What archetypal characters/situations occur in the book? What is their relevance?

This is certainly a post-apocalyptic archetype of a story that we have seen in the context of cold war fears. The build up of weapons between America and the Soviet Union had pushed fears to the limit and spawned countless of stories about scenarios of fall out. Randy Brag is the archetype of the young man who hasn't grown up yet, content to work hard... to be lazy and chase women rather than to do what is expected of him. Of course he rises to the challenge when he is faced with this disaster.