Experiences of War (W/ Related Tests)

War can have many impacts on individuals who have experienced it, both physical and psychological, which will have lifelong consequences and short-term effects. John Marsden's popular teenage novel "Tomorrow When the War Began" (1993) conveys the experiences of a group of teenage campers who are forced into the situation of war, and the impact it has on them. The instant effects of war on each individual show us how war can suddenly affect the 'average' person, and how the reality of war can change aspects on the world and life itself. A related text, which also focuses on the reality of war and experiences in a warlike situation, is The Herd's, an Australian hip-hop band, cover of "I Was Only 19" (2005).The Herd uses lyric and visual techniques in the video clip of "I Was Only 19" to convey the experiences of war. Both texts focus on and are able to convey the impact of war on individuals and the changes they must face in order to survive, morality and world view, and the long-lasting effects of war- physical and psychological. Both composers successfully communicate the harsh reality of war and the courage and mateship which is necessary to survive war.
The novel "Tomorrow When the War Began" successfully conveys the idea that the average person can be thrust into a warlike situation, and the reality of the war will had a large impact on their life which will force changes to take place. Ellie and her friends are an example of a group of teenagers, who consider themselves to be 'average' and 'innocent', but when they are faced with the unnamed enemy, they are forced to make many changes to how they once lived, including making decisions that would possibly put their lives at risk. Taking hostage in "Hell" while on a camping trip, the group is not threatened by an enemy, and their lives do not seem at risk. Arriving back at Ellie's home to find the "dogs were dead", the realisation of war strikes the group as a whole with the suddenness of living in safety, to