UNIVERSIDAD AUTONÓMA DE CHIAPAS

CAMPUS IV TAPACHULA
Por la conciencia de la necesidad de servir

licenciatura en Enseñanza del Ingles

Nombre: Andoni Domínguez Junco

Matricula: T20057

Actividad: Writing an Essay

Materia: Ingles Para Propositos

Academicos:Redaccion

Maestro(a): Miss, Gabriel Setsuko Nakamura

Roman

Fecha: 18/Noviembre/2022
Moby Dick Essay
The fundamental paradox that humans have been attempting to understand for
eons is that between good and evil and between life and death. Herman
Melville, an American author, examines this issue in his 19th-century book
Moby-Dick; or, The Whale. Because of the story's intricate scientific descriptions
of whaling, behavioral patterns of a whale as a specimen, and even its
classification, it is thought to be unique. Whaling, however, transcends
biological boundaries and represents enduring forces that perplex human minds
and hearts.
Ishmael, the story's narrator and a former sailor, intends to go whaling aboard a
certain ship. The man travels to Massachusetts and sleeps at a whalers' inn,
but it turns out to be full, so he is forced to share a home with Queequeg, an
eccentric but endearing native. Although Ishmael initially finds his roommate
repulsive, he quickly comes to appreciate and respect him, and the two men
decide to look for job on the whaling ship. The men set out for Nantucket after
being inspired by a shared concept, where they discovered the Pequod, an
unusually beautiful ship decorated with sperm whale teeth and bones. Ishmael
and Queequeg then meet the ship's captain, Ahab, and their exciting trip starts.
After Ahab first emerges on the deck, he announces his plans to hunt down and
kill Moby Dick, a terrifying white whale and a source of evil for which the captain
lost a leg. Ahab catches a few whales during their hunt, encounters other
whaling ship captains, and inquires about Moby Dick with them. The captain
once encounters Gabriel, a crazy prophet from the ship Jeroboam, who
foresees terrible outcomes for everyone who threatens Moby Dick.
As Ahab's thirst for retribution grows, the captain finally spots the famed whale
as the ship approaches the equator and makes preparations for the assault.
Moby Dick crushes Ahab's harpoon boat with just one blow. The captain attacks
again the following day and succeeds in harpooning the whale, but Moby Dick
still launches another attack.

The main theme

The unmistakable icon of tragic calamity, the white whale known as Moby Dick,
serves as an example of the novel's major theme—the inevitable course of
human fate. The massive beast is described as being a stunning shade of white
by the author, highlighting its majesty and terror. The color white in the book
denotes not only demise or interminable coldness, but also the absence of color
and nothingness. It is a common misconception that the color white represents
the absence of color, the intimidating void, where neither "good" nor "bad" exist.
Melville paints an immensely unrelenting picture of nothingness and universal
indifference without the use of any supernatural forces to determine whether or
not people live or die. By doing this, the author of the story acknowledges that
humanity is helpless against fate in addition to being weak in the face of the
largest void.
Nevertheless, despite the immense force of fate, some people go against the
grain of what they are capable of and strong in. The most iconic illustration of
this is Captain Ahab, who is overcome by his wrath.
The main characters
Ahab is a classic example of a man of strong principles. Ahab was an
experienced, mature sailor who dedicated his life to the sea and whaling,
leaving behind his family on land. The skipper comes across as a stern, in-
charge individual who scares the rest of the crew with his fascination with Moby
Dick. The captain, who is tenacious and committed to his goals, sees his
conflict with Moby Dick as a titanic struggle between good and evil. Starbuck,
the captain's main foe, tries to convince Ahab of the falsity of his intentions and
convince him that his plan to pursue Moby Dick was the result of his impulsivity.
Even if Starbuck is able to beat the fixated captain at the ideal time, he still
sticks behind Ahab.
Ishmael, the story's narrator, is a sailor who decided to embark on the
expedition on Pequod because of his love and yearning for the ocean. The man
is constantly witnessing various ethnic, racial, or cultural conflicts while
traveling. Ishmael may appear to be just a bystander, but in reality, he plays a
far more important role: he "is the essential figure governing the worldwide
diversity on board of Pequod, operating in effect as an instrument of Ahab's
dictatorial reign."

Personal opinion
Because all the issues are still relevant now despite historical changes, the
novel succeeds in covering the majority of the actual key concerns for the
nineteenth century. I believe that Melville pushes readers to look for answers to
important social problems like racism and tolerance. The author has persuaded
readers of humanity's flaws and instability because of individual crimes by
showing the effects of a few of the novel's scenarios.

Conclusion
A global symbol, Moby Dick, and its meaning, which is entirely subjective to
each individual, based on their perceptions and sentiments, serve as an
example of the novel's central idea. The work is transformed into an ongoing
examination of the basic structure of existence by the novel's sophisticated
interactions between the main characters, the ideas of eternal, uncontrollable
powers, and the indication of human powerlessness against harsh destiny.

References
Burnham, R. A. (2017). Reflections on the psychological aspects of Moby-Dick.
Psychological Perspectives, 60(4), 465-473.

Melville, H. (2019). Moby-Dick; or, the whale. New York, NY: Harper Press.

Phillips, C. N. (2018). Sacred uncertainty: Religious difference and the shape of

Melville’s career by Brian Yothers. Leviathan, 20(2), 112-115.

Rowe J.C., (2016). Moby-Dick and Globalization. In M. Graham & W. Raussert

(Eds.) Mobile and Entangled America (s) (pp. 321-336). Abington, UK:
Routledge.