Fiona Maxwell

A character profile of Fiona Maxwell (Fi) from the Tomorrow Series by John Marsden

Fi is a survivor.
While she is totally out of her depth at the start of "Tomorrow, When the War Began", well illustrated by her
packing for the initial trip and she is the one you would expect to be lost first, she actually comes through
the whole war seemingly the least changed. On the way she shows an extraordinary resilience in the face of
the disasters that overrun them. There is only one occasion when she comes totally undone, after being
chased through the night by the soldier at the end of the encounter with Harvey's Heroes. Even then she
manages to hold herself together until her friends have a chance to intervene. She only fails twice more, and
then only partially. First when they are trapped in the paddock with the horses though she recovers within
minutes and saves Ellie's life in their wild ride to freedom, her second minor failure coming after fleeing the
wrecked 4WD in Wirrawee, and on that occasion everyone is a write off except Ellie.

In the mean time her skills develop. She is never good with guns nor comfortable by herself in the bush but
she advances remarkably compared to where she started.

Fi is continually underestimated by and never fully understood by Ellie.

Ellie has known and loved Fi since they were both 5 years old, yet when the pressure is on, she realises that
she does not really know her at all. There is something powerful inside Fiona Maxwell. With her soft
polished voice, her grace, her beauty and tiny body Fi has always seems like an ideal to Ellie, someone Ellie
"... looked up to as the perfect person, When she did something wrong I'd say, 'Fi! Don't do that! You're my
role model" (Tomorrow, Ch 1, p14). Ellie had put Fi on a pedestal and blinded herself to who Fi really was.

Fi is both the most frightened and also the most courageous.

When I was reading the novels the first time, I came away with the impression that Fi was not very brave,
just someone who hung around in the background and let the others do the fighting. One of the constants of
the series is how regularly Fi looks and acts frightened. But reading through the second time I have reversed
my impression. Now I think that Fi, who is routinely terrified, may well be the bravest of them all. Despite
her continual terror she keeps performing, she keep going, she keeps her perspective when others are losing
theirs. She is cursed with a memory she can't control, that throws messages of horror into her mind, but she
is the one who controls her actions, not the horrors she can't push away.

With the start of the war Fi seems to be the weak link in the team's lineup, but as the team discusses what to
do Fi's qualities start to show through. She decides to act, despite her fear, because she can't cope with the
thought of doing nothing. Then at the next decision point, whether to start active resistance, she is obviously
terrified but she again decides to go ahead, because she can't bear to let her friends down. She will, even
then, put her life on the line for them.
Understandably Ellie is not comfortable being teamed with Fi for the attack on the bridge, again from
"Tomorrow, When The War Began" (Ch 20, p250): "I was a bit nervous being paired with Fi. I guess true
courage is when you are really scared but you still do it. I was really scared but Fi was really really scared"
thought that soon changes to admiration as Fi leads the tanker to the bridge "I have always admired so much
about Fi, but now it was her courage I was admiring, instead of her grace and beauty. She looked like a
breeze would blow her over, but there she was, going alone through the deserted streets of a town in a war
zone"

Extract 1: Fi and her pack when they first set out for Hell

"Tomorrow, When the War Began", Ch 2, page 20:

"Fi's pack was in direct line of vision from me, and the more I looked at it the more I began to realise how
swollen it seemed.
'Fi', I said at last, 'just what have you got in that pack?'
She sat up, looking startled. 'What do you mean? Just clothes and stuff. Same as everyone else.'
'What clothes exactly?'
'What Corrie told me. Shirts. Jumpers. Gloves, socks, undies, towel'
'But what else ? That can't be all.'
She started looking a bit embarrassed.
'Pyjamas.'
'Oh Fi.'
'Dressing gown.'
'Dressing gown? Fi!'
'Well, you never know who you'll meet.'
'What else?' 'I'm not telling you anymore. You'll all laugh at me'
'Fi, we've still got to get the food into these packs. And then carry them God knows how far.'
'Oh. Do you think I should take out the pillow then?'.
We formed a committee of six to reorganise Fi's backpack for her. Fi was not a member of the
committee."

Extract 2: Ellie thinks about Fi as they wait to attack the bridge

"Tomorrow, When the War Began" and Ellie thinks about Fi and Homer: Ch 21, p266
"... there was no secret now that there was more to both of them than I'd ever realised. Fi seemed delicate
and timid, and she even claimed herself that she was, but she had a determination I hadn't recognised
before. There was a spirit to her, a fire burning inside her somewhere. One of those Avgas fires maybe, that
burn invisibly"

Extract 3: But Fi continues to surprise Ellie to the end

Despite Ellie's comments about Fi not being a rebel and her incredibly 'proper' upbringing, under the
surface there is a little of the rebel in her. From "Tomorrow, When The War Began" (Ch 20, p258):
" 'That's our target,' I said. I turned and found a rock, picked it up and came back to the window.
'Wait,' Fi said.
'What?'
'Can I do it? I've always wanted to break a window.'
'You should have joined Homer's Greek Roulette gang,' I said, but I handed over the rock. She giggled
and drew back her and and smashed the rock hard into the window, then jumped back as glass showered
over us both.'
Extract 4: Fi commits herself to resistance

"Tomorrow, When The War Began" (Ch 13, p174),

Fi says: "I know what our parents would say. They'd say that the most important thing to them is our safety.
They wouldn't want us dead in exchange for them living. In a way we're what gives their lives meaning. But
we can't be bound by that. We have to do what's right for us. We have to find meaning for our own lives, and
this might be one way that we do it. I'm with Corrie, scared out of my skin, but I'll do it because I can't
imaging the rest of my life if I don't."

Extract 5: And again at the next decision point

"Tomorrow, When The War Began" (Ch 18, p240):

" Then Fi, who was looking white and miserable, said. 'I know logically we should do this and we should
do that. But all I know is that the thought of doing anything makes my nose bleed. All I really want to do is
to go down to the Hermit's hut and hide under his moldy old bed till this is over. I'm really fighting myself to
stop from doing that. I suppose when the time comes I'll probably do whatever I have to do, but the main
reason I'll do it is because I feel the pressure of keeping up with you guys. I don't want to let you down. I'd
feel so ashamed if I couldn't match you in whatever it is we decide to do. I don't think there's any way we
can help our families right now, so not losing face with you all has become my biggest thing. And what
worries me is that I can't guarantee I won't pack up under pressure. The trouble is, I'm so full of fear now,
that anything could happen. I'm scared that I might just stand there and scream.'"

Extract 6: Two Minute Noodles

"Tomorrow, When the War Began", Ch 3, page 33:

" 'What are we having?' she asked.
'Two minute noodles for now. We'll cook some meat later, but I'm too hungry to wait.'
' What are two minute noodles?' Fi asked.
Lee and I looked at each other and grinned.
'It's an awesome feeling,' Lee said, 'to realise you're about to change someone's life forever.'
'Haven't you ever had two-minute noodles?' I asked Fi.
'No. My parents are really into health foods.'
I'd never met anyone who hadn't had two minute noodles before. Sometimes Fi seemed like an exotic
butterfly.'"