Nevil Shute On The Beach Essay

Another demonstration of finding hope is evident within Nevil Shute’s novel, On the Beach, when John Osborne is finally satisfied with his life. He and the others in Australia have to live knowing that they only have a limited time left before the radiation reaches Melbourne. Hoping to find self-satisfaction before dying, he buys a red Ferrari, which is something that he has always wanted but could never afford. Osborne takes advantage of the empty roads, but also habitually drives his car at a private racing circuit. Eventually, John Osborne participates in the Australian Grand Prix after nearly not succeeding in the qualifying round. The conditions of the race were hazardous and lethal. After the race, Moira and Dwight turned on the radio

Buddhist nun, Pema Chödrön argues that we must abandon hope because, “if we totally experience hopelessness, giving up all hope of alternatives to the present moment, we can have a joyful relationship with our lives.” Pema says that even if one has hope, the outcome can still be unpleasant. Some claim that certain situations are hopeless: terminal cancer, avoiding death forever, and even a sinking ship in a category five tropical storm! One may disagree that Waiting for Godot, written by Samuel Beckett, displays hope with the opinion that Godot will never arrive. Although, he does not arrive during the play, one cannot disprove that Godot may appear in the near future. Furthermore, someone may debate if George Orwell is symbolizing hope with the glass paperweight in 1984, because it eventually shatters—possibly representing that there is no hope. However, when the paperweight was smashed, only the barrier around the coral broke, not the coral itself. Signifying that the hopes and dreams of Julia and Winston are unprotected, but still existent. Also, one may view that Nevil Shute’s novel, On the Beach, represents anything but hope. It is impossible to stop the radiation from spreading, so people around the world are in a hopeless situation. Yet, the characters are able to find hope in a variety of things. Stating most people cannot find hope is false because it is up to the individual and is the only way to create a positive reaction to a disastrous