The Duality of Nature Theme Analysis

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 from their troubled home life. The stunning yet perilous setting of the novel reflects humanity’s relationship with the environment more broadly. Parrett suggests that nature is both a comfort and a powerful threat for humans, while the natural world is wholly indifferent to the fates of the people who inhabit it.

As Harry, Miles, and Joe cope with the grief of Mum’s death and the trauma of their alcoholic father and dysfunctional family, each of the three brothers finds solace in a deep reverence and connection with nature. For Joe, the water is literally an escape from his painful upbringing, as he hand-carves a wooden boat to live on and sail around the world after he is uprooted from Granddad’s house. Miles is likewise drawn to the ocean, likening the surrounding cliffs to majestic “guardians standing tall” and acting as though he “could stay out in the water forever” even after his brothers have returned to shore. The ocean holds a sense of freedom and possibility for Joe and Miles, and the two brothers instinctively flee from Dad’s wrath to the beach where they spend hours surfing, fishing, and camping. Similarly, Harry finds joy and purpose through his connection to animals, often combing the beach for “treasures” and small creatures even though he is afraid of the water. He is also drawn to George Fuller’s dog Jake and is quick to befriend the animal, sneaking off to find respite from the loneliness of his house while Dad and Miles are gone at work. For all the boys, then, the natural world is a peaceful refuge from their otherwise chaotic lives.

Despite finding comfort in nature, the Curren brothers are also able to sense the immense power and enigmatic, ancient roots of Bruny Island. Although Harry, Miles, and Joe have grown up loving the beach, the wild indigenous landscape also poses a dangerous threat as it remains indifferent to the boys, who are small and insignificant in comparison. As the brothers have been raised on the island, they have developed a sense of reverence and fear toward its grandiosity. Abalone, the region’s main resource, symbolizes the generations of people who have lived and died on the island and serves as a reminder of humanity’s fragility, as they depend upon nature’s fickle cycles for their livelihood. Harry’s solo explorations in nature also make him acutely aware of this reality despite his young age, as holding an abalone shell in his hand makes him confront his own mortality and place in the grand scheme of life. He realizes that, much like Dad’s violent mood swings, nature is an incomprehensible, rampant force that impacts people’s lives without rhyme or reason. Harry marvels at the mysticism of his homeland, remarking that the island is “as old as the world.”

While the brothers grapple with this ongoing realization of Bruny Island’s power, they are intimidated by nature even as they find joy in its beauty. Harry is terrified of the water and made seasick by excursions on the family’s fishing boat, while Miles dreads the idea that he will one day have to venture into the dark, treacherous ocean to dive for abalone like his father. Despite their fondness for the surroundings they know and love, Harry and Miles both have an innate awareness of nature’s dark potential and know that they risk self-destruction every time they journey into the beauty of the island’s landscape. Nature is ultimately uncaring and indiscriminate in its actions, claiming Harry’s life as the little boy is thrown overboard and drowns in the icy cold waters of a winter storm.

Although the Curren brothers find emotional comfort and safety in nature, its duality as a mysterious, dangerous force remains at the forefront of their minds and highlights their willingness to risk self-destruction in order to find escape in Bruny Island’s environment. They value nature over their own lives, and they are willing to face their physical inferiority and human limitations through their love of surfing and exploring their precarious surroundings. The novel celebrates this sense of insignificance rather than fighting against it, advocating for a respectful attitude toward nature’s grandiosity and a healthy balance of fear, awe, and admiration.