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.
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BetaChapters 7-9Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 7 Summary
The Naval Department offers Peter a position to stay on as Dwight’s liaison officer. Peter agrees, but only if he can stay on land and close to home. Moira calls Dwight to congratulate him on his promotion and invite him to visit the farm while he’s on leave. He declines at first, claiming that he has too much work to do to prepare the Scorpion for dry docking, but sensing his exhaustion, Moira insists, telling him to let Peter handle it. When Moira sees Dwight, he is depressed and ill. They travel by train to the farm, where Dwight immediately goes to bed. Moira worries that he might have radiation poisoning, but the doctor diagnoses him with flu. The doctor must return to town to assist in removing a growth but promises to return. Dwight later tells Moira he thinks the doctor is foolish for thinking that the operation will give the woman “some years of useful life ahead of her” (189), but Moira counters that her father plans to build a dam that should be completed by Christmas. Moira gives Dwight a Pogo stick painted with Helen’s name, and the gift so overjoys him that he keeps it near his bed while he rests.
John drives his Ferrari to Moira’s farm to finalize the Scorpion’s reports with Dwight. As Dwight reviews the report, he wishes they’d left the radio operational in case Swain survived and needed to make contact, but John says there’s no way he survived longer than a few days. John plans to spend his remaining time racing the Ferrari and claims he doesn’t mind if he dies in a race. Dwight wants to take a few days off to go trout fishing in the mountains, but the season doesn’t begin until September. John says it hardly matters now and urges him to go two weeks early, but Dwight wants to follow the rules. John says there’s no indication that the radiation is slowing and may arrive sooner than September.
On behalf of Dwight, Moira petitions the prime minster to pressure the State Fisheries and Game Department to open the trout season two weeks early. At the Pastoral Club, Allan Sykes, director of the Game Department, complains to Sir Douglas Froude and other members about Moira’s meddling. Some members agree with Allan that it’s a terrible idea because it will deplete the fish, but after a vote, they agree to open the season early. Dwight excitedly prepares for his trip, anxious to try Junior’s rod. It’s July, and most people in Melbourne have stopped going to work. More cars appear on the road as people break into their fuel stockpiles. On a positive note, people seem to be drinking less, preferring to spend their time driving or doing leisure activities over partying.
Peter uses their fuel stores to fire up the car, and they enjoy riding around as a family. The Australian Grand Prix is moved from November to August, and fewer than a thousand fans show up for the qualifying rounds due to the location and bad weather. John performs well in the preliminary heats, but the curvy track combined with the rain causes many wrecks and kills two drivers. In the final heat, John is in the lead but gets tangled in a crash at the end. He repairs his car enough to finish the race and qualify for the Grand Prix, but his car is badly damaged. He and his pit crew salvage parts from the wrecked vehicles and take a dead driver’s transporter to move the Ferrari back to the warehouse.
Chapter 8 Summary
It’s now August, and the first of Mary’s flowers have begun to bloom. Jennifer is cutting a tooth and cries incessantly for two days, causing Mary to worry that she is ill. Peter cautions her not to panic and makes an excuse to leave the house, claiming he needs to check in at the Naval headquarters. In reality, there is no work to do, so Peter uses the trip to procure more fuel from the derelict battleship and check in on Dwight. Dwight is languishing without work since most of his crew isn’t showing up, preferring to spend time with their girlfriends. The radiation has reached Sydney and Adelaide, meaning Melbourne has two weeks or less until it reaches them.
Peter visits John, who is working to repair the Ferrari in preparation for the Grand Prix. He encouraged the organizers to move the race up two weeks since it appears the radiation is coming faster than they thought. Peter and John visit Sir Douglas at the Pastoral Club and find him doing his best to deplete the sherry stockpile. John explains that the human population will die off quickly, but some animal species, such as dogs and rabbits, will last longer. Sir Douglas finds it humorous that they have worked so hard to keep the rabbit population down, and they will outlive the humans.
