2. Many people say the end of this story is anti-climatic, disappointing, or uninspired. What do you think of the conclusion?
Daily Journal 1 December 2016

3. Literature Circle Roles
Discussion Director
Summarizer
Word Master
Connector
Culture Collector
Cartographer
Character Curator

4. Some people say the concept of what the Beach represents is flawed
Some people say the concept of what the Beach represents is flawed? What do you think of this? Is the beach community a realistic one?
Is the The Beach a story or hope? Hope for what? Is the hope attainable?
The people in this story “are the products of a culture which regards instant and massive gratification as a right.” Do you agree or disagree with this statement?

5. Garland spent six months living in the Philippines
Garland spent six months living in the Philippines. Much of that experience was incorporated into "The Beach," which he purposefully set in Thailand.
"That's because Thailand is more of a Mecca for a certain kind of travel, the kind of backpackers in the book," he explains. "And I wanted to write a certain kind of book about travel.”

6. Discussion
Why is a pristine beach in a remote, exotic location so desirable to the jaded backpack travelers?
Why do they require someplace so exclusive?
From where do they get their feelings of superiority over the tourists and even the natives?

7. Discussion
"This book is anti-traveler in a lot of ways. That was absolutely my intention. "The Beach" was meant to be a criticism of this backpacker culture, not a celebration of it.“ ~ Alex Garland
Do you agree that this book is “anti-traveler?”

8. The backpackers that Garland parodies in "The Beach" have hailed him as a spokesman for a lifestyle that he rejected long ago.
"These people say they aren't tourists, but travelers and think they are special, more sensitive. It's stupid. They're not."
Garland admits the book is very much autiobiographical. Leo's character, Richard, he says, "is basically me, when I was 18 or 19.“

9. 01:06:30 – 01:10:00 – beach life and tragedy, sound track 01:12-16:30 – Removal and left in tent, dream, visitors 01:17:30 – descent into madness 01:28:00 more madness and arrival of four 01:36:40- planning to leave 01:29:00 - finale