On the Beach | Fiction Versus History
In the following essay, the author compares Shute's fictional war scenario in On the Beach with historical events in the past several decades.
While the literary merits of Nevil Shute's On the Beach may be debated, there is no doubt that he struck a nerve with the readers of popular fiction in 1957.
World War II concluded with the nuclear obliteration of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. However, the end of the most destructive war of the twentieth century signaled the beginning of a new conflict: the Cold War. After defeating Germany and Japan, the Soviet Union separated from its western allies. Winston Churchill coined the term "iron curtain" in a 1946...
[The entire page is 1885 words long]
Join eNotes
The above is a free excerpt. Get total access to this content with the:
Summary and Analysis – Themes – Characters – And much more...
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
Navigate
Tell a friend about On the Beach at eNotes.
