California Italian Studies

This article studies the fantastic interaction between human and non-human animals in Michele Mari’s novel La stiva e l’abisso. By doing so, it proposes an interpretation that contextualizes the novel as a fictional representation of autopoiesis, anthropocentrism and the post-human. More specifically, the essay isolates three main narrative devices that Mari’s novel employs: obsession, the fantastic mode and food consumption. Thus, it suggests a connection between narrative techniques and philosophical implications, while focusing on the transition from the literary portrayal of supernatural events to realistic concerns.