Moby Dick
I. Biographical Insights
A. The culture this great author was a part of was the time in American history
where inspiring works of literature began to emerge. It was also a time when
American writers had not completely separated its literary heritage from Europe,
partly because there were successful literary genius' flourishing there.
B. Herman Melville was born on August 1, 1819, he was the son of Allan and Maria
Melville. During Herman's childhood he lived in the “good” neighborhoods of New
York City. In 1832 Herman suffered tragedy when his father died after trying to
cope with the stress of debts and misfortunes. After a short time in a business
house in New York City, Herman determined he needed to go to sea. He spent
years traveling on a variety of ships, including whaling ships.
C1. Melville's perspective on life is that God created the universe with an
infinite number of meanings and man is always trying to determine one specific
meaning.
D2. The “lessons” that Melville is likely to weave into his writing are 1. An
exposition on whales and the whaling industry. 2. A commentary on the universe
and human destiny. 3. Thoughts about God and Nature.
III. Characters
B. The protagonist in this book is Ishmael, a Christian, schoolteacher and part-
time sailor. Ishmael's role in the hunt for “Moby Dick” is to interpret what is
happening. He discusses his reasons for going to sea and interprets and looks
for understanding a number of reasons for any specific action where other
characters only understand one reason.
C. It is hard to say what changes take place in Ishmael's personality, since he
is the narrator he doesn't talk about himself, he only talks about what he sees.
D1. Ishmael befriends Queequeg who is a cannibal. Even though Queequeg is very
ugly Ishmael sees that Queequeg has an honest heart, great honor, and a lot of
courage. This friendship had a positive influence on Ishmael's behavior because
it taught him not to judge on outward appearances.
E2. Another relationship that was very short was the relationship between
Ishmael and Captain Ahab. For the first few days aboard the Pequod Ishmael
always saw Ahab in the shadows. When Ishmael finally saw Ahab he had shivers
run through his body. Ishmael felt Ahab's attitude of determination, dedication
and hatred towards “Moby Dick” in Ahab's appearance. This relationship was a
negative relationship because Ishmael now feared Ahab and did not want to
become friends with such an evil person.
F. The conflict that Ishmael experienced was that he saw how Ahab was such an
In this essay, the author
- Describes the time in american history in which this great author was a part of.
- Explains that b. herman melville was born on august 1, 1819, he was the son of allan and maria.
- Describes melville's "lessons" that he is likely to weave into his writing.
- Analyzes how ishmael's role in the hunt for "moby dick" is to interpret what is.
- Analyzes how ugly ishmael sees that queequeg has an honest heart, great honor, and a lot of respect.
- Opines that the jagged edge galls them so, their brain seems to beat.
- Explains that ideas are moby dick who is a symbol of all of the things in the universe.
- Opines that the meaning of any object lies in the beholder of the object and not its object.
- Explains that the literature he is referring to do not have name of the works but only the names of works.
- Opines that it's too late to make any changes.
- Opines that one can improve the present state of the universe once he has acted on his actions.
- Opines that it is difficult for the average man to comprehend. at best he can just figure it out.
- Explains that 's goal in this novel was to indicate the condition of the character.
- Analyzes how a man's decision once took him to the ocean.
- Narrates how herman decided he needed to go to sea after a short time in new york city.
- Analyzes how ishmael's personality changes, since he is the narrator, and doesn't talk about himself.
- Opines that ishmael's conflict was that he saw how ahab was such an evil man and was a good natured man.
- Opines that the iron crown of lombardy is too heavy that they wear. yet is it bright with many a gem; i, the wearer, see not its far flashings, but darkly fell.
- Analyzes how the details used to make us feel like we are watching a sunset are that the warm waves blush like wine.
- Analyzes how uses similes to compare the colored waves of the sunset to wine.
- Explains that the sea represents a man's life, it symbolizes the fears that he must overcome in life to gain fuller understanding of life.
- Opines that this novel has influenced their attitudes and beliefs on the destiny of man and has shown them that there is more than one view of every object.
