Journal of Maritime Literature and Culture
JMLC, Vol. 1, No. 1, 2026, pp.158-164.
Print ISSN: 3107-1821; Online ISSN: 3107-183X
Journal homepage: https://www.mlcjournal.com
DOI： https://doi.org/10.64058/JMLC.26.1.14
张 陟（Zhang Zhi）
摘要：美国作家丹尼尔·克劳斯的《鲸落》是当代海洋文学的佳作。作品以主人公杰伊深海寻父的绝境求生为主线，串联起父子情感救赎与自然生态的思考。从叙事策略上看，小说采用幽闭叙事与闪回叙事交织的双线结构，有效增强情感张力与叙事悬念；从意象建构上看，小说构建了以抹香鲸为核心、大王乌贼等其他海洋生物为辅助的多元意象体系，将自然现象巧妙转化为承载亲情、生命与生态的文学符号；从思想意涵上看，小说深入叩问亲情本质、生命意义与生态共生三大命题，实现了个体情感与宏大命题的有机统一。小说既继承西方鲸类书写的文脉，又突破创新，彰显出兼具科学性与人文性的独特魅力，为当代海洋文学创作提供有益借鉴，也为公众传递敬畏生命、守护海洋生态的价值理念。
关键词：《鲸落》；叙事策略；意象建构；生命哲思；海洋文学
作者简介：张陟，宁波大学世界海洋文学与文化研究中心，教授，研究方向：英美海洋文学与文化。电子邮箱：zhangzhi@nbu.edu.cn。
Title: Life, Death, and the Deep Ocean: A Review of Daniel Kraus’s Whalefall
Abstract: Whalefall by American author Daniel Kraus is an outstanding work of contemporary maritime literature. Centered on the protagonist Jay’s desperate struggle for survival in the deep sea as he searches for his father, the novel interweaves father‑son emotional redemption with reflections on nature and ecology. In terms of narrative strategy, the novel adopts a dual structure that intertwines claustrophobic narration and flashbacks, effectively heightening emotional tension and narrative suspense. In its construction of imagery, Kraus establishes a multi‑layered imagery system centered on the sperm whale and supplemented by other marine creatures such as the giant squid, subtly transforming natural phenomena into literary symbols that embody familial affection, life, and ecological themes. In its thematic exploration, the novel deeply inquires into the essence of family bonds, the meaning of life, and ecological symbiosis, achieving an organic unity between individual emotion and grand universal themes. While inheriting the literary tradition of Western writings on whales, the work also makes innovative breakthroughs and presents a unique charm that integrates scientific perspectives with humanistic concerns. It thus provides meaningful references for contemporary sea literature writings and conveys to the public the values of revering life and safeguarding marine ecosystems.
Keywords: Whalefall; narrative strategy; imagery construction; philosophical reflections on life; maritime literature
Author Biography: Zhang Zhi, Professor, Faculty of Foreign Languages, Ningbo University, Research Interests: British and American Marine Literature and Culture. E-mail: zhangzhi@nbu.edu.cn.
Received: 27 Mar 2026 / Revised: 18 Apr 2026 / Accepted: 25 Apr 2026 / Published online: 30 Apr 2026 / Print published: 30 May 2026.
