Moby Dick, Or The Whale :: essays research papers

I.     Author InformationHerman Melville, was born in 1819, in a very "good" neighborhood in forward-looking York. A. Many influences on Melvilles survives were European literature, experiences in his travels, and tragedy in his bearing. B. Melville was born into the beat when inspiring works of American literature began to emerge. Yet, European heritage in literature still had a strong hold on American writers of the time. C. Other contributions by Herman Melville were his narrative poems, and writings of other sea pilgrimages.II. SettingMoby peter is set in a time when whaling was a very closely known trade, it was made popular because of the dyer need for oil for lamps. A. The time of the journey was started on a cold December day, where he enters with a spread over bag on his shoulder at the shipping port of New Bedford, and finds a room at the Spouter Inn with a wide South Sea Islander named Queequeg. " What a pity they didnt stop up th e chinks and the crannies though, and thrust in a little lint here and there. But its withal late to make any improvements now. The universe is finished the copestone is on, and the chips were carted rack up a million years ago." B. The setting, over all, suggests a rustic, hard seamens life on the open ocean, it being very hard on a man, but very fulfilling.III. CharacterCharacters in this classic novel are very unique, in physical, emotional, and mental aspects. A. Ahab is a one-legged man, feared by most of the crew, he is the skipper of the Pequod, and he has sworn death on Moby Dick, the great white whale, whom odd Ahab with only one leg. Emotionally and mentally Ahab is a scared man, from his final stage encounter with Moby Dick, he seemed like a man very headstrong in his ways, willing full, and moody. B. The characters of this work have many impacts on the feelings in the book, Ahab is the strong force, while Ishmal, the narrator, is the understanding compassionate man of the Pequod. IV. PlotThe plot of Melvilles work is very distinguished in all perspectives of the novel. A. The exposition is set at the beginning when Ishmal sets forth on the journey on the whaling ship, the Pequod, with Captain Ahab. In Ishmals talking of the whale, and Ahabs craving to put death to the great fish, the narrative pawn is created.