- Opines that an adventure loving reader will read this book and focus on what went on rather than what the novel was trying to say.
Related
- analytical
- Melvilles Moby Dickanalytical essayMelvilles Moby Dick Melville was born in a time of American history where inspiring works of American literature began to emerge. It was also a time when America had not completely separated its literary heritage from Europe, partly because there were successful literary genius’ flourishing there. Melville proved to be a genius of his own, with his many works such as Moby Dick, Billy Bud, and Bartleby. Three distinct themes could be seen throughout most of his literature; whales and the whaling industry, commentary on the universe and human destiny, and ideas about God and nature. Moby Dick is an incredible work by Melville most often referred to as an epic, a tragedy, a novel, an exposition on the whaling, and a spiritual autobiography.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that melville's moby dick was born in a time when inspiring works of american literature began to emerge. three distinct themes were seen throughout most of his literature: whales and the whaling industry, commentary on the universe and human destiny.
- Explains that herman melville was born on august 1, 1819, to allan and maria. he was described as silent and slow; his mother thought him a dull child.
- Explains that melville's perspective on life was that god created the universe with an infinite number of meanings and man is always trying to determine one specific meaning.
- Analyzes how melville's work resembles this article, except the use of the name and basic idea. the reason for the transfer from mocha to moby is a mystery.
- Analyzes how melville rediscovered his lost buddy of the acushnet and fellow deserter on the marquesas, richard tobias greene, and began 'the story of toby'.
- Analyzes how ishmael's role in moby dick is to interpret the happenings about the pequod and its crew.
- Analyzes the symbolic relationship between ishmael and the pequod's captain, ahab, which was short.
- Analyzes how the harpooners wildly gesticulated with their huge pronged forks and dippers; the ship groaned and dived, and scornfully champed the white bone in her mouth and viciously spat round her on all sides.
- Compares melville's use of phrases and words such as "unholy," "huge pronged forks", "red hell" and "flames" to satan’s eternal fight for revenge against god
- Analyzes how melville's descriptions of nature have a romantic sense to them. the sea is vast, blue space in which the lives of the crew aboard the pequod.
- Opines that the iron crown of lombardy is too heavy that they wear.
- Explains that most objects, such as characters and settings, are representative of more symbolic meaning. moby dick is a symbol of all that is unattainable in the universe.
- Analyzes how melville's metaphors indicate the condition of man and about his uncertainty in the universe we live in.
- Analyzes how melville's goal was to indicate the condition of man and his uncertainty in the universe. he represented objects with ideas and beliefs of deeper meaning.
- Opines that an adventure loving reader will read this book and only focus on the action rather than what melville was trying to portray. moby dick can be significant to a reader seeking to know more about man’s relation to the universe.
1790 wordsRead More - Moby Dickanalytical essayMoby Dick is truly the main character of the book as the title shows. Although he is only in three chapters out of the whole, he takes on a big role to the crewmembers, especially Ahab. Firstly he becomes the focus of the whole whaling trip of the Peaquod. Moby Dick is not an ordinary whale. He has many features that set him apart. With his physical size and stature he towers over the sea, controlling everybody with fear. Other than the obvious physical obscurities, there are many symbols hidden in Melville’s whale. He has religious meaning, along with a national meaning, and an environmental meaning.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how moby dick is the main character of the book. he takes on a big role to the crewmembers, especially ahab.
- Analyzes how moby dick's color alone connects him to many things including religion. in christianity, white means pureness. ishmael describes the whiteness of the whale as the symbol of divine spotlessness.
- Analyzes how moby dick acts as an omniscient god of the seas. he leads the whalers in their search for spermaceti oil and has crazy powers that he used to kill everyone except ishmael.
- Analyzes how moby dick can take on both sides of each argument. captain ahab sees him as the reincarnation of evil.
- Analyzes how melville turned bad things into lessons. the peaquod represented america, and the darker skinned males were the harpooners.
- Analyzes how the peaquod followed on a destructive path towards moby dick. ahab refused to stop on his delirious mission and became to represent the doom of america.
