Captivity In Daniel Quinn's Ishmael

Ishmael is a very captivating novel which teaches us valuable lessons about helping our environment. In our society, most people overlook how fundamental the environment is for our survival. The book explains how we can “save the world.” However, one should note that saving the world doesn’t necessarily mean being a superhero. We can save the world by just helping to preserve and protect the environment. The book also highlights the theme of captivity and how it is prevalent in every life form. The author, Daniel Quinn, explains captivity in a very unique way. By using a gorilla as a teacher, it gives us a different view of how we impact our planet. After reading Ishmael, it opened a whole new perspective of how I see the world. As soon as the novel begins, we are introduced to the concept of saving the environment. The book begins with the narrator explaining his life-long dream of helping the world. He says that the cultural revolution of the 1960’s contributed to his ambition. However, as time went on he

When Ishmael discusses his background story, he explains the three ways that he was kept in captivity: a zoo, a carnival, and a cage. As the lessons progressed, Ishmael revisits the theme of captivity. This time explaining the way humans are held captive. Ishmael suggests that people are held captives by Mother Culture. “You’re captives of a civilization system that more or less compels you to go on destroying the world in order to live. (25) As I read the novel, I started to question whether the decisions I made in life were influenced by society. Ever since we were children, we were told to attend the finest universities. It is considered as one of the most important step of our lives. But why is it that without college, we think we can’t get a job which would lead to financial issues when it comes to supporting our families. Is this influenced by Mother Culture? Is it truly what I