Moby Dick Book Report
“The great whale”. “Moby Dick” written by Herman Melville, is a classical literary work described as unreadable but that is infinitely open to a reader’s interpretation and discovery. The novel is practically based on three themes that help to develop the plot and character’s development by, focusing on the limits of knowledge, the deceptiveness of fate, and the nature of whaling.
In the opening of the novel, the narrator offers a basic collection of literary excerpts mentioning whales. As the story progresses he tries to understand the nature of the whale. The narrator at certain times approaches the reader, and by showing the limits of human observations suggests the limitations of human knowledge. When it comes to Moby Dick the limitations show a significant difference.
Ishmael –the narrator- by using his narrative creates the impression that Pequod’s doom was inevitable. Some subordinate characters claim the ability to foresee the future but, a quantity of characteristics show that they’re actually deluding themselves in what they think is the work of fate or that fate is inexistent. As shown in chapter 99, many individuals interpret the doubloon in different ways according to how they want to interpret certain signs.
From first sight, the Pequod seems like an island of social equality in the midst of a racist structured world. The ship’s crew includes men form all over the world with different races that get along in harmony. However, the work of whaling parallels other activities such as, hunting, mining, and trade of slaves which are a characteristic of American and European territorial expansion. Each of the Pequod’s individuals, who are white, is dependent on a nonwhite harpooner, which perform the most dirty or dangerous jobs in the ship.
The novel “Moby Dick” is an example of a literary work that can be used to interpret significant themes that are still shown in the everyday life.