"Moby Dick" and the Concept of Fate

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the prevalent theme of fate in the novel "Moby Dick," by Herman Melville. The writer points out that the whale as a symbol of fate goes back to the story of Jonah and that the tradition of using nature as a symbol of fate started in the book of Job. Much of the symbolism in the novel is religious in character and the writer draws several parallels with the book of Job. The writer concludes that trying to distinguish good from evil and keeping faith in achieving the good even in the midst of unnecessary evil is what makes one human and makes life meaningful, and that this is the message of "Moby Dick."

From the Paper:

"One of the prevalent questions in the book is "what happens if Ahab actually catches the white whale? In this sense, if the whale was caught, Ahab's purpose of life would be accomplished, thus meaning his life would no longer have a purpose. However, the whale is not caught, thus showing that people in general always need something to reach for in life. Further, this concept of the unattainable white whale shows that a life goal can destroy one if it is allowed to take over all other worldly concerns. This occurs in the situation of Ahab and is symbolized in the book when he throws his pipe overboard, as the pipe symbolized happiness to Ahab."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Bloom, Harold. Moby Dick: Or, The Whale. New York: Chelsea House Publishers. 1986.
• Brodhead, Richard. New Essays on Moby-Dick. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1987.
• Davey, Michael J. A Routledge Literary Sourcebook on Herman Melville's Moby Dick. New York: Taylor & Francis, Inc. 2003.
• Higgins, Brian. Critical Essays on Herman Melville's Moby Dick. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, Inc. 1992.
• Melville, Herman. Moby-Dick. New York: Barnes & Noble Classics Series. 2003.

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