The Impossibility of Only One Meaning Existing. Herman Melville s Moby-Dick portrays the idea that holding a singular belief leads not

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1 Student 1 A Student Mr. Harris Period 1 15 December 2015 The Impossibility of Only One Meaning Existing Herman Melville s Moby-Dick portrays the idea that holding a singular belief leads not only to self-destruction, but sometimes the destruction of others. However, Ishmael s initial belief that he must go to the sea to escape civilization aids him in creating a new identity for himself, and actually finding comfort in the company of others. Melville explores the danger of applying one meaning to ideas that contain multiple meanings through Ahab s monomania and the interpretations of objects, while also examining how a singular belief can preserve individuality. Although Ahab isolates himself from humanity, and particularly his crew, he inculcates his revenge into the minds of everyone on the ship by using passion and force as methods of persuasion, and also by offering the gold doubloon as a reward for whoever spots Moby Dick first. Even Ishmael admits, Ahab s quenchless feud seemed mine I and all the others had taken our oaths of revenge, which foreshadows not only Ahab s destruction, but the Pequod s destruction as a whole by illustrating how easily the crew follows Ahab s plan (Melville 220). The sense of excitement that spurs from Ahab s zealous speech about Moby Dick provides a sense of unison among the crew, blinding them to the absurdity of the quest. Ahab acknowledges his madness, but attempts to sensibly approach it when he states, What I ve dared, I ve willed; and what I ve willed, I ll do! They think me mad Starbuck does; but I m demoniac, I am madness maddened! That wild madness

2 Student 2 that s only calm to comprehend itself! The prophecy was that I should be dismembered; and Aye! I lost this leg. I now prophesy that I will dismember my dismemberer. (Melville 208) Since Ahab still functions normally and thinks rationally while commanding the ship, the crew views him as sane, even though his obsession with Moby Dick indicates insanity. In order to maintain the trust of his crew, Ahab continues to ensure that regular whales are captured, therefore guaranteeing that nobody rebels against his quest, and unknowingly guaranteeing their destruction. Because of his monomaniac belief that he must pursue the White Whale, Ahab closes himself off to any other ideas that the crew may have, such as the interpretations of various symbols like the sighting of the squid, the doubloon, and the compass. After lowering the boats, Starbuck spots a giant squid, and the crew feels uneasy because squids are usually seen as a bad sign for whaling ships. By saying nothing, Ahab makes it clear that he wishes not to acknowledge the sight as a bad omen, and refuses to let anything or anyone stop him from chasing after Moby Dick. While pacing the quarter-deck, Ahab looks at the doubloon nailed to the mast-head, and explicates how he views the flame, tower, and the crow as representations of himself, and sees the coin reflecting himself back to him, signifying his belief that he is a godlike figure to whom the ship, crew, and Moby Dick are bound. Pip listens to the crew s interpretations, and then offers one of his own: Here s the ship s navel, this doubloon here, and they are all on fire to unscrew it. But, unscrew your navel, and what s the consequence? Then again, if it stays here, that is ugly too, for when aught s nailed to the mast it s a sign that things

3 Student 3 grow desperate. Ha, ha! old Ahab! the White Whale; he ll nail ye! This is a pine tree. My father, in old Tolland county, cut down a pine tree once, and found a silver ring grown over in it; some old darkey s wedding ring. How did it get there? And so they ll say in the resurrection, when they come to fish up this old mast, and find a doubloon lodged in it, with bedded oysters for the shaggy bark. ( ) Melville uses dramatic irony to add emphasis on the limit of knowledge among the crew members when they ignore Pip s warning, believing that he is insane. The ignorance of the men comes from their unwillingness to consider the interpretations of people who are different. Since Ahab usually functions regularly, the crew views him as normal, while Pip s madness occurs constantly; therefore, causing his ideas to be overlooked. After a storm occurs, the ship s compass needle is turned, and the crew believes it to be a bad omen for their voyage. Blinded by his insane determination, Ahab tells the crew, the thunder turned old Ahab s needles; but out of this bit of steel Ahab can make one of his own, that will point as true as any, implying that no compass can guide the Pequod better than Ahab himself (Melville 593). Ahab s ever-present drive to present himself as a higher force spurs from his desire for the universe to listen to and obey him, even after Moby Dick devours both his leg and his power. This desire causes him to dismiss any ideas that the crew may have, and further pushes the Pequod a step closer to its inevitable destruction. Along with Ahab, Melville presents Ishmael as somewhat monomaniac in the beginning of the novel, because of Ishmael s singular aspiration to create his own identity. When the narrator states, Call me Ishmael, he immediately implies that he wants to be in control of how others view him (Melville 27). He maintains a humorous tone throughout the first chapter, and

4 Student 4 weaves philosophical phrases into his narration, crafting a witty, intelligent persona for himself. Ishmael conveys that he would go to the sea in order to escape civilization and explore a new part of himself rather than commit suicide when he says, With a philosophical flourish Cato throws himself upon his sword; I quietly take to the ship (Melville 27). Ishmael spends a whole chapter trying to find a place to stay the night, which reflects how he is somewhat lost in the world, and trying to find himself. His random changes of subjects, and also his observational approaches to his surroundings, portray his inquisitiveness to understand the meaning to everything. After boarding the Pequod, Ishmael begins to spend more time around people, and becomes accustomed to their presence. He specifically shifts from rejecting company to enjoying it while squeezing the lumps of sperm, and exclaims, Squeeze! Come; let us squeeze hands all round; nay, let us all squeeze ourselves into each other; let us squeeze ourselves into the very milk and sperm of kindness (Melville 484). In this chapter, Ishmael discovers an appreciation for fellow men that had been completely absent before, and does not attempt to conceal the intense euphoria he feels while working alongside the men. He finds sanctuary among the crew, which contradicts his initial belief that he must be alone in order to maintain his independence. Melville not only reveals the danger of applying one meaning to various concepts, but confirms the impossibility of only one meaning existing. He uses Ahab s monomania and the closed minds of the crew as examples of how ignoring other people s ideas or interpretations can lead to destruction. Ishmael initially goes to the sea in order to create an escape from humanity, but discovers comfort amongst other men, signifying the benefit of being open-minded to something new. The conclusion of the novel portrays both Ahab and Ishmael as tragic heroes. While Ahab s fatal flaw reflects his belief that Moby Dick is more than just a dumb brute, and his monomaniac quest to hunt for the whale, Ishmael s fatal flaw pertains to his singular

5 Student 5 obsession that he must preserve his individuality in a world where he sometimes needs other people.

6 Student 6 Works Cited Melville, Herman. Moby-Dick. New York: Barnes & Noble, Print.