The Theme Of Inevitability In Melvilles Moby Dick

Throughout the first chapter of Moby-Dick, a theme of inevitability is brought up time and time again. In a contest of free will and fate, it seems that fate has – and always will – win; this lack of control, though interestingly not viewed by Ishmael as distressing, sets the stage for future events. Melville spends most of his time in the first chapter having Ishmael describe the pull that water has on people. With claims like â€Å"posted†¦stand thousands upon thousands of mortal men fixed in ocean reveries† and â€Å"they must get just as nigh to the water as they possibly can without falling in,† it is clear that Ishmael is surrounded by people who are drawn to the water, whether those people are aware of it or not (Melville 18-19). He even†¦show more content†¦Perhaps more importantly, Ishmael attributes his voyage to a decision in the first place. However, Ishmael does not hold this opinion for long. By the end of the chapter – notably just a few pages later – Ishmael has a much more weighty opinion of his future journey, â€Å"Doubtless, my going on this whaling voyage, formed part of the grand programme of Providence that was drawn up a long time ago† (Melville 22). Although he initially thinks that going whaling was his o wn decision motivated by boredom, impoverishment, and depression, Ishmael now views his voyage as something that is fated by God. This is solidified by the fact that water is tied to creation and God to begin with, and much of the chapter is focused on water rather than God specifically. From the very beginning, Melville is tying his work to God and fate, which – to say the least – is very ambitious. Whatever expectations that Ishmael may have had for his journey, it seems that another, perhaps divine force, has other plans for him. It is clear from the very first chapter of Moby-Dick – aptly titled â€Å"Loomings,† which is a word that inspires a feeling of fear and smallness – the only appropriate expectations are that Ishmael is headedShow MoreRelatedMoby Dick and The Masque of the Red Death: True American Romanticism1226 Words   |  5 PagesMoby Dick and â€Å"The Masque of the Red Death†: True American Romanticism In society today, people tend to go with their feelings instead of reasoning or recalling situations to have happened to them before for insight. The reasoning behind this is due American Romanticism, created in 1800 and lasting through 1860. In this period literature, music, and art was created on how the writers and artists felt instead of logic and reasoning. American Romanticism is clearly shown in Herman Melville’s MobyRead MoreMoby Dick, By Ralph Melville1565 Words   |  7 Pages Throughout the overwhelmingly large novel Moby Dick, an intense usage of rhetoric can be found; however, only in a few instances do certain characters seem to be built on such language that their speeches compel people to act upon their word. If any character in particular stands out in this aspect, Ahab would prevail. Ahab’s artful use of rhetoric throughout Herman Melville’s Moby Dick, particularly when speaking to a crowd, causes him to attain what he desires as well as create poetic instancesRead MoreANALIZ TEXT INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS28843 Words   |  116 Pagesthis way serves to clarify its master. It is only fitting, therefore, that at Roderick’s death the melancholy House of Usher should collapse into â€Å"the deep and dank tarn†. 5. SETTING AS A MEANS OF REINFORCING THEME. Setting can also be used as a means of reinforcing and clarifying the themes of a novel or a short story. In Hardy’s Return of the Native, for example, Egdon Heath not only serves as antagonist and as a means of creating and sustaining atmosphere, but also as a way of illustrating Hardy’s