Whalefall

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Whalefall blends a high-concept survival thriller with an intense psychological drama about family trauma. Which of these elements resonated more strongly with you, and why?

2. The guide points out the book’s deep connections to Herman Melville’s Moby Dick. How would you compare Jay’s unwilling, internal journey inside the whale to Captain Ahab’s obsessive external hunt for his whale?

3. The experience of being inside the whale is described in intense, visceral detail. Did you find these graphic descriptions effective or overwhelming?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Mitt’s harsh lessons, which Jay resents for much of his life, ultimately help the protagonist to survive. Have you ever unwillingly inherited knowledge that became useful later in life?

2. Jay internally rejects the popular idea of “closure,” believing instead that people are more like complex labyrinths than doors that can be shut. How does this concept relate to the challenge of navigating grief or complicated relationships?

3. Mitt idealizes the Monterey of John Steinbeck’s Cannery Row, condemning the tourism and commercialism of the present day. When you think about the past, what specific eras or ways of life make you feel a sense of nostalgia, and why?

4. Is Jay right to stay away from his father during Mitt’s terminal illness? What competing responsibilities affect his difficult decision?

5. Throughout the story, Jay feels like an outcast in his local diving community because of how he handled his family situation. Have community expectations ever influenced your own choices or altered your sense of belonging? How did you cope with this issue?

6. The disembodied voice that Jay hears is a blend of his father, the whale, and his own consciousness. If you had an internal guide during a crisis, whose voice might you hear, and why?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. How did the story’s deep grounding in the real-world science of Monterey Bay affect your understanding of the story’s more surreal and psychological elements?

2. Mitt’s reverence for the ocean coexists with his disdain for most people. What does this contradiction imply about the complex, and often personal, nature of modern environmentalism?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. The narrative is structured with chapter titles marking the decreasing psi in Jay’s air tank, creating a literal countdown. How did this device impact the story’s pacing and tension?

2. How does the sperm whale function as a symbol? Does its meaning shift, and if so, how?

3. How do the novel’s strategic flashbacks illuminate Jay’s present crisis and his evolving understanding of his father?

4. What purposes does Hewey serve in the story?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Imagine that you have been tasked with designing a memorial for Mitt at Monastery Beach. What form would it take, and what inscription would you write to capture the complicated legacy he left behind?

2. The novel’s final line is Mitt’s familiar cry, “Sleeper, arise!” If you were to write the very next paragraph, what would be the first thing Jay does or thinks upon his full recovery?