Courage In Tomorrow When The War Began

In John Marsden’s Tomorrow When the War Began, the quote from David Seabury “Courage and convictions are powerful weapons against an enemy that depends upon only fists and guns”, is evident throughout the novel with the character’s various successes. Conviction (willpower) is very strong in the main characters, as the stakes are high with their entire town invaded leaving very few free. This conviction is also essential for courage, which as Ellie explains in the book, can only be found amidst fear. “I guess true courage is when you're really scared but you still do it” p.25. There are various frightening moments in this book, like when the ride on mower was used like a bomb or having to rescue Lee using heavy machinery. These are all moments the characters used their will to survive to propel them to do something that they were terrified to do. The characters also face daunting themes head on despite the previous stress. This is courage, found within conviction, and it has proved to be a good weapon against those with physical weapons.

Rescuing Lee using construction vehicles is a great example of this. The protagonists took a brave leap by using a machine they had never handled in a way that is

guaranteed to involve immediate confrontation with the invaders. They had no weapons and no prior knowledge. The conviction to save their friend was evident through their thought processes and actions, as they took care to make sure Lee was in the safest part of the machine while they risked their own lives to drive him to safety. “‘At that moment came the happiest sign I’d ever seen. A thin hand appeared out of a shovel.” P. 145. This quote shows the obvious care for Lee, even though at that moment Ellie was bleeding from a head wound. This conviction and courage led to success, in this way it has proved that courage and conviction wins over weapons.

Another example of courage and conviction triumphing over fists and guns is when the ride on mower is used as a bomb. When Ellie led Kevin and Corrie to a dead end while being chased by the soldiers, it seemed they had no way out. They had to be determined and use their wit to survive. Summing up more courage than they could muster, they were able to see through the fog of fear and make an intelligent bomb that saved their lives. “My mind was falling apart, all I could think of was my arrogance in taking the lead, in being so sure I knew my way, might cost us our lives” p.86. This quote shows the pure fear Ellie was feeling during this. However, despite the obvious disadvantage of them not having weapons, they made the bomb and got away, using the courage to find the tools needed, the conviction to get away with their lives. In this way, the ride on mower bomb is a clear example of courage and conviction that is more effective than weapons.

One more important example of when courage and conviction is effective against the enemy, is the willingness to mature shown through characters.

Tomorrow When The War Began explores some heavy themes; good vs evil, death, conflict, war. In such a stressful and sudden situation, it would be easy to try and ignore these extra topics. It is courageous for the characters to take in and think about these things head on. Through all the pressure and constant fear, the characters persevere and continue their journey with a need to survive. They think about the horrors around them and learn. That is true courage. To stop resenting things and be honest with yourself. It gives them the strength they need to fight back against the invaders and gain their own little victory over

them.
At the beginning of the book, the naïve nature of the characters is shown through how they often ignore serious topics, as shown in this quote. “I stopped and watched for a moment ‘we’ve got a wimp for a foreign minister…He’s weak, he’s gutless’… thank goodness I’m getting away from this for a week, I thought.” p.9-10. Towards the end of the book, you can see how they begin to take on mature and daunting subjects. “but once he he’s fired those two shots it seemed that he and the people around him had sent him to hell…He carried hell with him, as we all did, like a little load on our back that we hardly noticed most of the time”p.216. This is how courage and conviction is a powerful weapon against those who rely on fists and guns.

And so, by saving their friend using nothing more than a construction vehicle, by using their surroundings to make a bomb, by accepting heavy issues and allowing themselves to grow form these issues, the characters and themes in Tomorrow When The War Began prove that “Courage and convictions are powerful weapons against an enemy that depends upon only fists and guns”.