Herman Melville began working on this novel Moby Dick in 1850. In this book, Melville questions the relationship that man has with his universe, its destiny and its God. Ahab represents a human being composed of evil, when he decides to question God's destiny, and goes against God when he attempts to strike the whale Moby Dick. The whale in this novel represents God. Moby-Dick can teach you a lot if you can stay focused long enough. However, the most important lesson that can be learned from this work is not so difficult to understand. This lesson about this novel can be summed up in one sentence; Captain Ahab's mission leads him to death, just as Ishmael leads him to life, for when a man tries to discover his ultimate purpose on earth, and does so by going against God, it is a mission ruined because “what is seized is elusive”. In Ahab, a collection of critical essays by Harold Bloom, he mentions "Captain Ahab tried to master his obsession with death by confronting and defying his enemy...the remaining ritual of actions is clear in all its implications: Ahab will fight fire with fire, wickedness with wickedness, hatred with hatred. (19) » This lesson is represented by Ahab's strange obsession with killing the whale, Moby Dick, and Ishmael's itching desire to take to the sea, both men trying to find the truth. The two men have two different missions, go about it in two different ways, and ultimately have two different results. But what is the same about these two men is their desire to discover the truth. Ultimately, Ahab's mistakes lead him to death, while Ishmael leads him to life. Although the novel isn't trying to say that if you get too obsessed with an issue or problem in your life you'll die, it's just trying to say that. ..... middle of paper ......th end of the book as Ishmael compares himself to an orphan. Through the choice of name, Ishmael aligns himself with his biblical counterpart as an outcast and wanderer. Because this name also translates "God hears", it nevertheless suggests a sensitivity well suited to the role of observer and perception of the world and its inhabitants. In the first chapter he speaks of his own spiritual malaise and views his decision to become a sailor aboard a whaling ship as a kind of suicide, as he considers these men lost to the world. (53) The final question is which of the two missions of Ahab or Ishmael is the more significant of the two. Although most might say that Ishmael's mission to find his purpose in the universe and save his life is more meaningful, Ahab's mission gives more weight to this idea. Just because Ishmael survives doesn't mean he's the winner here...