Dwight and Moira meet for lunch and Dwight shares that he commanded the captain of the USS Swordfish to sink it offshore, since it couldn’t come into port. Noticing his sadness, Moira suggests they go trout fishing in the mountains together, and Dwight tells her that he doesn’t want her to get hurt emotionally since he can’t consummate their affair. He doesn’t want to be unfaithful to Sharon. Moira understands and says she would like to meet Sharon one day. She offers to book two rooms at the inn and says Dwight can drive the Navy’s car. He doesn’t want to break Navy rules, so Moira offers her father’s car. Mr. Davidson is busy completing projects on the farm, and she suggests Dwight visit and help him finish building a fence. Moira refuses a drink at lunch because she is taking the typing test later that day. After Moira leaves, Dwight wanders around Melbourne since he has no work to do: “He would not admit it, but he knew that his ship’s working life was over, as his own was. He had nothing to replace it” (223). Rotting garbage fills the streets, and the entire city smells horrid. Dwight stops by John’s garage and helps him repair the Ferrari. Mary wants an electric lawnmower, so Peter takes the family to Melbourne to purchase one. Mary finds the deplorable state of the city revolting and asks that they not return.
Dwight spends several days with the Davidsons on their farm. Mr. Davidson worries about how his cows will eat after the humans are gone. Dwight tries to help him find a solution, but there aren’t many options. Moira and Dwight use Mr. Davidson’s car to drive into the mountains. The lodge is full of fishermen ready to take advantage of the early start to the season, and some plan to start at midnight when the season officially opens. Moira and Dwight have drinks in the lounge, and he talks about seeing Sharon again soon. Moira offers to sew a button on his shirt. As they retire to separate rooms, she cries herself to sleep and keeps the shirt near her in the bed. Moira wishes she had more time with Dwight and wonders if they could have had a family together. The next day, Dwight teaches Moira to fly fish, and she finds the process thrilling and deeply satisfying. Moira and Dwight missed the Grand Prix race since they were in the mountains, but they hear on the radio that John won the race despite many drivers being injured or killed. Though they have enjoyed their mountain retreat, Moira is anxious to return to the farm to help her father. Dwight learns that Melbourne has reported its first cases of radiation sickness.
Chapter 9 Summary
Peter is called to a meeting at the Naval Department, and Mary is worried he will catch “all this infection” (242). He realizes she is still in denial that they are all already infected with radiation. At the meeting, Dwight announces that he and ten crew members are sinking the Scorpion offshore. The admiral approves and must leave the meeting abruptly because he is sick. Peter and Dwight say their goodbyes as Dwight encourages Peter to spend the remaining time at home with his family.
John has fallen sick and is caring for his mother in her final moments. She is most worried about her dog. John promises to take care of it and leaves to find milk in town. Every store is out of milk, so he returns home and finds that his mother has died by euthanasia. She left him a note telling him how proud she is of him for winning his race. John feeds the dog its dinner, which is laced with a sleeping pill, and then gives it a lethal injection. He places the dog in its bed near his mother before leaving.
Jennifer and Mary fall ill at home, and Peter also shows symptoms. Mary experiences a brief respite, enough to prepare breakfast, and Peter leaves to visit John at the Pastoral Club. John is very sick and weak and is living at the club. Sir Douglas remains well, likely due to his alcohol intake. John goes to the warehouse to view his Ferrari and uses all his remaining strength to finish its repairs. After putting on his helmet and goggles, John takes the cyanide pills while sitting behind the wheel of the Ferrari.
Before returning home, Peter remembers that Mary had wanted a garden seat and finds one, straps it to the top of the car, and drives home. When he returns, he finds Mary and Jennifer gravely ill. Mary is upset that they have to pay the price for other countries being at war. Peter says they may have been able to stop it by educating people through the newspaper. She finally accepts that it’s the end and asks Peter to help Jennifer. Though Peter is feeling better, he knows from what John told him that it won’t last and decides to die with his family. After giving the baby the lethal injection, Peter and Mary climb into bed together and take the cyanide pills.
Dwight calls Moira to say goodbye. She is very ill, and her parents are near death. Moira wants to see Dwight before he leaves, and he agrees to meet her on the dock the following day before they go out to sea. Moira says goodbye to her parents, knowing it’s the last time she’ll see them, and opens all the fences so the cattle can get to the hay. At the dock, Moira asks Dwight if she can go on the submarine with them, but he intends to follow the rules until the end and says he can’t allow it. They kiss, and Dwight thanks her for all the happiness she has brought him over the last six months. Moira and several other women wait on the dock as the Scorpion sails out of view. Drunk, she quickly gets in the car, drives as fast as possible to a cliff overlook, and watches the submarine sink. Moira takes her cyanide pills with a large swig of brandy.
