The Similarities of Moira and Neville

Moira Davidson and Robert Neville, from Nevil Shute’s On The Beach and Richard Matheson’s I Am Legend, are very similar people from very different places. Neville, just like Moira, turns to booze to hide from his impending doom. In the worst of situations both Neville and Moira long for companionship from the opposite sex. While things seem grim for both characters they find a way to better their situations through educating themselves. The actions of Moira and Neville are eerily similar.

Although Neville makes “himself a whiskey and soda” (Matheson 18) and Moira a “Double shot of brandy … [with] just a little [water], and a lot of ice.” (Shute 25), they drink for the same reasons, to escape reality. Neville is an avid alcoholic. During the day Neville repairs his house and works on killing as many vampires as he can. Throughout the afternoon and night he turns to drinking to keep himself from dwelling on his horrible world of loneliness, killing, and vampires. Moira is a brandy loving party girl. During the day Moira helps out on the family farm. At night she turns into a drinking and dancing party girl to keep her mind off her slowly approaching demise. Both characters do what they need to do during the day while occasionally mixing a drink and at night they toss back several to escape their reality.

Even with death at their doorstep, Moira and Neville both want the companionship of the opposite sex. Although Moira has Dwight Towers to flirt with and keep her company, their relationship is nothing more then a friendship. Neville on the other hand has no one but the sound of blood sucking vampires outside his door, and it takes a toll on him hearing the voices of female vampires outside. Neville often thinks about his wife and family to get him through tough times but knows he is alone. Moira on the other hand never had a husband or children. She also knows she will die alone: “I think