this post was submitted on 02 Aug 2025
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It isn't a short story, but it might as well have been.
In my high school senior level English class, they had us read "On the Beach." The class as a whole did not like it. We told the teacher that we would not be reading further and would not be engaging on the book any more. It took a week and they moved us on to "Wuthering Heights" which was far easier to read.
Oh my!
In case you don't know, the plot of on the beach is that nuclear war happened and the only people still alive are in Australia. The story follows their acceptance of impending death as the fallout reaches them. I'd rather young adult angst than full on suicidal discussions. I have my own thoughts on that, thankyouverymuch. I don't need a book to slap me in the face with them for a school grade.
I never read On the Beach, but when I was in grade school the miniseries "The Day After" was broadcast, and that fucked everybody up for a long time. Same basic topic, the somewhat negative aftermath of a nuclear holocaust.