Corrie Mackenzie
Character profile for Corrie Mackenzie from the Tomorrow series by John Marsden
So who is Corrie Mackenzie ?
Corrie is Ellie's very best friend, her mate, whom she had done everything with since she was a toddler and who she plans on doing everything with when they leave school. Corrie is a plump faced redhead girl, very close to Ellie's age, who used to severely lacked in confidence.
Extract 1. She had matured since Kevin had become her boyfriend.
"... but I still thought he was the best thing that had ever happened in Corrie's life because before she started going round with him she was too quiet and unnoticed. They used to talk a lot at school, and then she'd tell me what a sensitive caring guy he was. Although I couldn't always see that myself, I could see the way she was starting to get much more confident from going with him, and I liked that." Ch 1, p14.
Extract 2. Ellie turns to Corrie for support.
"I wished Corrie was there, so I could go and talk to her about". Ch 14, p183.
Extract 3. Corrie's determination also should not be under-estimated.
"Finally Corrie said, 'There might be a chance if we wriggle through here. We might be able to get around the side somewhere.'
The gap she'd picked was so narrow we had to take our packs off to get through it, but I was game, so I took Corrie's pack while she wrestled her way into a prickly overgrown hole. Her head disappeared, then her back, then her legs. I heard Kevin say, 'This is crazy', then Corrie said, 'OK, now my pack', so I pushed that through after her. Then, leaving Robyn to look after my pack, I followed." Ch 2, p26.
Extract 4. Able to get her own way
"Mmm. My dad's not bad. I've been educating him". I smiled. A lot of people underestimated Corrie. She just quietly worked away on people till she got what she wanted." Ch 5, p46.
Extract 5. Not a wimp
"Corrie was intelligently at the fire and using it for protection;...
'Where is it?' I yelled.
'It went that was,' said Corrie, pointing into the bush. 'It chased me, but when I got here I jumped over the fire and it veered away.'
For someone who'd just been chased by a frenzied snake she seemed the calmest of us all." Ch 4, p37.
Extract 5. She is greatly affected by what has happened.
"The image I'll always remember from Corrie's place is of Corrie standing alone in the middle of the sitting room, tears streaming down her face. Then Kevin came in from checking the bedrooms, saw her, and moving quickly to her took her in his arms and held her close. They just stood there for quite a few minutes. I liked Kevin a lot for that" Ch 7, p71.
Extract 6. Concerned for her family
"'I wonder where they all are now,' Corrie said. 'I hope they are at the showground. I hope they're OK. It's all I can think about. I keep remembering all the stories we read in History about World War Two and Kampuchea and stuff like that, and my brain just overloads on terror. And then I think about the way those soldiers were shooting at us, and the way they screamed when the mower blew up'" Ch 9, p106.
Extract 7. Suffers personally
"Corrie gave a cry that I'll never forget, like a wounded bird. One rocket hit the house ...
Corrie was on the floor, hiccupping, and thrashing around like a fish on a line. Her pupils had rolled back so far into her head that you couldn't see them anymore. Nothing could calm her. We became frightened. Homer ran and got a bucket of water. We splashed some on her face. It seemed to calm her a bit. I picked up the whole bucket and tipped the water over her head. She stopped hiccupping and just sobbed, her head on her knees, her hands clasped around her ankles, water dripping off her, but it was hours before she calmed enough to even look at us. We just had to stay there and wait, hoping the planes would not come back, hoping they would not send soldiers in trucks. Corrie would not move and we could not move until she did." Ch 9, p119/120.
Extract 8. She is driven by concern for her family
“'It's our own families,' said Corrie. 'That's what everyone's worried about, isn't it ? I guess I'd fight for my country but I'm going mad wondering what's happened to my family'" Ch 13, p172.
Extract 9. She makes her choice
"'I won't pretend the thought doesn't scare the skin off me,' Corrie said softly. 'But it's what we have to do. We'll never sleep again at night if we don't.'" Ch 13, p174.
And she pays the price for her decision, within the week she is shot through the back and unconscious.