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3.4 AVERAGE
3.4 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
“A noble craft, but somehow a most melancholy! All noble things are touched with that.”
Obviously, everything that can be said about this book has been said about this book, but one thing that stood out to me more than the rest is how the names relate to their character. Ishmael has come to mean “God will hear” and become a name for the outsiders for no matter how far they run, god will hear. This relates to the character Ishmael by…. Then there is Ahab, who is misconstrued as the main character of the novel, despite not truly being so. Ahab is the name of a king, an evil king from biblical times said to have done more evil than any other man and was characterized off of vengeance and sin. Ahab in the book represents man’s moral reprehension and ability to become obsessed with his sins. A less important but still relevant character Elijah, who’s biblical connotation was to save people from Ahab’s sins, does effectively that in this novel warning off Ishmael from “selling his soul” to work with Ahab.
“For there is no quality in this world that is not what it is merely by contrast. Nothing exists in itself.”
As for the novel itself, I love Melville’s formalism and the use of his characters but they aren’t great characters save Ahab and Ishmael. This novel has always received some hate for the characters just being stand-in’s for humanity not real characters, and was exactly my experience. Not characters but simply pawns for a story. Some of the sections that are just love letters to whaling make this a very unique and sometimes difficult book to read. Ultimately, Melville uses this novel for a multitude of reason including using it as a love letter to whaling, making a biblical level analysis of man, and to make a contained analysis of the individual. Any novel that uses religion and religious themes to analyze man contrasted by the Bible is something that I want to read. Moby Dick is almost biblical in its own right and hard to deny its brilliance, yet on that same point its hard to say that I liked it. First 100-200 pages and the last 100 pages were impeccable, the middle was not so much.
“Yea, foolish mortals, Noah's flood is not yet subsided; two thirds of the fair world it yet covers.”
Obviously, everything that can be said about this book has been said about this book, but one thing that stood out to me more than the rest is how the names relate to their character. Ishmael has come to mean “God will hear” and become a name for the outsiders for no matter how far they run, god will hear. This relates to the character Ishmael by…. Then there is Ahab, who is misconstrued as the main character of the novel, despite not truly being so. Ahab is the name of a king, an evil king from biblical times said to have done more evil than any other man and was characterized off of vengeance and sin. Ahab in the book represents man’s moral reprehension and ability to become obsessed with his sins. A less important but still relevant character Elijah, who’s biblical connotation was to save people from Ahab’s sins, does effectively that in this novel warning off Ishmael from “selling his soul” to work with Ahab.
“For there is no quality in this world that is not what it is merely by contrast. Nothing exists in itself.”
As for the novel itself, I love Melville’s formalism and the use of his characters but they aren’t great characters save Ahab and Ishmael. This novel has always received some hate for the characters just being stand-in’s for humanity not real characters, and was exactly my experience. Not characters but simply pawns for a story. Some of the sections that are just love letters to whaling make this a very unique and sometimes difficult book to read. Ultimately, Melville uses this novel for a multitude of reason including using it as a love letter to whaling, making a biblical level analysis of man, and to make a contained analysis of the individual. Any novel that uses religion and religious themes to analyze man contrasted by the Bible is something that I want to read. Moby Dick is almost biblical in its own right and hard to deny its brilliance, yet on that same point its hard to say that I liked it. First 100-200 pages and the last 100 pages were impeccable, the middle was not so much.
“Yea, foolish mortals, Noah's flood is not yet subsided; two thirds of the fair world it yet covers.”
adventurous
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Really enjoyed this but also it was a massive slog to get through. Melville clearly has way too much he wants to tell people about whaling and it gets in the way of the plot. Glad I read it but definitely will not read again
adventurous
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
informative
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
informative
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
informative
slow-paced
Prior to reading Moby Dick, I had been told that this was a book that was 5% great novel and 95% whale blubber. Upon reading it, however, I found that the whale blubber was just as important to making this novel what it is. Using the device setting of a whaling vessel, Melville skillfully provides commentary on almost every issue of his day. He tackles imperialism, race, ethnocentric views of anthropology, education, economics, religion, and even contemporary marine biology to name a few.
While I have nothing but praise for these essays that form the intercalary chapters of this great American novel, I am less than awed by much of the symbolism that pervades the primary narrative. The countless memento mori are extremely contrived. Likewise, the monomaniacal nature of Ahab restricts his character to that of a madman. In contrast, the characters of Starbuck and Stubb with their rich personalities and distinct motivations provide life to the decks of Pequod. I do recommend this novel to anyone serious about studying American literature or literature in general.
While I have nothing but praise for these essays that form the intercalary chapters of this great American novel, I am less than awed by much of the symbolism that pervades the primary narrative. The countless memento mori are extremely contrived. Likewise, the monomaniacal nature of Ahab restricts his character to that of a madman. In contrast, the characters of Starbuck and Stubb with their rich personalities and distinct motivations provide life to the decks of Pequod. I do recommend this novel to anyone serious about studying American literature or literature in general.