Portrait of the Silent Generation at the pivotal moment in Ian Russell McEwan’s novel “On Chesil Beach”

The early 1960s is a critical period in British history. Loss of the country’s leading position on the global stage and the crisis of national self-awareness had led to the refusal to follow the moral and ethical principles of the “fathers” and to the beginning of total emancipation of subsequent generations. This difficult moment in British history is the subject of Ian Russell McEwan’s novel “On Chesil Beach” (2007). This paper analyses the portraits of the main characters of the novel, Edward and Florence, representatives of the Silent Generation (born in 1925–1942) at a critical moment in their personal lives and in the history of the country. During the examination of the portraits of the main characters, attention was paid to the various elements depicted, which contributed to a deep understanding of their internal contradictions, psychological state and the place of the Silent Generation in the general context of the era. The article formulates the main conclusion that the author’s accentuation of personal traits of the representatives of the Silent Generation is an artistic reflection of the passionate desire for change in society on the one hand, and unpreparedness for it on the other. The relationship between Edward and Florence’s personal drama and the collective sense of loss and uncertainty can be traced. Thus, their internal struggles, fears and indecision reflect the wider social and cultural transformations taking place in British society at the time.