You might think Tomorrow, When the War Began is about nature and war, not knowledge and wisdom, but in order to successfully stay alive and push back against the invading army, Ellie and her pals in Hell have to keep their mental gears churning, whether they realize it or not. The ability to gauge situations, make decisions, and identify resourceful solutions to unusual problems is key to their success—plus, learning more about what's happening in town (a.k.a. acquiring knowledge) is an essential part of their survival strategy. For these teens, staying alive is like one endless, ridiculous high-stakes pop quiz.
Questions About Wisdom and Knowledge
- Which character's knowledge set is the most useful? Why? What do they know that the others don't and why is this knowledge so important?
- Which character is the wisest? Why? Remember to give evidence from the text.
- What role does knowledge play in the teens' survival strategy? Which characters contribute to this knowledge and which don't?
Chew on This
Homer might not be much of a student, but he knows everything the group needs in order to survive. In this book, practical knowledge is much more valuable than book smarts.
Wisdom primarily manifests itself in this book through Ellie's observations about humans and nature.