Courage in "Tomorrow When the War Began" Essay Sample

Courage is defined as the ability to do something that scares you, or to have strength in times of pain or hardship. John Marsden emphasizes courage throughout the book, Tomorrow When the War Began. Marsden shows courage in all the characters, even the most unlikely.  Without courage, it would have been impossible for the characters to survive for as long as they did. Conviction is also prominent in the main characters, as the stakes are high with their entire town invaded and very few still free. 

As Ellie explains in the book, “I guess true courage is when you're really scared but you still do it” p.25.  Marsden demonstrates here that courage can only be found amidst fear. There are  moments in this book when the characters show great courage in times of fear to survive, such as when Ellie uses a ride-on mower like a bomb to save herself and her friends or having to rescue Lee using a bulldozer, which she has never operated. Their courage and conviction is one of their only weapons against their enemies.

In the real world,  we think of acts such as saving someone from drowning or volunteering to protect your country to be courageous. We think of courageous people as firefighters, soldiers, etc. These people do have courage, but they are equipped with the tools and knowledge to carry out their jobs. Therefore, they might not be as scared as we would in certain situations. But, they’re everyday people that have developed their courage. You can achieve greatness if you have courage. If Susan B. Anthony didn’t have the courage to fuel the Women’s Suffrage movement, what would the world have looked like for women today? We need to look for injustices so we can make a difference. The examples of courage given in the book were rather astounding, but it isn’t everyday that we save someone’s life. We should be courageous everyday whether it’s doing something on our own for the first time or standing up for someone else. 

John Marsden accentuates that being courageous in times of fear can help you conquer great tasks. If Ellie and the other characters didn’t have courage, things would have been quite different. It’s their courage that allows them to survive. They accomplished impeccable things that before seemed impossible. Being courageous can change who you are, and even the world.