本文將東年海洋小說視為「臺灣現代性經驗」救贖文本，揭示臺灣現代性經驗中，現代性生存的殘酷與痛苦，並論述作家東年所提供的救贖之道。七○年代東年短篇海洋小說揭示臺灣現代性生存的真相，已達「人吃人」的駭人地步，現代人如無教養的野蠻人，生存目的僅為「活下去」。面對現代性生存危機，人類等待的救贖只在人永遠失去希望的時候到來。故等待是唯一的救贖。八○年代東年創作長篇海洋小說，進一步以「寓言」揭示並批判人類主觀之善惡皆是「幻覺」，然後以「死亡」抗拒道德善、惡予個體的束縛。從七○年代到八○年代，「大海」一直是東年海洋書寫「一以貫之」的意義──大海是東年書寫的起點與終點。東年創作的起初，乃希望藉書寫予殘酷人性「同情與諒解」，這同時也成為他海洋寓言書寫的終點。東年因大海而創作而存在──在現代性帶來的絕望中，以寓言／書寫寄予希望／同情與諒解。寓言／書寫，是最後的救贖。

This paper views Nian Dong’s ocean novels as the redemptive text for “modern experiences in Taiwan” to unravel the cruelty and pain of modern existence in modern experiences in Taiwan and further reviews the redeeming approach provided by writer, Nian Dong. The short stories in the ocean novels by Nian Dong in the 1970s reveal the truth, that modern existence in Taiwan has reached the frightening status of “people eating people.” Modern people resemble uncultivated barbarians whose purpose of existence is only “to live.” When faced with the crisis of modern existence, redemption that humanity awaits only comes after all hope is lost. Therefore, waiting is the only redemption. The long stories of the nineties ocean novels by Nian Dong exploit “fables” to unravel and criticize the subjective goodness and evil as perceived by human beings to be illusion. Afterwards, human beings use “death” to overcome the constraint on individuals imposed by moral goodness and evil. “Ocean” is the consistent theme used throughout the seventies and eighties by Nian Dong with it being the the author’s launching and concluding points. The initial works of Nian Dong intended to mitigate human crualty with compassion and understanding, which also serve as end points for his ocean fables. Nian Dong writes and exists for the ocean and in the face of desperation caused by modernity; he uses fables and other writing to inspire hope, compassion and understanding. Fables are his final redemption.