Themes and message

The main themes of the short story “The Lunar Coast” written by Megan McGrath are man versus nature and friendship.

Man versus nature

The theme of man versus nature is explored through the story’s plot, setting, and characters. The events are set in a fishing village on the lunar coast in Australia. The position of the village next to the sea makes the villagers dependent on nature’s will. This is suggested by the fact that when the tide stops coming and bringing fish, the villagers need to adapt and find other ways to earn a living. It is also suggested through various metaphorical descriptions of the setting which imply nature can be a protector, an enemy, or something that can be controlled: “It was a treacherous northern stretch of coastline, with rocky headlands and monstrous tides. (...) Our coast protected ships and deterred them.” (ll. 6-9); “But like all fishermen we were slaves to the sea, and sometimes her master.” (ll. 67-68).

The story also explores man’s relationship with nature at different ages. Lee and Alex are fascinated by the landscape when they are small children and want to learn all about it: “The rock pools were galaxies all of their own, with weeds and crustaceans and fish trapped within. Worlds interrupted by our touch.” (ll. 22-23); “Every day was like walkin...