On the Beach

Peter Holmes is the story’s protagonist and remains static throughout the narrative despite enduring the anxieties of caring for his family in an apocalypse. A resourceful and reasonable officer in the Australian Royal Navy, Peter exemplifies how a person might adapt to hardships instead of collapsing under them. He creates a bike trailer for transportation, arranges for milk and cream delivery while he’s away, and makes the most of the usable goods left in town to keep his family comfortable at home. His family is his priority, but Peter’s work is vital to his sense of self. When the admiral offers Peter the posting under Dwight Towers’s command, he hesitates to leave his family but admits, “I’m very grateful for the opportunity” (10). Peter embodies a sense of stoic resolve and duty, faithfully carrying out his military responsibilities despite the grim circumstances. Peter becomes one of Dwight’s crew members and his friend. 

Peter is portrayed as an ordinary man balancing his career with family life, and he resolves to maintain order and balance in his home despite existential threats. Peter willingly plays along with his wife Mary’s elaborate delusions and inability to confront reality, but he also isn’t afraid to point out her denial when it’s necessary.