43 pages • 1 hour read
Nevil ShuteOn the Beach
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1957A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Summary
Background
Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Character Analysis
Themes
Symbols & Motifs
Important Quotes
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BetaSymbols & Motifs
Time and Memory
Throughout the story, time is portrayed as an unstoppable force, much like the approaching radiation cloud that will inevitably end humanity. The radiation cloud serves as a constant reminder to the characters of how little time they have left. Their frequent references to time running out—as seen in the popular refrain “not so long to go” (6)—emphasize the characters’ struggle both to make the most of their remaining time and to accept their imminent deaths. As the characters confront their mortality, they must also confront existential questions about the meaning of life, which dictates how they choose to spend their time. Some characters, like Moira, see life as essentially meaningless, and choose to spend their time partying. Others, like Mary, continue to believe that life is meaningful, but this requires a deliberate denial of reality. The novel addresses the motif of deep time when John reminds everyone that the earth isn’t ending, but it is only the end of humanity’s era. As a scientist, he marks time on a grander scale, conscious of humanity’s small blip in the world’s timeline.
As September approaches, the characters use memory to manipulate time by traveling back into the past when life was happier and more manageable. However, as the characters reflect on their pasts and reminisce about a world that no longer exists, their memories become a source of pain as well as comfort. The memories of their loved ones, their homes, and their past lives serve as a reminder of all that has been lost to the ravages of war, highlighting the irreversible nature of their situation and their powerlessness to stop the ticking clock. Moira enjoys a pleasant childhood memory: “She stood in silence for a moment, thinking of the sunny little house by the golf links, the warm sands, the cool air rushing past as she flew behind the motorboat in a flurry of warm spray” (118). Time momentarily stands still as the memory transports her to a happier time, yet it simultaneously reminds her that her brother is dead and her and her parents’ time is fleeting. Conversely, Dwight’s memories suspend him in time, sustaining him but also keeping him from fully engaging in the present. In the end, Moira wishes she’d just had more time but remains hopeful that their time on Earth is just a bridge to another realm, where time is no longer their enemy.
Transportation
As the novel begins, Peter Holmes looks longingly at his car, nostalgic for the days he could drive to work. The characters’ dependence on outdated modes of transportation is the first clue that the novel is set in a world that has been irrevocably changed. The Southern Hemisphere depended on the Northern Hemisphere for oil to produce fuel. Thus, when nuclear warfare kills everyone in the North, people in the South must find other ways to move about. The fuel shortage symbolizes the fragility and interconnectedness of the global economy, which in turn underscores the far-reaching effects of nuclear war.
More broadly, transportation symbolizes the irony of ambition. Cars, trains, submarines, and warships represent the pinnacle of human achievement and technological advancement. However, after nuclear war annihilates the Northern Hemisphere, these symbols of progress become reminders of the destructive power of human ambition, as they lie abandoned and useless. The breakdown of transportation systems conveys the tenuous relationship humans have with technology: When technological infrastructure collapses, the structures that define human civilization follow.
While people must use antiquated forms of transportation to travel to and from work, the military uses a nuclear-powered submarine to swiftly travel up Australia’s coastline and into the Northern Hemisphere. The submarine symbolizes Australia’s last hope for survival as they use it to explore what remains of the North and investigate the mysterious radio signal in Seattle. Cut off from the rest of the world, the people of Melbourne don’t truly understand what they are facing. Ultimately, the submarine becomes the bearer of the truth that their fate is sealed and the radiation is unstoppable. The submarine, a symbol of military might and technology, cannot stop the invisible invasion.
Despite its connotations of despair and futility, transportation also serves as a vehicle for freedom for the characters. In the final days, cars become ubiquitous again on Melbourne’s roads, highlighting people’s desire to experience the freedom of travel again before dying. John in particular sees transportation as a means of self-discovery and confronting mortality. Racing his Ferrari brings him contentment and joy, and winning the Grand Prix race is a fleeting moment of glory. However, the race itself comes to resemble a battlefield, littered with the bodies of drivers who’ve chosen to die by suicide rather than wait for radiation poisoning to kill them. Once he falls ill, John chooses his car as his casket, as does Moira after she uses it to chase one last glimpse of Dwight.
Alcohol
Throughout the novel, alcohol is used as a form of escapism and denial by characters who are struggling to come to terms with their inevitable deaths. For Sir Douglas, alcohol symbolizes the desire to exert control in the face of chaos and uncertainty. He chooses to spend his time depleting the Pastoral Club’s alcohol reserves, which allows him to avoid the inevitability of his fate. Paradoxically, Sir Douglas’s overindulgence might delay his succumbing to the radiation, as John explains: “Alcohol, taken internally, seems to increase the tolerance of radioactivity” (216). However, it will not save him.
For Moira, alcohol symbolizes self-destructive behavior and despair. Overwhelmed with the pointlessness of her remaining days, Moira turns to alcohol as a means of self-medication and escapism. Using alcohol gives her a sense of agency and control, yet being under the influence causes her to lose control of her emotions. When she becomes intoxicated at Peter and Mary’s party, Moira breaks down in front of Dwight. When Dwight later notices how many people are passed out drunk in the streets, alcohol becomes a symbol of civilization’s decay and the breakdown of social norms, exposing the fragility of civilization and the destructive power of war.
Alcohol becomes an important part of bonding as the characters frequently come together to drink and socialize. Moira and Dwight form their connection over drinks, though she begins to drink less when she’s with him. Dwight’s refusal to drink alcohol on the submarine represents his commitment to following the rules despite the dire situation. Later, Moira’s sobriety represents the change she undergoes in forming an attachment to Dwight. She no longer feels the need to numb her pain, as her relationship has become her comfort. However, in the end, when Dwight denies her request to join him in sinking with the Scorpion, Moira returns to alcohol as a refuge from her sense of helplessness and a sign of her surrendering to her fate.a