- Analyzes how moby dick refuted transcendentalism, which claimed that all things were connected, but the relationship was nothing but pleasant. tv shows like whale wars harp on whale hunting and how it effects the species.
- Analyzes how melville uses moby dick to challenge views on different opinions about good vs evil, determination versus being content, nature vs humans. he plays on both sides of each opinion and floats back and forth.
1043 wordsRead More - Moby Dick: Culturally Aceptableanalytical essayContained in the text of Moby Dick, Herman Melville uses many widely cultural symbols, stories and actions to tell the tale of a whaling ship bent on the desires of its captains abhorrence for a real, and also symbolic, creature in the form of an albino sperm whale named Moby Dick. The time is 1851 and civil unrest is looming just over the horizon: slavery is the main point of interest in American politics, the last major novel released was The Scarlet Letter, Millard Fillmore becomes the 13th president following the untimely death of then president Zachary Taylor; the Fugitive Slave Act legally mandates all runaway slaves to be returned to their owners (regardless of what state in the union they were found); and religion is a driving force that defines both social and political actions. These among other things effected and determined the cultural climate of the United States found in Moby Dick. Herman Melville uses an isolated boat analogously to create and explore a microcosm of American culture and civilization. The story of Moby Dick is more than one of revenge, but an allegory of American culture and political unrest.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how melville's lessons in tolerance were perhaps ahead of their time to an american culture of 1851.
- Analyzes how melville, knowing how religious the populace of america was in 1851, used the same name when having elijah predict the doom of the pequod that is sailing under captain ahab.
- Analyzes how herman melville uses many widely cultural symbols, stories and actions to tell the tale of a whaling ship bent on the desires of its captains abhorrence for an albino sperm whale named moby dick.
- Analyzes how melville was known to respect and think in high regard to nathaniel hawthorne, who in 1850 released the scarlet letter. the dichotomy of the pequod's crew reflects how the american socio-economic structure was at this time.
- Analyzes how melville created an allegory for slavery, tolerance, leadership, and the political climate of america.
1943 wordsRead More - A Comparison Of Moy Dick And Moby Dickanalytical essayFrom Herman Melville you learn his unique writing style of a humorous and lighthearted book even though it digs deep into the problem of revenge. Melville was shamed for writing Moby Dick but as time grew people saw Moby Dick as a excellent novel. People say that Melville 's writing is confusing and hard to understand but if given enough time and concentration to read the book you get skills out of it as a better reader and a better writer. You would get a better understanding of his unique writing style and have a fun time reading it. The problem with Moby Dick being in the english process is that people are going to have to spend a huge amount of time of their class to read this book. If you wanna learn an important topic of revenge Moby Dick is the perfect book. Reading Moby Dick makes you feel like you are experiencing these scenes of intensity. The book is extremely hard to understand towards end and to other scenes but it will help to understand other books you will read in the future and increase how well you can write. This is why Moby Dick is one of the most well known,well written, and greatest novels made in America. Moby Dick teaches you about revenge, and improves your reading and writing. Moby Dick should be in the english learning
In this essay, the author
- Explains that moby dick is one of the greatest books written in american literature but herman melville was shamed for writing it and hated.
- Analyzes how ahab became a monster filled with one sole purpose of revenge to kill moby dick for destroying his leg.
- Analyzes how ahab doesn't know the difference in when to deal with his problems at his own time compared to forcing everyone to help him and disrespecting all of his crew
- Opines that herman melville's book should be used in the school learning process because it teaches you about a perfect theme called revenge.
1156 wordsRead More - The Manifestos Of Symbolism In Herman Melville's Moby Dickanalytical essayThe ocean not only engulfs two‑thirds of the earth but two‑thirds of Moby Dick; a literary space penned by Herman Melville which sweeps the reader in its ever‑elusive eddies of symbolic complexity. The symbolism in the novel ceaselessly ebbs and flows like the sea, submerging the reader into Melville’s imaginative sea voyage. This paper will examine the watery depths as a recognizable setting from the corporeal universe, further observing how Melville juxtaposes this element in such a peculiar way, that the reader has no choice but to abandon, “reason, tradition, belief, and rely solely on thought to interpret these images,” which accordingly creates an “opportunity for open imagination” (Glover, 2003:42) (Bachelard,1983: 22). From beginning
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how melville juxtaposes the watery depths as a recognizable setting from the corporeal universe with the intention of revealing him as proleptic surrealist.
