The End of the Tether is the Polish-born British writer Joseph Conrad's novella masterpiece. This novella is first published in Blackwood Magazine. It tells a story about an old captain who refuses to escape, and sinks with the ship in order to obtain insurance compensation for his daughter. This work is a typical maritime literature, full of one's inner struggle and spiritual experience. The sea becomes a place to test human soul, like a mirror showing the character's complex mental state, and a test of people's moral position, showing the hero's existential crisis and his transformation. In addition, the work also reflects the consciousness of human age, the self-awareness and moral responsibility that associate with it.

《走投无路》是著名波兰裔英国作家约瑟夫·康拉德的中篇小说代表作之一。该文最早发表于《布莱克伍德杂志》，与《青春》和《黑暗的心》合为一体，成为一个广受读者欢迎的作品系列。作品的创作几经磨难，手稿后半部分曾经被意外烧毁，康拉德只得重新起笔。作品讲述了一位年老体迈、双目逐渐失明的老船长为了获得保险赔偿，给女儿带来更多财富，拒绝逃生，竟然与触礁的船一起沉入海底的故事。作品是典型的海洋文学作品，充满了人内心搏斗和心灵体验。大海成为了检验人的灵魂的场所，像一面镜子一样展示着人物复杂的心理状态，考验着人的道德立场，展示了主人公的存在危机和转型。此外，作品还体现了年龄意识，以及与之相关的自我意识和道德责任意识。