Moby Dick, Or The Whale :: essays research papers

I. Author InformationHerman Melville, was born in 1819, in a very "good" neighborhood in New York. A. Many influences on Melville's works were European literature, experiences in his travels, and tragedy in his life. B. Melville was born into the time 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 journeys.II. SettingMoby Dick is set in a time when whaling was a very well 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 carpet bag on his shoulder at the shipping port of New Bedford, and finds a room at the Spouter Inn with a massive South Sea Islander named Queequeg. " What a pity they didn't stop up the chinks and the crannies though, and thrust in a little lint here and there. But it's too late to make any improvement's now. The universe is finished the copestone is on, and the chips were carted off 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 Captain of the Pequod, and he has sworn death on Moby Dick, the great white whale, whom left Ahab with only one leg. Emotionally and mentally Ahab is a scared man, from his last encounter with Moby Dick, he seemed like a man very determined 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 Melville's 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 Ishmal's talking of the whale, and Ahab's craving to put death to the great fish, the narrative hook is created.