- Opines that surrealism was a "phantom" of artistic expression in the twentieth century, yet many surrealists assert that there were many forerunners to this movement.
- Explains psychic automation in its pure state, by which one proposes to express—verbally, through the written word, or in any other manner—the actual functioning of thought.
- Analyzes how benton states that surrealism is not influenced by reason, but by imagination, the purest thought. wallace fowlie explains how surrealists experience inquietude, a french term roughly translated into english meaning "restlessness."
- Analyzes how melville illustrates the ocean through ishmael's perspective, where the watery expanse is anthropomorphized to "swallow up ships and crews."
- Describes the times of dreamy quietude, when one forgets the tiger heart that pants beneath it, and conceals a remorseless fang.
- Compares ishmael's description that the ocean has a “skin” to salvador dali’s painting, “dali at the age of six, watching the dog sleeping in its shadow.”
- Analyzes how the imagery in "the gilder" compares the gentle, subdued ocean to "hearth-stone cats" that purr upon the surface, yet beneath the skin, lies the heart, the core of the sea which is described as a tiger.
- Analyzes how melville's artistry is fantastically similar to surrealism, which was later found and explored in the twentieth century.
1851 wordsRead More - Reading Moby-Dick as Ethnic Allegoryanalytical essayMcIntosh, James. "The Mariner's Multiple Quest." New Essays on Moby-Dick or, the Whale. ed. Richard H. Brodhead. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1986.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes herman melville's unconventional portrayal of a non-white character, queequeg, which demonstrates his indecisive anxiety between an imagined fantasy of an alternative social reality and the historical reality of american westward expansionism.
- Analyzes how moby-dick illustrates and confronts the ways in which "white" america expresses a desire for hegemonic control.
- Analyzes how queequeg is introduced in the first fourth of the novel by ishmael, whose initial fascination with his seemingly cryptic actions and mannerisms soon develops into feelings of an ambiguously sexual/fraternal nature.
- Analyzes how the devil offered politely to yojo, but he never moved his lips. strange antics were accompanied by guttural noises from the devotee, who seemed to be praying in a singsong.
- Analyzes how ishmael senses the primitive unreadable tribal wisdom sought by and inherent in queequeg via this "pagan" enactment of devotion.
- Analyzes how melville's tactics to familiarize us with queequeg and his "strange" customs are undermined when, upon embarkation of the pequod, he virtually disappears from the narrative.
- Analyzes how queequeg used his coffin as a sea-chest, emptying into it his canvas bag of clothes, and carving the lid with all manner of grotesque figures and drawings.
- Analyzes how ishmael's decription of queequeg as "a riddle to unfold" recalls a lightly disguised version of an expansionist mentality.
- Analyzes how melville distinguishes between ishmael and queequeg's ethnic crewmembers.
- Analyzes how melville invites multiple interpretations of the pequod and its demise. james duban cross-reads it as both religious and political allegory.
- Analyzes how ishmael's expansionist mentality typifies the enthusiasm that fostered both the abuses of manifest destiny and the issue of whether to extend slavery
- Analyzes how duban sees "ishmael's expansionist mentality" allegorically illustrating the abuses incurred by the manifest destiny myth, mexican territorialism, and slavery, but his reading neglects melville'
- Proposes a reading that is slightly different from duban's but not entirely conflicting. on the sea, queequeg and the rest of the crew have been spatially removed.
- Analyzes how the final scene reveals a curious occurrence: ishmael, the lone survivor, is saved and resuscitated by queequeg's coffin.
- Recounts how they floated on a soft and dirge-like main, buoyed by the coffin lifebuoy and unharming sharks.
