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Symbols In Herman Melville's Moby Dick

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Symbols In Herman Melville's Moby Dick
Symbolism is an important instrument in the orchestra known as literature. It usually is used by the author to indirectly evince a certain message. Herman Melville’s story has rendered a lot of famous symbols in American Literature. Though the symbols are well-known, they sometimes are seen as ambiguous, like the theme. In Melville’s Moby Dick, the primary symbols in the story are Father Mapple’s pulpit, which symbolizes that God himself pilots the ships at sea; Quee-Queg’s coffin, which represents hope and rebirth; and the white whale, which exemplifies the power that controls man. In Melville’s Moby Dick, one primary symbol in the story is Father Mapple’s pulpit, which symbolizes that God himself pilots the ships at sea. When Ishmael and Quee-Queg enter the Whaleman’s Chapel, the entire congregation is full of sailors, and the pastor, Father Mapple, was a former harpooner. Father Mapple’s homily seems to evoke the congregation’s thoughts about life and death at sea. The front of the pulpit has an angel of hope, and it’s blatantly obvious that the pulpit represents the leadership of the pastor. When Father Mapple is speaking, he talks …show more content…
It could be jealousy, greed, or even pride, but it’s clear that the power that controls Ahab is revenge. Moby Dick represents the revenge that Ahab refuses to never stop chasing. Since Ahab lost his leg to this whale, a person can understand the hate he has towards the creature, but it seems to go a little too far at certain times. When it was storming with almost no mercy, the winds almost tore up the ship’s sails, and Ahab still believed that they could push on. It’s to the point where everyone on the ship, with exception of Pip, thinks that the captain has gone insane. Ahab still believes that Moby Dick truly had sinister intentions, but perhaps it was just him all

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