Moby Dicks Symbolism Essay, Research Paper
Throughout the whole narrative the white giant is non merely depicted as a an unaccountable force of nature but is besides given an about godly quality, he is invariably compared to God, and as the people fear and revere God they besides fear Moby Dick and giants in general.The Whalers of the town see the giants non as thier quarries but they see them as thier advisaries.An advisary that peers and frequently times surpasses them in prowess.From the begining of the movie we are confronted with the image of the giant as the personificaion of power and strength, as Stubb says in the hostel & # 8220 ; If God where to be any fish he would be a whale. & # 8221 ; From this qoute entirely it is apparent that the giant holds a great trade of power.It is besides obvious that to face a giant is
much like facing mother nature or even God, in both state of affairss the odds are stacked to a great extent against you.
It is evident that Moby Dick is the personification of the wroth persistancy of the Omnipotent, If non anyplace else this is most evidently displayed through the crews reactions
to the giant, and the fabulous fables that arise about the whale.One of the first comments made about the giant is & # 8220 ; Aye, it was Moby Dick that tore my Body and psyche until they bled into each
other. & # 8221 ; This qoute, by Captain Ahab, describes the giant as non merely holding power to destruct in the physical kingdom but to besides to mame in the spirtual universe as well.The many scriptural allusions in the narrative reinforced the impression that Moby Dick is an instrument of God if non God himself. Ahab holding accepted the fact that the animal was much more than an animate being still persists in his pursuit for vengence, this changeless battle between Ahab and the giant is similar to adult males ongoing struggle with god.Like Ahab no affair how frequently or in what mode God makes his will cognize to us we ever seem to roll a manner from that.Here Ahab, or adult male, does non merely ignore the will God but he besides challenges it.Moby Dick stays true to the function of God, that is he merely alows you to withstand him for so long, befor
vitamin E exerting his power to destruct without compassion.
Although there is clearly many things comparing Moby Dick to a God there is besides a
rigorous contrast, Starbuck who is evidently a devoute Christian is the lone individual on the Peqod
that seems to believe that Moby Dick is nil more than a giant, he says, & # 8220 ; This giant is a dense beast who acts out of instict. & # 8221 ; Starbuck fails to see the power that most of the other crewmans believe the giant has.Consequently Starbuck besides seems to be the lone 1 on the ship that hasn & # 8217 ; t been tainted with the influence of paganism.Although the crew is largely made up of
Christians thier actions on the boat closely resemble that of polytheistic cultures.The blood curses that they take is a good illustration, demoing that they are more accepting of a giant being a God than merely merely an animal.Starbuck throughout the narrative ne’er doubts the fact that Moby Dick is merely a giant, which is apparent when he says, & # 8220 ; I do non fear Moby Dick I fear the wrath of God & # 8221 ; . Here Starbuck is stating that even though he doesn & # 8217 ; t believe that the giant is anything more than a giant he does believe that the Almighty may be utilizing Moby Dick as his vas and therefore by withstanding him they may be incuring the wrath of God.Another minute where Starbuck show his beliefs about the ocean trip is when he says, & # 8220 ; Do ye non see that by functioning Ahab we portion in his blasphemy. & # 8221 ; , stating that by obeying Ahab in his rebelliousness of God that the full
crew as insulted or aggravated God and by making so hold signed off thier psyches.
Although Moby Dick was viewed as God, an unstopable force of nature and as merely a giant it is evident that he represents more.He represents the unatainable aspriations of adult male, the founatin of young person that will do a adult male to purge his psyche and project away his humanity to accomplish it.But all actions that adult male does to accomplish it, they are all an exercising in futility.The simple fact is that in this life there are things that are meant for you and there are those things that aren & # 8217 ; t, and to try the immposible is alluring destiny.