- Analyzes how queequeg's coffin, an ironic symbol of both death and life, is able to save ishmael from an almost-certain death. its strange powers even have a repellent effect on the sharks.
- Analyzes how the calmness and passivity embodied in the coffin offers an alternative ending in contrast to ahab's belligerence and ultimately violent death.
- Analyzes how melville posits queequeg as a potential "hero" figure despite the emphasis on his non-white, christian persona — his nonaggressive, spiritually placid demeanor takes on significance after being exposed to ahab's concentrated version of an epic hero.
- Analyzes how tashtego's nailing of the flag as the ship sinks illustrates a non-white character making the final gesture of valiance. his death is notably glorious.
- Narrates how the last whelmings intermixed themselves over the sunken head of the indian at the main-mast...the submerged savage kept his hammer frozen there.
- Analyzes how the triumph expressed in this scene bears resemblance to that of queequeg's coffin buoying up ishmael.
- Analyzes how melville's unconventional portrayal of queequeg, whose presence is crucial but inconsistent throughout the novel, indicates his unwillingness to pigeon-hole him as a novelistic convention or racial stereotype.
- Explains that berkhofer, robert f., the white man's indian: images of the american indian from columbus to the present.
- Describes brodhead's new essays on moby-dick or, the whale.
- Explains mcintosh, james, and brodhead's new essays on moby-dick or, the whale.
- Cites yarborough, richard, and eric sundquist in new essays on uncle tom's cabin.
2738 wordsRead More - Comparing Billy Budd and the Life of Melvilleanalytical essayPolitics were an important factor in the life of Herman Melville. Although he was known to never vote, he held tenaciously to his socio-political opinions. During that time, it was common for politics to be a big topic of family discussion as common political beliefs were strengtheners of the American family. Around then, major dissension existed between the Democrats and the Republicans. Also, families lived and behaved according to a particular faction's ideals. The Melville family generally shared the ...
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how billy budd depicts issues of importance to herman melville with direct and indirect parallels to the time of the civil war.
- Analyzes how melville lived a life that was inevitably centered around war and politics. his grandparents were fighters during the revolutionary war and he was of age 42 when the civil war erupted.
- Explains that politics was an important factor in the life of herman melville, who held tenaciously to his socio-political opinions.
- Explains that melville was a private and secretive man, which makes it difficult for researchers to define his political ideology. the majority of personal letters he received were thrown away.
- Analyzes how the civil war affected melville's political ideals and his internal religious struggle, which parallels the struggle depicted throughout billy budd.
- Analyzes how melville distrusted progress and wanted to hold on to the past. he enjoyed the days of the sailors and attempted to recreate them in his literary works.
- Analyzes how melville was impressed by general george brinton mcclellan's political character and heroic acts during the war. his charm and attractiveness made people follow and listen to him.
- Compares general morgan dix to billy budd and captain vere in melville's life. he used under-the-table influence to help him, but acted against him.
- Analyzes how william e. ormsby's persecution was a direct parallel to the trial and execution of billy budd
- Analyzes billy budd's analogy between a major theme of the story and the impact that the booth brothers hnd on melville.
- Analyzes how melville's depiction of good and evil stirred up thoughts in his imagination. billy budd portrayed the ideological struggle between evil and good.
- Analyzes how billy budd deals with the struggle between good and evil and how it relates to the war and politics of that time. melville was known for his ambiguous style of writing.
- Analyzes how melville uses satan as more than a mere symbol of evil. he personifies war through billy budd and the spirit of war that emerges during wartime.
- Analyzes how melville sympathized with slaves who were subject to the evils of slavery and did not condemn them for insubordination.
- Analyzes how captain vere reveals melville's resentment for those who observe and command their subordinates from a location too far away.
