Characters

The most important character in the short story “On the Beach” by Bret Easton Ellis is the male narrator. However, because most of his characterization is conveyed in connection with his feelings towards his girlfriend being sick and dying, we will also analyze the girlfriend. Mona and Griffin are secondary characters, relevant for the social sett…

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The narrator

The narrator is the main character in the short story. His characterization is conveyed through his perspective on the events and his actions.

All we know about his outer characterization is that he is young, he dates a dying girl, he drinks alcohol, and does drugs.

Inner characterization

His inner characterization is conveyed in relation to his dying girlfriend and the other characters, but also through his actions.

The fact that he drinks, goes to parties, and does drugs suggests that he lives a decadent lifestyle.

His attitude towards his gi…

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The girlfriend

The girlfriend is an important character in the story because she is the main focus of the narrator, and her impending death is what the plot revolves around.

Outer characterization

Her outer characterization tells us that she is young (the references to prom night), from a wealthy family, but sick and dying. The narrator often focuses on her physical appearance: “…she looked so thin as I pinned the corsage to her dress and her hands, bony, shook as she pinned a rose onto my sleeve.” (ll. 30-32); “She often looks even more pale when me or Mona run suntan oil over her body,  which is begi…