Tomorrow, When The War Began | Chapter 15 Questions

1. What do Ellie and Lee find in the Hermit’s hut that the others don’t know about?

The police report detailing the Hermit's apparent crime, including the murder of his wife and child, their names, and how there was no dispute within their marriage. They also find newspaper reports of the deaths of the pair that don't mention the murderer in question, photos of the couple, and birth certificates of all three of them. There are also postcards, medals awarded for work in the army, letters and notebooks as well.

2. According to the coroner’s report, what are the two possible ways the Hermit’s family died?

The first is to do with how the severe bush fires raged within the area of their living, during which the pair were caught in the blaze and were burning alive, painfully and slowly presumably. In a way to save them from suffering, the husband in question shot them in the head to end their suffering. This was because of the lack of medical aid nearby, and if they were on their way, it would have been too late for the pair anyway. This was what the Hermit claimed in his trial.

The second possibility that he was supposedly charged with was that he shot them before the burning. Killing them and using the fire to cover his tracks and hide their bodies. This prevented medical science from determining which came first, and without other evidence, they were not able to determine anything

3. Which do you believe? Why?

I believe the first. I want to have faith in him for once. But I have no other reason besides that though. The lack of evidence doesn't help, but the fact he supposedly kept so many mementos of them most likely leads to him wishing they were alive. Most murderers don't keep mementos of their victims.