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Chapter 36
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Past the Shallows, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Brotherhood, Loyalty, and Hardship
Addiction and Abuse
Tragedy and Blame
Father Figures and Responsibility
The Duality of Nature
Summary
Analysis
After Harry tumbles overboard, Miles stands in shock before he is able to scream Harry’s name. He sees Harry’s arm reach out of the current and he tries to climb the railing to jump in after his brother, but Dad holds him back.
Miles’s eagerness to jump overboard after Harry is a testament to the unbridled love and loyalty he has for his little brother, as Miles is willing to risk his own life to save him.
Themes
As Dad restrains Miles, he asks him if he remembers the night of Mum’s accident. He tells Miles that Mum was leaving him for another man and says that “they were dead when I found the car.” Miles is sickened by the victimized look on Dad’s face. He pleads with Miles, saying: “I had to take him away” because “everyone would have known.” Miles screams Harry’s name again and tries to break free of his father’s grip. Dad tells Miles “you’re my son” and finally lets him go.
This revelation explains the true reason why Dad has been so tortured over Mum and Uncle Nick’s deaths—he is guilty, rather than grief-stricken. Dad’s admission implies that Mum and Nick were having an affair. Nick (who was presumably the one to leave the shark tooth in Mum’s car) did not drown, but rather died in the car crash with her. It is unclear whether Dad had any involvement in the accident beyond taking Uncle Nick’s body away, nor is it certain whether Nick was already dead when Dad found him or if Dad killed him after the fact. The fact that Dad was already there at the scene could suggest that he was the one to force Mum’s car off the road. Additionally, it seems that Miles may be Dad’s only biological son out of the three Curren brothers. The idea that Miles may not be biologically related to Harry and Joe adds a layer of complexity to their brotherly bond, suggesting that true brotherhood is based on love and trust rather than blood.
Themes
Miles leaps into the ocean and the freezing cold water robs him of his breath. He finds Harry’s limp body and pulls them both up to the surface. Miles clutches his little brother with one arm and tries to act as a buffer between Harry and the jagged rocks of Flat Witch. He tries to swim under the water with Harry to get through the channel and back to land, but the rough waves throw them off course and cause Miles to lose his grip on his brother.
Harry regains consciousness and calls out to Miles as he bobs above the water. Miles spots a new set of massive waves forming and swims toward his brother as fast as he can. Harry grabs onto Miles as his brother tries to swim past the break, sobbing and pleading with him not to take him underwater.
Though Miles is able to face his fear of deep water for the sake of his younger brother, Harry’s phobia of the water is only intensified by his direct exposure to its powerful depths.
Themes
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Miles can see the six-foot wave that ravaged their fishing boat growing in size and strength. Having swum out farther to sea, he cannnot see any land. Miles tries his best to keep himself and Harry afloat, treading the freezing water as slowly as possible to conserve energy and stay awake. Harry, worried about sharks, tells him he is scared, and Miles reassures him that they just have to wait.
Miles feels utterly insignificant and helpless compared to the giant storm wave and vast ocean that threatens to engulf the brothers. Miles is terrified of drowning and realizes that he must work hard to stay conscious, yet his love for Harry allows him to stay calm and focus on reassuring his little brother. This moment shows that while brotherhood may not solve all problems, it can nonetheless be a source of strength even in the most devastating situations.
Themes
Harry asks whether Dad is coming for them and Miles can feel his little brother shivering violently as they float in the bitterly cold ocean. Miles realizes that Harry did not put on the warm woolen sweater he laid out for him that morning and berates himself internally for not checking to make sure he was wearing it before they left. He assures Harry that they will be all right and tries to imagine a flame welling inside him and dispersing its warmth throughout his body, through his skin, and into Harry.
Even though Dad was the one to push Harry overboard, the little boy still remains naïvely hopeful that his father will save him and Miles. Miles, who knows that Dad will not be rescuing them, focuses all of his energy on trying to keep his little brother alive. This conviction shows that Miles is more of a parental figure to Harry than their own father. The fact that Miles immediately blames himself for Harry’s being cold also demonstrates how tempting it is to look for blame even within senseless tragedy.
Themes
The freezing water causes to Miles fall into a delirious, dreamlike state. He remembers falling into the river as a young child. Joe saved him, carried him home, and brought him hot cocoa as Mum tucked him in by the warm fireplace. Miles hears Mum’s voice softly in the distance, telling him not to go to sleep, as he feels himself sinking down into a warm light. Her voice comes back louder and asks where her baby, Harry, is. Miles then hears Harry’s voice telling him he is no longer afraid of the water and visualizes his brother’s forehead touching his. A cold splash of water shakes Miles out of his dream and he wakes to find Harry gone.
Miles’s regression into memories of his youth and hallucinations of Mum’s voice show that he has been affected by her death on a deep, subconscious level. Even in the direst circumstances, he finds comfort in his mother’s loving presence. Additionally, the memory of Joe saving him from the river parallels his own heroic attempt to save Harry and reflects the deep bond that links all three of the Curren brothers.
Themes
