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FATE VS FREE WILL IN MOBY DICK

Fate is a questionable aspect in the manner it exists. Some individuals believe in it while

others do not. In Moby Dick Fate is seen as an idea that is common throughout the novel.

Additionally, fate plays a vital role when considering what type of novel Moby Dick is.

Melville is perceived as an emergence novelist because of the manner in which he attempts new

adventures without an objective. Unfavorably, he creates two main characters that are unlike him

in this novel. Ahab is portrayed as an emergence storyteller or a non-narrative foundationalist,

who just wants to reach at an end. Even though he writes using the emergence method, Melville

includes the notion of fate in this story, which he uses in a large way to play a part in the way he

thinks and develops the novel. Even though Moby Dick appears to be bewildered, fate is seen

as a theme and idea which Melville does not apply to confuse the readers. Instead, he uses

experience as his style of writing. Fate gives a suggestion that there exists an overall destiny or

purpose, while free will suggests that there is no purpose. This argument basically forms the

thesis of this paper.

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Fate vs Free Will in Moby Dick

Fate is often linked to the notion of an individuals free will. Melville repeatedly

represents two themes of fate and free will through the interaction between Queequeg and

Ishmael. Queequeg is displayed as a passive individual who allows Ishmael to make decisions

for the two men. Consequently, Ishmael seems to be in control of Queequegs destiny, whereby

in real sense neither of the two men has control of their destinies. A good example of a time

when Ishmael behaves like the controller of Queequegs destiny is when he forces Ishmael to

make a choice of the ship on which they were supposed to sail. When Ishmael heads to the

docks, he haphazardly picks the Pequod, having refused to pick two other ships mainly because

of their names. Ishmael somehow develops a feeling that the Peqoud is the best ship. It becomes

evident to the reader that fate is playing out in their lives.

Fate and free will are intertwined again in the novel whereby Queequeg is seen weaving a

mat, which makes Ishmael think. He begins to consider the manner in which free will can

determine the fate of human beings, in the same way that every weave in a mat fits with the ones

that surround it. Ahab seals his fate when he decides to hunt Moby Dick (Melville 68). The

journey is filled with bad omen all through the book, but he does not care much, he is controlled

by a force which is explicitly out of his control. This is the same case with Ishmael since he has

numerous bad omens in his life, yet he does not pay attention to them. This indicates that the two

men come to realize that even though they have a free will which gives them permission to make

choices in life, both of them are controlled by another larger force.

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Additionally, Captain Ahab is propelled by the notion of ultimate destiny. Ahab is

controlled by an aspect that he is unable to define or comprehend and therefore decides to refer

to it as fate. Ahab sets out on a mission to take vengeance on Moby Dick mainly because the

whale swallowed his leg. It appears that Ahab is made to stand up to gods together with his

injustice, and through this act, he determines his fate. Melville presents one of the biggest

questions in the book asking whether or not Ahab has been doomed from the beginning of

finding Moby Dick and getting destroyed by him (Rampersad 165), or the fact that he might

have chosen to be free at some point. Numerous chances are given for Ahab to change his mind

and turn back, from Rachel making pleas to him, to desperate reasoning by Starbuck. Together

with these opportunities, there is a notion of facing doom I the atmosphere from the very

beginning.

The reader is introduced to the idea of fate in the manner ideas about Ishmael and what

made him come to the sea and go whaling are presented. Ishmael is of the belief that the free will

of human beings exists, but it is evident that he is influenced by forces that are unseen. Initially,

Ishmael is convinced that his only wish was to have a view of the grandeur of whales and the

whole universe, but after all the occurrences in his life, he is of the belief that everything that

took place in his life was influenced by a greater force which is unknown. This can be perceived

as Ishmaels last choice in his life. He seemed like he was ready to take away his life through

committing suicide, but by the manner in which he had whaling been chosen for him or choosing

whaling, Ishmael brings himself to the end of his life in another way. No matter what choice he

makes, death is still upon him which is a confirmation that fate was already in control of his life.

Even before Ishmael had reached his ship, he is able to see Bulkington somewhere in the

Spouter-Inn. Even though he does not seem to realize it, Bulkington was bound to end up on the
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Pequod with Ishmael; already he was being fascinated in the ships fate which at that moment he

had not yet seen. This gives a suggestion that not only does Ishmael appear to be led by destiny,

but so are the souls of individuals who were supposed to be aboard the Pequod. The manner in

which lack of knowledge is displayed in this context about the power of fate which makes every

individual along their lives makes the reader to remember about Melville mainly because his life

is also being guided along by fateful moments, yet he attempts to write using an emergence style.

When Melville writes using an emergence style in the book Moby Dick yet includes much

detail about destiny, it is evident that he is displaying his real beliefs that fate is real and it exists.

Fate is so real that Melville is not able to escape it in his style of writing.

Religion is perceived to be a huge portion of the novel Moby Dick and together with

the numerous references to Christianity, there exists submissions about fate. The sermon given

by Father Mapple is among the largest insinuations to the fate that has afflicted the lives of every

individual in the novel. Father Mapple gives a discussion of the way that man is unable to defy

the will of God or escape Fate. Father Mapple gave an example that illustrated how Jonah in the

Bible attempted to run away from his fate, but is later swallowed by a whale. The sermon given

by Father Mapple relates to whaling and the notion that God uses a whale as a punishing force.

Since Christianity is mostly used throughout the novel, Melville brings out the theme of destiny

for more than one time thus grasping the attention of the reader.

The kind of fate which the men that are on the ship are being led to is clearly seen in the

novel at an early point. Prior to the moment when Ishmael leaves the town, he is imparted with

signs of disaster and death in every place that he visits. Between the gallows that had been

painted on the symbol of a particular inn found in the Nantucket, as well as the name Peter

Coffin it appeared to Ishmael as if there were bad signs in every place. Either he believed that the
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fate of Pequod had been decided already, or Ishmael was just perceiving these things mainly

because he was full of anxiety about embarking on his journey. Looking at it from a different

angle, it is possible to say that may be Ishmael wished to see death. The main reason for this

perception is because Ishmael was dealing with a portion of his life that was making him get

depressed and even though he is able to see the numerous signs of death brought to him, there is

nothing that seems to stop him from going on with his whaling expedition.

Conclusion

Melville is a writer who is creative in the way he adds deep ideas and humor to his work.

It is easy to point out that he issues which he puts across are difficult to recognize and

comprehend, but the theme of fate versus free will is clear in this book. He is convinced that free

will and fate can interact, but ultimately fate gets the upper hand. Most individuals develop many

notions in regards to life and death and this book illustrates that Melville is human. His notions

are just as confused as those of fellow human beings. He therefore attempts to get an answer as

to how free will and fate interact. In fact, he seems to have achieved it by showing the reader that

these two issues interact. Even though he jumps around in this book, Melville finally gives a

clear statement about death and life through his comparison between fate and free will.
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Works Cited

Melville, Herman, Specially adapted version by Shirley Bogart, and Illustrated by Rick

Whipple. Moby Dick. Peebles Press, 1931.

Rampersad, A. (1997). Shadow and Veil: Melville and Modern Black Consciousness. Bryant and

Milder, 162-77.