MATT KISH’S “EVERY PAGE OF MOBY-DICK, ILLUSTRATED”: A

MULTIMODAL APPROACH
MARIA GIOVANNA CAMPOBASSO

Multimodal Communication. Volume 5, Issue 1, Pages 31–40, ISSN (Online) 2230-6587, ISSN (Print) 2230-6579, DOI:
10.1515/mc-2016-0004, May 2016

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this essay is to address the multimodal nature of Matt Kish’s project “Every Page of
Moby-Dick, Illustrated”, where Herman Melville’s 1851 masterpiece is set as paratext. Particular
focus is set on the portrayals of Captain Ahab, specifically “Page153”, “Page 465” and “Page 469”.
The basic theoretical framework has been offered by Alice Gibbons’ theorization of multimodal
cognitive poetics and Sigrid Norris’ systematization of multimodal (inter)action. Useful insight has
been lent by Sharon Cameron’s work on allegories of the body in Melville’s writing. The given
analysis aims to pinpoint the elements of innovation in Kish’s work with respect to the canonical
formal features of the illustrated book and renewing of literary classics in multimodal terms.

Keywords: Herman Melville; Moby Dick; Matt Kish; Every Page of Moby – Dick; Illustration;
American literature; multimodality; multimodal(inter)action analysis;