Critical Analysis of "On the Beach"
Critical Analysis of "On the Beach"
Neville Shute’s On the Beach is a dark, apocalyptic tale of what remains of civilization after nuclear war. The story generally centers itself around four major characters and their ability or inability to cope with their impending fate as they wait for deadly radioactive fallout to encompass the southern hemisphere. In this case Melbourne, Australia.
Mary and Peter Homes are a young married couple with distinctly different coping mechanisms. Mary lives in a world of denial and refuses to face the reality that she and her family will be dead by September. Conversely, Peter, an Australian Navy man gives the reader the impression that he accepts his fate as he carries on with his day-to-day tasks while simultaneously preparing his family for the end.
I would like to see Peter’s resolve and his wife’s obsessive tendencies carry over into the film version. Peter’s strength of character provides a good balance to his wife’s neurotic behavior. While Mary painstakingly tends to her garden and plans for her family’s future, Peter tries to be loving and supportive yet he silently harbors a sexist animosity towards his wife caused by her refusal to learn of the cyanide pills.
Moria Davidson and Dwight Towers are also two essential characters in the story. Moria is a young, free spirit who accepts her fate but drowns her sorrows in alcohol. She lives her life in a robust manner as if each day she awakens will be her last. After meeting Dwight Towers, the American submarine captain, she learns to find comfort in his friendship rather than the bottle. Dwight on the other hand is a more complex character. While on the surface he appears to acknowledge his fate, there is an underlying sense of denial. For Dwight believes that he will return to his family in Connecticut knowing first hand that there are no survivors in America.
I would like to see Dwight’s character portrayed on the screen exactly as it was portrayed in the book. His convictions ultimately keep him from betraying either of his loves: the sea and his wife.
In summary, I would hope that the movie is able to capture the mood of the novel. Knowing that death is inevitable and life will have no meaning, adds to the sense of anxiety that...