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Chapter 5
Themes
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
At the guest house, Richard shows Étienne the map. Étienne recognizes the map as pointing to a beach on an island where tourists can’t go because it’s a national park. Étienne mentions how travelers sometimes go beyond where they’re allowed, however, as beaches become “spoiled” with tourists. Étienne tells Richard he finds the idea of this new beach intriguing and wants to find it. Richard can tell that Étienne seems sincere and says that he thinks he knows a fisherman who could take them near the island.
Part of the appeal of the beach to Richard and Étienne is that it’s a place they shouldn’t go. But as it turns out, the beach’s designation as a national park means that it is supposed to be a place set aside for nature. By wanting to go to the beach for their own personal reasons, Richard and Étienne themselves risk spoiling a natural environment.
Themes
Françoise, who was also at the police station, makes it back to the guest house. She walks in on Richard and Étienne studying the map and helps cement the idea of trying to find the beach. They all recognize that they may not be able to trust Daffy Duck’s map but make plans anyway to leave Bangkok and try to find the beach.
