Ahab's Pride

Moby Dick “Long days and nights we strained at the oars while a white whale swam freely on, widening the waters between himself and Ahab's vengeance,” Ishmael said describing the ships encounter with Moby Dick. Ahab is obsessed, to the point of being disturbed, with this unique white whale. Ahab showed much pride in their journey, something that could damage the crew easily. Ahab desires the ability to defeat the great whale, all seamen’s enemy, and become a more powerful God than it. Although Ahab is a legendary leader and hero, there is one flaw holding him back. Overconfidence, too much pride, leads him the wrong way. He defies common sense and believes that he can be like a god and ordain his will and resist the power of nature. Moby Dick is evil to him; on the other hand other men see Moby as a god. “That ain't no whale; that a great white god” Pip said, believing that Moby Dick was greater than Ahab could be. The idea on the ship grew to be that they were not killing a whale but instead were killing a god. His obsession and pride led to wicked things for Ahab, including physiological and physical issues. Starbuck said, “It’s late; you should turn in.” Ahab replied, “Sleep? That bed is a coffin, and those are winding sheets. I do not sleep, I die.” His pride and confidence
encourages him to lose sleep and starve himself, for a crazed obsession. To fight Moby Dick is what Ahab believed he was put in this world for.
He offers up his solid gold Spanish ounce to first person to spot Moby Dick. The crew realized soon that they are not returning home until either Moby has been killed or they have. Ahab realizes he has committed sin, which is always disobedience to God. “From hell's heart I stab at thee; for hate's sake I spit my last breath at thee. Ye damned whale.” Knowing that hell is in his future, Ahab cannot forgive the whale for what he has done to him. Moby Dick is a god and feared that God will hunt them all if they hunted Moby Dick to his death. These sins of Ahab in his search for vengeance led him to his early
death. Ahab’s obsession with the great white whale went along with the sins he committed. His biggest goal in this journey was to kill Moby Dick, no matter the cost. The eternal conflict between Moby Dick and Ahab was the reason Ahab put his life, and the crews, in jeopardy. Going to hell did not matter to him. Ahab was courageous for doing something no other captain would be because of the danger of the outcome. He wanted to be greater than the whale; greater than God, no matter the cost.