Edge of the Sea: Littoral Psychology and Environmental Conflict in Tim Winton’s Shallows


The Criterion

The Criterion: An International Journal in English
Volume 17, Issue 2 · April 2026 · ISSN 0976-8165

Open Access
CC BY 4.0
Crossref DOI


Edge of the Sea: Littoral Psychology and Environmental Conflict in Tim Winton’s Shallows


Jairesh S L, Dr. T. GangadharanORCID

World Literature
Pages 472–482
Article #29
2026V17N2084

DOI

Digital Object Identifier

10.66376/criterion.v17.n2.29

Registered with Crossref · Open Access · CC BY 4.0

Abstract

Shallows by Tim Winton shows the imaginary seaside town of Angelus in Western Australia, where the community’s identity is traditionally entrenched in the whaling culture. This paper examines the psychological and cultural relationships among characters such as Queenie Cookson, Cleve Cookson, Daniel Coupar, and Nathaniel Coupar. The people’s mindset in the town of Angelus shows their interests over the whaling practice, which has been ingrained in their day-to-day life. Dependence on the town’s whaling history has deeply ingrained the practice in its community. However, the anti-whaling group Cachalot & Company presents a moral and ecological challenge to this tradition. A close reading of the novel reveals the tension between economic survival and environmental ethics. The study shows how the characters navigate their maritime cultural identity while facing changing ecological awareness and cultural transformation.

Keywords
Blue HumanitiesEnvironmental ethicsWhaling cultureCoastal identityEcological consciousnessAustralian literature

Cite This Article — MLA 9th Edition

Jairesh S L, and Dr. T. Gangadharan. “Edge of the Sea: Littoral Psychology and Environmental Conflict in Tim Winton’s Shallows.” The Criterion: An International Journal in English, vol. 17, no. 2, Apr. 2026, pp. 472–482. DOI, https://doi.org/10.66376/criterion.v17.n2.29.

Article History
Received
3/24/2026/2026
Accepted
18 Apr 2026
Published Online
30 Apr 2026

Journal
The Criterion: An International Journal in English
Volume / Issue
Vol. 17, No. 2 (April 2026)
Pages
472–482
Article ID
2026V17N2084
ISSN
0976-8165

Open Access
CC BY 4.0
Crossref DOI

Open Access · CC BY 4.0 · Crossref DOI ·
the-criterion.com

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