- Analyzes how herman melville's billy budd offers insightful thoughts about the struggle between good vs. evil, christ
1507 wordsRead More - Moby Dick Ahabyanalytical essayIn the book Moby Dick, written by Herman Melville, seizing the infamous whale, Moby Dick, because of its legendary and mythic attraction becomes a quest for the crew on the ship the “Pequod.” Ahab, the captain of the Pequod, dedicates his journey and crew to killing Moby Dick as he sees this whale as the embodiment of all evil on earth. Ahab becomes the grotesque of individualism, suffering from large degrees of Hubris and drags everyone else down with him. Moby Dick is ultimately a force representative of God or Ahab’s quest for revenge for having lost his leg to the whale. He recognizes this injury as a major conflict between him and nature, and devotes his life to killing the animal that imposed such a burden upon him and develops an obsession
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how ahab, the captain of the pequod, dedicates his journey and crew to killing moby dick as he sees this whale as the embodiment of all evil on earth.
328 wordsRead More - Masculinity in the Works of Herman Melvilleanalytical essayLaskowski, Gene L. Masculine Sentimentality in the Early Novels of Herman Melville. Diss. University of Michigan, 1993. Ann Arbor: University Microfilms International, 1993. Print.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how juniper ellis' "gendering melville" argues that not enough attention has been paid to masculinity in relation to other major features in nineteenth century america, including femininity, race, and class.
- Analyzes how melville's "a squeeze of the hand" offers subtle femininity and dual sexual description. he draws the reader to scenes of domesticity in the midst of this masculine sperm squeezing experience.
- Analyzes how ishmael's melting into the sperm transcends himself and is now projected by him onto the others.
- Analyzes how melville demonstrates that a nineteenth-century good, christian family man is not composed of solely masculinity.
- Argues that melville's seafaring episode suggests a patriarchal, anti-feminine approach that adheres to the nineteenth century separation of genders.
- Argues that melville's portrayal of masculinity is more diverse and inclusive to other, atypical male sentiments.
- Analyzes sarah wilson's essay "melville and the architecture of antebellum masculinity," which examines how physical space plays a role in the development of masculinity in melville’s characters.
- Explains that ellis, juniper, and laskowski, gene l. masculine sentimentality in the early novels of herman melville.
2437 wordsRead More - Moby Dick or White Whaleanalytical essayIshmael, the narrator, announces his intent to ship aboard a whaling vessel. He has made several voyages as a sailor but none as a whaler. He travels to New Bedford, Massachusetts, where he stays in a whalers’ inn. Since the inn is rather full, he has to share a bed with a harpooner from the South Pacific named Queequeg. At first repulsed by Queequeg’s strange habits and shocking appearance, Ishmael eventually comes to appreciate the man’s generosity and kind spirit, and the two decide to seek work on a whaling vessel together.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how ishmael, the narrator, announces his intent to ship aboard a whaling vessel.
- Describes how peleg and bildad secure work on the pequod, a savage-looking ship adorned with the bones and teeth of sperm whales.
- Describes how the pequod leaves nantucket on christmas day with a crew made up of men from many different countries and races. ahab announces his desire to pursue and kill moby dick, the legendary great white whale who took his leg.
- Describes how the pequod sails toward the southern tip of africa, where whales are sighted and unsuccessfully hunted. ahab hopes that their skills and fedallah's prophetic abilities will help him in his hunt for moby dick
- Narrates how the pequod enters the indian ocean and encounters other whaling vessels. ahab demands information about moby dick from their captains.
- Narrates how pip, the pequod's black cabin boy, jumps from a whaleboat and is left behind in the middle of the ocean. boomer, happy to have survived, cannot understand ahab’s lust for vengeance.
- Analyzes how ahab orders a harpoon forged in the expectation that he will encounter moby dick. the pequod kills several whales.
- Analyzes how a typhoon hits the pequod, illuminating it with electrical fire, but starbuck, the ship's first mate, considers killing ahab to end the mad quest.
- Narrates how ahab's fervent desire to find and destroy moby dick continues to intensify, and the mad pip is now his constant companion.
- Narrates how moby dick attacks ahab's harpoon boat, destroying it. the next day, the whale is attacked again, and fedallah is dragged overboard.
- Narrates how the boats are sent after moby dick, who rams the pequod and sinks it. ahab refuses to give up the chase.
1047 wordsRead More