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Chapter 103
Themes
and Colors
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Beach, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Tourism and Authenticity
Power, Control, and Human Nature
War, Violence, and Escapism
Secrecy, Fear, and Paranoia
Summary
Analysis
Daffy arrives as the others continue to stab Richard. He reassures Richard that “friendly fire” is a common occurrence and that eventually Richard will get evacuated. Eventually, he feels the stabbing stop. Jed, Keaty, Étienne, and Françoise are helping him. Jed yells for everyone else to get back, and surprisingly, they do.
“Friendly fire” is another reference to the Vietnam War and the unglamorous reality that some violence in war is truly senseless, with allies accidentally attacking each other. Jed’s ability to make the beach residents stop just by yelling shows how susceptible they all are to following orders, which is what allowed Sal to take over in the first place.
Active
Themes
