In Shute's novel, the characters can not accept that they will ultimately die from radiation sickness. ... At the end of chapter one, Dwight Towers and Moira Davidson share the information that their situation is "like [they are] waiting to be hung" (40), which means the characters are well aware of their fate. ... Upholding his role as a faithful husband and father till the very end, Dwight informs Moira about his loyalty to his family and expresses that his wife, Sharon, "will want to meet [Moira]" (256). ... In On the Beach, there is no need for mankind to brutalize...

• Word Count: 1772
• Approx Pages: 7
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate