43 pages 1 hour read

Nevil Shute

On the Beach

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1957

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Chapters 1-3Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapter 1 Summary

Content Warning: This section of the guide describes and analyzes the source text’s depiction of death by euthanasia in adults and children.

Peter Holmes lives in Falmouth, Australia, with his wife, Mary, and their infant daughter, Jennifer. Peter awakens on December 27, 1962, anxious for his meeting in Melbourne with the Royal Australian Naval Department as he hopes to receive new orders. Peter returned home seven months ago from a three-month war involving the entire Northern Hemisphere. The war caused an oil shortage, and since Australians depend on the Northern Hemisphere for oil, Peter and his wife now use a bicycle with an attached trailer instead of their car. He uses the bicycle to get their daily milk from the local farmer. The farmer admires the tires on his trailer and asks if Peter can find him a set. In exchange, the farmer offers to deliver milk directly to their home once the Navy deploys Peter, which will help Mary. The two men lament the fuel shortage but are thankful coal still allows them electricity, though they wonder how the government affords it.

Peter rides the bike to the train station. On the train ride, Peter wonders what position the Navy will give him; they drastically reduced the size of their fleet after the war since there wasn’t enough fuel to power the warships.

blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
Unlock IconUnlock all 43 pages of this Study Guide
Plus, gain access to 8,500+ more expert-written Study Guides.
Including features:
+ Mobile App
+ Printable PDF
+ Literary AI Tools

Related Titles

By Nevil Shute