Launched his own school on the property: Candlebark, a P-8 co-educational school○ The school has a four-year waiting list.

Writing Career● Avid reader his entire life (what kept him out of trouble)● Interested in writing since a child● As an English teacher, wanted books that were relatable for reluctant readers● Wrote So Much to Tell You in 3 three weeks

○ Published in 1987

● Since then: ○ Written over 40 books○ Given lectures and writing workshops○ won many awards

The Tomorrow Series

Sequel series to:

Tomorrow, When the War Began***I will be abbreviating the title to TWTWB

Amazon.com book description:

World War III becomes an unstoppable reality in the action-packed first installment of the Tomorrow series--an international bestseller in an eye-catching new paperback.

When Ellie and her friends go camping, they have no idea they're leaving their old lives behind forever. Despite a less-than-tragic food shortage and a secret crush or two, everything goes as planned. But a week later, they return home to find their houses empty and their pets starving. Something has gone wrong--horribly wrong. Before long, they realize the country has been invaded, and the entire town has been captured--including their families and all their friends.

Ellie and the other survivors face an impossible decision: They can flee for the mountains or surrender. Or they can fight.

TWTWB--Elements● Characters

○ Ellie--the leader and the narrator○ Homer--Ellie’s best (male) friend; the “bad boy”; crushes on Fiona○ Lee--quiet, reserved boy who only Ellie really knows in the beginning; Ellie’s secret crush○ Kevin--football player, Corrie’s boyfriend○ Corrie--Ellie’s best friend, Kevin’s girl friend○ Robyn--the “good girl”; Ellie’s closest friend other than Corrie○ Fiona--friend, but a townie so no real camping experience○ Chris--stoner guy; quiet and reserved in school○ Other minor characters

TWTWB--Elements● Setting

○ Wirrawee, Australia■ Town is surrounded by flat farmland

○ Cobbler’s Bay■ The harbor close to the town

○ Tailor’s Stitch--the part of the bush they are going to and hide out in○ “Hell”--ravine in the bush; Accessed by Satan’s Steps○ Commemoration Day:

■ a holiday with fair on the Showground (kind of like the county fair, but for an actual holiday)

■ the day the invaders attack

TWTWB--Elements● The invading force is never identified

○ Makes the WWIII aspect more vague, but more believable

○ Assumed it is an Asian country, because Australia is close to them, and Japan has invaded before (WWII)

TWTWB--Elements● There are many themes that can be inferred from the novel.● The topics for these themes can be:

○ love○ leadership○ courage○ friendship○ horrors of war○ teamwork

● Your statement of the theme will be based on whichever topic you interpret as being the most present and your interpretation of the message the author is giving about that topic.

TWTWB--Publishing Information● The series was first published in Australia 1993-1999.● Reprinted 16 times● Published in 5 different languages

TWTWB--Publishing Information● 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).● The American Library Association recognised it as one of the best young adult

novels published in the United States in 1996, then again in 2000 as one of the best 100 books for teenage readers published since 1966.

● In 2000, the Swedish Government arranged for the translation and distribution of it to every child of appropriate age in the country because it was thought the book would be enjoyed by reluctant readers.

TWTWB Awards● Winner, Australian Multicultural Children's Book Award 1994● Selected, American Library Association list of Best Books for Young Adults 1996● Selected, American Library Association list of 100 Best Books for Teens 1966–2000● Selected, American Library Association list of Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults 1998, Nominated 2011● Winner, Fanfare Horn Book Best Book 1996● Winner, Children's Yearly Best-Ever Reads (CYBER) Best Book for Older Readers 2000, 2001, 2002● Selected, Whitcoulls top 100 books, 2008 (No. 63)● Selected, COOL Awards (Canberra's Own Outstanding List) 1995● Winner, KOALA (Kids Own Australian Literature Awards) 1995● Winner, YABBA (Young Australian Best Book Award) 199r● Winner, WAYRBA (West Australian Young Readers' Books Award) 1995● Winner, Bilby Awards (Books I Love Best Yearly) 1998● Nominated, South Carolina Book Award 1998● Winner, New South Wales Talking Book Award● Voted Australia's favorite Australian book in Get Reading's Australia’s Top 100 Favourite Homegrown Reads poll,

2013.

The Ellıe Chronıcles● Sequels to the Tomorrow series● Published 2003-2006● Follows Ellie after the other series ended.

TWTWB Media● 2010 Movie (we will be watching)

○ Available on Netflix○ Rated R, so will be sending out a letter for your parents for approval.

● Will be an Australian television series, covering all seven books.○ http://www.tomorrowwhenthewarbegan.com/

Dialectical Journals● Chapter Groups:

○ 1-5 ○ 6-9 ○ 10-14 ○ 15-19○ 20-Epilogue

● For each chapter, do 4 Dialectical Journal entries○ 1 should be about how the narrator develops (the role of narrator, not Ellie herself)

■ does the narration get more detailed, more reflective, more factual, etc.?○ 1 should be about how the characters develop and change

○ 2 should be quotes that help you understand the novel’s topics/theme or an observation of the novel

● For each chapter group, determine 2 questions for Socratic Seminar

Classwork● We will

○ read articles that pertain to the novel○ do activities that pertain to the novel and writing a narrative○ take quizzes on the chapter groups○ do Socratic Seminar at the end of each chapter group○ do discussion questions for each chapter group

Source Informationhttp://www.johnmarsden.com.au/index.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomorrow_series