Whalefall

Jay Gardiner is the novel’s dynamic, round protagonist, and his journey is defined by an intense struggle against his father’s legacy. His initial motivation is to retrieve Mitt’s bones from the site of his death by suicide. This quest begins as a desperate, dangerous attempt to reclaim his family’s respect and forge his own narrative. His inherited diving gear, which is ill-fitting and prone to malfunction, serves as a constant and physical symbol of this burden. As Jay prepares for his dive, he reflects that his heavy gear represents “seventeen years of being Mitt Gardiner’s son, the expectations and disappointments, all of it on his back one more time” (17). This quest reflects Jay’s struggle to come to terms with The Bitter Lessons of a Father’s Harsh Love, and in order to complete his own transformation, Jay must literally descend into the source of his trauma to find a new path to selfhood.

Jay’s character is shaped by deep internal conflict and a desperate search for autonomy. Having fled his abusive home two years ago, he has since attempted to build a new life through academic success and the charity of his friends’ families.