Chapters 7-9 Analysis
The Scorpion’s report brings the characters face to face with the reality of their inevitable demise. As work obligations fall away, the characters focus more on spending time with loved ones. The Importance of Human Connection comes to the fore as characters like Peter and Mary pour their efforts into planting a garden, finding meaning in the time spent together rather than in the gardening itself. Out of love, Peter allows Mary to continue in her delusion that they are safe. Since Dwight’s obligations to the Navy are over, he can spend more time with Moira. Though their connection remains platonic, their vulnerability and intimacy grow as each shares more of themselves. By gifting Dwight the Pogo stick, Moira shows her willingness to honor Dwight’s commitment to his family. She exhibits her deep love for him by arranging for the expedited fly-fishing season and booking two rooms to clarify her expectations. When Moira is alone with only Dwight’s shirt, she allows herself to fully feel her sadness over what she is missing, but she does Dwight the courtesy of not burdening him with her grief. Even John Osborne, who appears to have no solid relational ties, tenderly cares for his mother until she passes and spends his last few days with his uncle, Sir Douglas.
As the radiation cloud inches closer, signs appear that routine and order are dissolving, and Finding Meaning and Purpose in the Face of Existential Threats becomes more difficult. People cease to show up for work, food and other staple items are in short supply, and people use up their precious fuel stores taking to the roads in one last flex of freedom: “Like a sponge squeezed by the pressure of circumstances, Australia began to drip a little petrol, and as the weeks went on towards August the drip became a trickle” (200). This simile conveys the stress and desperation facing the characters, who until now have been, for the most part, prudent, temperate, and responsible. Now they realize there is no longer a need to hoard fuel. Using all their fuel is both a last grasp at freedom and a symbolic surrender to fate.
As their sense of agency wanes, the characters take any steps they can to exert control over their lives. However, their attempts to do so bring them closer to reality. The car ride is at first exhilarating for Mary. Still, when she sees Melbourne’s filthy, deplorable conditions, she demands to return home, where she’s still convinced the radiation can’t reach her family: “[H]ere were the familiar things she was accustomed to, the cleanness that was her pride, the carefully tended little garden, the clean wide view out over the bay. Here was security” (228). It is easier for her to maintain her fantasy of safety in the bower of her home, which shows no signs of apocalypse.
In the final days, everyone begins breaking the rules to eke out the last bits of pleasure they can find. Peter takes fuel from the naval yard, John breaks the speed limit, and the Game Department breaks conservation rules to open the fly-fishing season early. Dwight remains the exception, as his strict adherence to all regulations is his coping mechanism of choice. He stays faithful to his wife and the United States Navy until the end, choosing obedience over personal pleasure and a relationship with Moira.
The Effects of Global Nuclear War become painfully apparent when Melbourne begins to receive reports from nearby towns of the first cases of radiation poisoning. The characters cease to value human life as it becomes apparent no one will survive. The Grand Prix becomes a grotesque display of nihilism as drivers willfully try to crash their cars, preferring to die behind the wheel than suffer slow, painful death by radiation poisoning. Those who survive the race, like John, show their lack of respect for the dead drivers by poaching spare parts from their crashed cars. Even the narrator refers to Jennifer as “it” or “the baby,” mercifully stripping the youngest victim of her humanity in light of her fate. Ultimately, the characters euthanize themselves to avoid prolonged suffering. Having lost his homeland to the war, Dwight chooses to die with his crew on the Scorpion, effectively the last surviving piece of American “soil.” Meanwhile, Moira, who previously embraced nihilism, drives drunkenly to the coastline and washes down her cyanide with a swig of brandy as she watches Dwight’s submarine sink. Her dreams drown with him as she resorts to her old behavior and finishes the way she began, dying alone and intoxicated. The novel’s bleak ending is a stern rebuke to the proliferation of civilization-ending weaponry.
