Symbolism In 'The Jeroboam's Story'

Melville uses many symbols and omens to add to Ahab’s monomania, but in chapter 71, “The Jeroboam’s Story”, he uses the story about a gam with the Jeroboam to reveal a prophecy that will end with Ahab’s doom. Through the gam, Melville introduces Gabriel, an archangel who takes over the Jeroboam. Gabriel prophesizes his own chief mate’s death when he “burned with ardor to encounter” and capture Moby Dick (344). Gabriel soon learns that Ahab’s chase is for the same White Whale that kills Macey and, therefore, prophesizes Ahab’s fate when he refuses to accept a letter for the late Macey because Ahab is heading in the same direction as him: “Nay, keep it thyself…thou art soon going that way” (346). Gabriel chooses to reject the letter because he
In chapter 100, Melville writes about a story of a gam between the Pequod and the Samuel Enderby. He introduces Ahab to Captain Boomer who both quickly connect with each other, due to them both having ivory legs from a tussle with the Moby Dick. Ahab’s monomania kicks in and makes him impatient to hear about the whale from the captain. Boomer talks about how after losing his leg to the White Whale the first time, he meets him twice after but believes that “he’s best let alone” (482). Captain Boomer knows that the whale can bring great glory to him, but he realizes that it is near impossible to catch the whale and it would most likely end with his death, which is why he believes the whale is best left alone. Melville’s diction in the above quote shows that Boomer refers to the whale as a “he” instead of “it”. Melville does this to show that although the whale is a marine animal, it is much more than that. Boomer recognizes that the whale is more than he will ever be and, therefore, is able to respect and fear “him”, which provides for the reasoning that it is “blasphemous” to seek revenge upon an animal that is of a purer, higher nature. However, Ahab does believe that the whale “should” be left alone, but “he will still be hunted…What is best left alone, that accursed thing is not always what least allures. He’s all a magnet!” (482) Although taking into consideration
He does not even fear his own death. In chapter 128, Melville uses a story about a gam between the Pequod and the Rachel to further emphasize Ahab’s life goal to revenge upon Moby Dick. Captain Gardiner pleads to Ahab for help to find his son, whose boat goes missing when hunting for Moby Dick a day ago. Ahab answers to the son-less father that he will not help: “Captain Gardiner, I will not do it. Even now I lose time” (579). Ahab worries about losing “precious” time, not about helping a grieving father find his son, who is lost to the same whale that he seeks. Ahab loses his paternal instincts to his obsession for Moby Dick. Ahab even goes as far to say that he loses time during their conversation, which is a rude statement to make to a grieving father who only asks for some assistance. The smallest of help would benefit the father, but Ahab chooses to argue that he loses time with every second he talks to the captain. Melville uses this rejection to clearly show that Ahab will not stop for anything that does not relate to his pursuit of the White Whale. Instead of helping the captain, Ahab takes advantage of learning that the Rachel saw Moby Dick a day ago and the direction they saw him. He does not want to waste any time. Melville uses the story of the gam, between the Pequod and the Rachel, to reveal that Ahab’s monomania and insanity have taken full control of