In this novel, the ocean, as a representative of natural forces, has always been above human beings and dominated their destiny. For fishermen in the barren and desolate coastal areas of Brittany, the sea is the only condition for their survival, and it is also a ruthless abyss that devours their lives. In this area, there has never been a romantic spring and a happy and active summer. I spent the whole spring and summer in anxiety until autumn came and the fishing boat returned from Iceland. However, in winter parties, even happiness is heavy and uneasy, always shrouded in the shadow of death.
The Moang family, whose descendants were swallowed up by the sea, ended up with a lonely grandmother in her 70 s who had to make a living by her own hands. Fate is so heartless, there is no need to complain about others. People silently accept their fate and bear all the pain. When the grandmother received the news of the death of her last grandson, the author did not write about her sadness and tears first, but her numbness first: at that time, she seemed to know nothing, she had lost so many relatives, and she even confused this death with many times before. ...
Goth, the most written figure in this book, seems to be deliberately revealing human misfortune in a deeper sense through her experience. This pure and loyal girl, after such a long period of tortuous and painful expectation, was so desperate that she almost died. Finally, the clouds cleared, and Yann admitted that she loved her. She loved her so deeply and sincerely. Spring in Brittany seems to come early for them. Before the fishing boat set sail, the thorns on the roadside unexpectedly bloomed with white flowers. However, in her life, she only enjoyed the only spring day of love, while she and Yang En were always happy for only six days, and then Yang En set off. She spent spring and summer in anxious and sweet expectation, and finally looked forward to a noisy and happy autumn. Fishing boats to Iceland came back one after another, except for Jan and his former teammate Dina. As the days go by, late autumn will pass and winter will come. No matter how she inspired herself with the faintest hope, no matter how she struggled in despair, no matter how patient and persistent she waited ... Yann didn't come back after all ... On a dark night, with a loud noise, he married Hai. ...
Goth's tragic experience pushed the tragic atmosphere in the book to a climax, which made readers have to be shocked by the power of the sea and deeply sigh for the unfortunate fate of Icelandic fishermen. Portraying characters may not be Lottie's strong point, but Goth should be said to be one of the most moving images in his works. Although the whole story is not full, the emotional description is exquisite, which can not but arouse readers' attention and resonance. Except Goth, all the other characters in the novel are fishermen with little education. The author described them with sympathy and goodwill, but they can only be regarded as rough sketches: rough, strong, brave, simple, occasionally drunk, singing vulgar tunes in hotels ... including the main characters Yann and Sylvester, the images are a little thin. Despite this weakness, Lottie succeeded in grasping the soul-stirring theme of fate-the fate in the struggle between man and nature, and used his artistic talent to bring this theme into full play.
Lottie is good at setting off the atmosphere. All dynamic and static scenes seem to help highlight the power of nature and the tragic situation of human beings: desolate wilderness, static sun, foggy sea, monotonous and gloomy atmosphere ... but Lottie has no more meaning to express to readers except lamenting her fate. If there is, it is subconsciously showing contempt and contempt for foreign nationalities, even boasting the bullying and aggression of colonial troops as heroic achievements, and taking cannon fodder as a colonial policy as glory ... But for a soldier who has lived in overseas troops for a long time and is infected with various bad habits, what other way of thinking can he expect? Lottie/kloc-entered the naval school at the age of 0/6. His limited education and life experience make it impossible for him to have the ability to observe, summarize and judge life as a thinker. But he successfully described a world with his own art and unique experience, and gained universal recognition and appreciation.