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Nevil Shute’s On The Beach is a thrilling story inspired by the possible outcome of nuclear war. Many changes are evident throughout the entire plot due to the situation; the end of the world. In addition to environmental changes, the lasting survivors go through profound mental, physical, and emotional changes. The character who goes through the most impactful change is Moira Davidson. From being a closed-minded victim of alcoholism to falling in love with a man she never thought she would think twice about, by the end, it is clear that Moira undergoes the most significant changes.
In the beginning, Peter Holmes, an Australian naval officer, and his wife, Mary Holmes, invite Peter’s new coworker, American captain, Dwight Towers, over to their home for dinner. Mary decides to invite her close friend Moira Davidson to join the gathering. The first impression to be made of Moira is that she is on the wilder side and finds life is better when she has a drink in her hand. Moira’s need for alcohol is evident right from the start. Her partying point of view on life is the reason why she is not very open to letting herself be vulnerable in new relationships. During a side conversation with Mary, Moira tells her that, “[she has] given up gin [because] … [she has] been having them each morning … [so] it’s brandy now” (On The Beach, 22-23). Moira’s overuse of alcohol displays how she is unable to obtain control of her addiction, which results in a feeling of helplessness. This helpless feeling goes on to make her feel as though there is no point in working on her addiction, so she continues to repeat her drinking patterns. Immediately, Shute emphasizes the amount of alcohol Moira consumes which creates a strong first impression of carelessness towards responsibilities, and instability. When Mary lets Moira know that she will not be the only guest attending the dinner, Moira does not give a very positive reaction. Mary informs Moira about Dwight’s job position and relationship status. In response, Moira expresses to Mary that he “sounds a bit dreary” and asks, “is he a fearful stick … will he … [weep] in my arms and [tell me I’m just like his late wife?” (22). The doubts Moira has about Dwight exhibits how narrow-minded she is when it comes to new relationships. Her reaction makes it clear that at this moment, she has no interest in Dwight and will never consider the possibility of a connection between them. Despite her doubt, Moira ends up slowly opening herself up to Dwight and lets loose; drinks until she is completely drunk. The next day, Moira and Dwight meet up to reflect on the previous night. Moira thinks to herself and realizes that her drunken actions were inappropriate and she must apologize to Dwight. After overcoming hesitation, Moira apologizes for the way she had been acting, “sorry I made such a fool of myself last night … [but] nothing’s a lesson to me, ever. I’ll probably do that again tomorrow night, and the night after” (44). Many assumptions can be taken from her apology. The first is that she recognizes that she has a problem but she does not do anything about it. She simply just continues to give into her bad habits which only digs her deeper into a downward spiral. In addition, because she gets so drunk when meeting Dwight for the first time proves her carelessness and lack of respect for her reputation. Ultimately, although she reveals that she does not have much self-respect, apologizing to Dwight for her actions shows that she does have respect for others. With consistent attempts to change her attitude, it is possible that with time, she will be able to grow to love herself. In summation, Moira’s initial actions grant her the reputation of a wild and helpless alcoholic with a lack of self-respect that is not so fond of the idea of being vulnerable with new people.
Fast forward six months, and by the end of their time, Moira displays evidence that her outlook on life has undergone a significant change in just a short amount of time. Conclusively, Moira is can say that she has fallen in love with a man she never thought she would ever consider. Falling in love with Dwight not only showcases that an individual can change in such a short period of time, but it also shows how over the past six months, she grows to be more open with new people in her life and not be so fearful of new opportunities. It is evident that falling in love with Dwight changes Moira for the good, and even helps reduce her dependence on alcohol. Midway into a deep conversation before their last moments, Moira lets Dwight know how important he has been to her over the past six months, “[y]ou’ve been very good for me, Dwight. I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t come along” (227-228). Because she is being so truthful about her feelings towards Dwight, this displays that Moira has become much more open and is now able to be vulnerable without the constant worry of getting hurt. It is appropriate to relate her initial fear of getting hurt to the reason why she turns to alcohol when she does not want to face reality. Another apparent change in Moira is after falling in love with Dwight, her values change and she begins to think about her future, although it will never come, instead of always turning to a drink and living in the moment. It would have taken Dwight “[at least] five years … and he would have turned to her … she could have made him happy again” (246). As she analyzed this idea, “a tear trickled down … her nose … [and] she wiped it away irritably” (246). For a change, Moira is thinking about what her future could be like with Dwight in the picture. This is another verification that she is truly in love with him. Furthermore, although she will never make it to her future, focusing on the thought of getting married and starting a family is evidence that she has decreased her dependence on alcohol because it is no longer the only thing on her mind all the time. Besides, it is authentication that her outlook on life changes from a bachelor’s life lens to a family-driven lens. Before Dwight sets off on his journey back to the United States, he pays his last visit to Moira on the edge of a cliff. The two exchange meaningful words which move both parties to tears. Moira pours her heart out in her final words to Dwight, “I’ll be thinking of you … now go on … or I’ll be the one that starts crying … [now] there’s nothing … [to live] for” (276-277). Following Dwight’s departure, Moira stares off the edge of the cliff and whispers to herself, “Dwight if you’re on your way already, wait for me” (280). Moira expressing her emotions directly from her heart is a significant change from the fake emotions she was giving to those around her before, due to the wall she put up to protect herself. Moreover, because she will never see Dwight again, this makes her feel that she has nothing left to live for. This is significant progress in change because the previous version of herself would have drunk her feelings away and continued living life selfishly. Now that she commits so much of herself to Dwight, her morals on the meaning of life shift completely. Before Moira swallows the pill which will allow her to never wake again, she directs her last words personally to Dwight. This is a verification that she is truly in love with him because she dedicates her last words to him. In the end, Moira evolves into a whole new person by falling in love with Dwight which ultimately changes her morals and perspective on life for the better.
All in all, it is appropriate to say that Moira undergoes the greatest change, resulting in overcoming alcoholism and finding love. From being the wild alcoholic to finding a purpose in life, Moira’s renewal of values can be an inspiration for others who are trying to make changes in their life. Moira proves that anyone can evolve into a better version of themselves in just a short period of time if they try hard enough.
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