In Tomorrow, When the War Began, fear is a near-constant presence once the Hell gang returns from their fun little camping trip. With their families missing and life as they know it destroyed, we get an up-close and personal look at fear in various forms: fear of losing loved ones, fear of bodily harm, fear of dying, and more. As we watch Ellie and her pals stare their fears down, though, we also see just how brave this gang of teens is: With so much at risk and so much stacked against them, they have plenty to fear—and yet they forge on ahead anyway.
Questions About Fear
- Is fear only a negative? Be specific and give evidence from the text to support your answer.
- How does Ellie deal with fear? Is it different from how Homer deals with it? What about Fi and Lee? Do you notice any patterns? What does this tell you about fear in general?
- What is Ellie most afraid of? Why? How can you tell?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
Fear plays a big role in this story because it's what motivates the characters to act.
Fear isn't realistically portrayed in this book: Ellie says she is scared, but she never acts like it.