Dissatisfaction Quotes in On the Beach

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #4

"Lots of my friends are out of a job now. [...] Half of Daddy's friends—people who used to go to the office—they just don't go now." (2.271)

Well, why would you work if the world was ending? It's interesting to contrast this attitude with that of Peter Holmes and Dwight Towers, who crave work because it allows them to focus on something tangible. If we'd wager to guess, we'd say that this difference stems from the fact that Peter and Dwight see their work as truly useful.

Quote #5

"Stuff and nonsense. I saw this coming twenty years ago. Still, it's no good blaming anybody now. The only thing to do is to make the best of it." (3.191)

Douglas Froude takes a unique approach, meeting his end with a stiff upper lip and a bottle of top-notch sherry. Douglas is a great deal older than the rest of the characters in the novel, however, which might explain this cooler mindset. After all, he's already had an entire life to live.

Quote #6

"None of us really believe it's ever going to happen—not to us," she said at last. "Everybody's crazy on that point, one way or another." (4.41)

Moira makes a good point. Although she's pretty messed up when we first meet her, she reveals herself to have a mature, intelligent understanding of the psychological experience the survivors are enduring. Good grief—we have the biggest crush on Moira.