On The Beach Character Analysis
Within the novel On The Beach by Nevil Shute, the author emphasizes the relationship that develops between Dwight Towers and Moira Davidson. Commander Towers was an American Naval Officer who escaped the nuclear war because he was in a submarine at the time of the conflict and landed in Australia. Moira is a carefree girl, born and raised in Australia, who loves to party and works as a prostitute despite her degree in history. Although they seem to have a relationship that is categorized as romantic, there are many aspects of their bond that do not display an amorous affiliation. So if their relationship were not to be defined as such, then what would be their type of bond? Astutely, Smith points out that Dwight seems to be less of an affectionate
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In the beginning of the book, Dwight has a more positive perspective than Moira has. In Chapter 4, while Moira was bitter about dying so early Dwight brought up a couple of interesting upsides to imminent death. He points out that when you die “...you're never ready, because you don't know when it's coming”(Shute 133). He also realizes that everyone has “...got to die one day, some sooner and some later” so he would “... rather have it that way than go on as a sick man from when [he’s] seventy to when [he’s] ninety”(Shute 133) Moira on the other hand is bitter about her fate because she believes it is “...unfair…” and because she has “...to die because other countries nine or ten thousand miles away...wanted to have a war”(Shute 40). As the book progresses, however, Dwight seem to develop a more negative attitude which other may have resulted from Moira’s influence or the dull and depressing findings of his two cruises. On the other hand, Moira seems to develop a more positive attitude and a more optimistic outlook of her life, despite its fast conclusion. This goes to show the different influences that each of them had on each other.
While there were some instances that displayed Moira and Dwight’s relationship as romantic, the many examples already given earlier and in the novel show otherwise. However, amourous or not, the relationship between those two characters had a significant impact on the other. Along with this, each character benefitted from the affiliation because each of them had a companion to confide in for the last part of their
In the beginning of the book, Dwight has a more positive perspective than Moira has. In Chapter 4, while Moira was bitter about dying so early Dwight brought up a couple of interesting upsides to imminent death. He points out that when you die “...you're never ready, because you don't know when it's coming”(Shute 133). He also realizes that everyone has “...got to die one day, some sooner and some later” so he would “... rather have it that way than go on as a sick man from when [he’s] seventy to when [he’s] ninety”(Shute 133) Moira on the other hand is bitter about her fate because she believes it is “...unfair…” and because she has “...to die because other countries nine or ten thousand miles away...wanted to have a war”(Shute 40). As the book progresses, however, Dwight seem to develop a more negative attitude which other may have resulted from Moira’s influence or the dull and depressing findings of his two cruises. On the other hand, Moira seems to develop a more positive attitude and a more optimistic outlook of her life, despite its fast conclusion. This goes to show the different influences that each of them had on each other.
While there were some instances that displayed Moira and Dwight’s relationship as romantic, the many examples already given earlier and in the novel show otherwise. However, amourous or not, the relationship between those two characters had a significant impact on the other. Along with this, each character benefitted from the affiliation because each of them had a companion to confide in for the last part of their