Past the Shallows Themes

Amidst the chaos of their Dad’s alcoholism, brothers Harry, Miles, and Joe Curren are subject to rampant abuse and neglect. As their father’s behavior grows increasingly erratic and their family structure deteriorates in the wake of their Mum and Uncle Nick’s deaths, the Curren brothers are forced to become one another’s support system, and they remain steadfastly loyal to one another. The infallible strength of their bond provides a level of…

After the deaths of his brother-in-law Uncle Nick and his wife Mum, Dad’s guilt and grief spiral into alcoholism and the subsequent abuse of his three sons, Harry, Miles, and Joe. Much like the often-volatile natural landscape of Bruny Island where the Curren family lives, Dad’s unpredictable, menacing behavior is a looming source of terror for his three boys. His presence is confusing, particularly for Miles and Harry, as they…

In Past the Shallows, brothers Harry, Miles, and Joe Curren cope with the ramifications of their alcoholic father’s irresponsibility. After the deaths of Mum, Uncle Nick, and Granddad, the Curren boys are left without a trustworthy adult to understand and guide them. Each of the three brothers flounders without a stable father figure, as they are all forced to take on undue responsibility for one another and make sense…

Past the Shallows takes place amidst the awe-inspiring and often brutal seaside landscape of Bruny Island off the coast of Tasmania, Australia. The turbulent ocean waters and the rugged ecosystem of the island serve as both the means of the family’s livelihood as abalone fishermen and as ever-present, unreliable dangers. For Harry, Miles, and Joe Curren, the natural world is simultaneously a foreboding, almost mythical presence and a beloved outlet of escape…