Moby Dick ends with the unexpected death of everyone on the ship except Ishmael. Throughout the novel, the ship and its companions serve as a microcosm of the society that Melville can criticize. Each character represents certain qualities and ideals that Melville, in turn, judges. Ishmael's survival is an intrinsic statement of approval of his character. With all the other deaths, it's unclear what exactly makes Ishmael superior to the rest of the crew in character. If survival is Melville's seal of approval, it seems wrong that Ishmael should live; but after careful observation, it is clear that Ishmael is the only one who deserves this feat. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Ishmael's greatest trait is his incredible balance; it exemplifies many of the qualities we admire in others without being consumed by them. Additionally, he has the ability to maintain this balance while others cannot. Ahab, for example, has a strong understanding of fate, a quality that Melville obviously approves of. However, Ahab cannot think of anything other than his destiny and is enveloped by it in every aspect of his life. Likewise, Starbuck is noble and has clearly defined morals that he clings to. Yet these moral values ​​prevent him from doing what is best for his shipmates. When he has the opportunity to kill Ahab and thereby save everyone on the crew, he cannot do so because he finds it too reprehensible. Therefore, and because Starbuck cannot intervene, Ahab is doomed to succumb to his inevitable fate. What ultimately becomes clear as Melville's preferred way of being is a balance between these distinctive traits. In “The Albatross,” Melville expresses a belief that helps us understand that: “But in the pursuit of those distant mysteries of which we dream, or in the tormented pursuit of that demonic ghost which, one day or other, swims before all human hearts; in pursuing them across this round globe, they either lead us into sterile labyrinths or leave us submerged halfway (259). Melville believes that when we come to understand parts of ourselves through philosophy or experience, we find nothing new. Everything we discover was there all along. The human tendency, he suggests, is to go in search of ourselves. These kinds of difficulties are most often futile and always useless. His most important belief is that the means by which we discover our inner self do not change the outcome; what we find is the same. Implicitly, any philosophical ideal is only valuable to the extent that it helps us achieve our ultimate goal, that of self-discovery. Furthermore, philosophy and ideals are useless when they conflict with introspection and balance. Their sole purpose is to help us know ourselves better. In this respect, Ishmael is superior; he does not become entangled with any particular ideal, but uses each of them simply to support his most important introspective goal. He evolves into a more balanced and self-aware individual at the end of his journey. Ishmael is the only individual who undergoes a great change from the beginning to the end of the novel, while his comrades remain static and are therefore doomed. Ishmael begins his journey in a pitiful state, with no apparent purpose; he wanders alone on the island of Manhattan and seems very depressed. As pitiful as his condition is, Ishmael is certainly aware of his need for direction. In the first paragraph of the novel, he states thatwhenever he finds himself in such a deplorable state, “then [he] considers it high time to put to sea as soon as possible.” (3). This is the first of many instances in which Ishmael demonstrates his knowledge of his own limitations. Even though it will take him a considerable amount of time, Ishmael knows that he must remedy his wandering state. He believes that being alone in the vast ocean will give him time to think and find purpose. This will allow him to establish himself and find his place in society. Ishmael knows that the sea, as a vehicle for self-discovery, holds the cure to his illnesses. Ishmael actually finds himself wandering during the first weeks of his journey. He is impressed by the vast ship and spends time observing his comrades. His particular interest obviously lies in Ahab. Ishmael's first impressions of Ahab show us that he is attracted to Ahab's quirkiness and seeks to quantify and qualify what makes him different. "Ahab's sinister appearance so powerfully affected me, and the livid brain that coursed through him, that for the first few moments I barely noticed that much of this sinister authoritativeness was due to the leg white and barbaric on which he partly stood. .” (135). Because Ishmael is unsure of his position, he cannot truly understand himself. Instead, he craves to evaluate others. This problem is resolved once Ishmael becomes more comfortable in his surroundings, but he never truly escapes his fascination with Ahab. But after spending a considerable time aboard the ship, Ishmael finds his place among the crew. He begins to assert his role among the others and proclaims that he is one of them; “I, Ishmael, was part of this crew; my shots had increased with the rest; my oath had been welded to theirs... I and all the others had taken an oath of violence and vengeance. (194). At this point, the present-day Ishmael helps us reflect on his past and observe the change he has endured. He is no longer the uncertain stranger we are introduced to on the first page. He begins the novel by saying "Call me Ishmael", illustrating his hesitant state of mind. But here it seems that he is Ishmael, that he owns his name and that he is a member of society, comfortable in his own skin. His story is powerful and lively. He gleans a sense of understanding and determination from the other members of the crew and unites with them against their common enemy – Moby Dick. Ishmael is not an integral part of the group, but the security he gains from finding his place allows him to temporarily let go of some of his more difficult questions. He now feels like he has a purpose, and his introspective quest is subordinated to his position as a shipmate. He has not forgotten – and will never forget – the reasons why he decided to board the Pequod. But thanks to his new sense of belonging, Ishmaël no longer desperately seeks the answers to his life questions. Rather, with his time in high demand, he is comfortable letting himself be shaped by his experiences aboard the ship. Through the evolution of his friendship with Queequeg, Ishmael learns to understand and manage his fear of the unknown. When he first meets Queequeg, Ishmael admits that he is deeply frightened. He knows nothing about Queequeg except his reputation as a head peddler. Faced with his sudden presence in the middle of the night, Ishmael admits to having been deeply frightened. At the same time, he recognizes that “ignorance is the mother of fear” (24), recognizing its weakness. This statement, an obvious reflection of the current Ishmael on his past experiences, elucidates the change he is undergoing. He explains that because he knows nothing about Queequeg, he harbors unwarranted fear. But as the two learn toknow, it is clear that there is nothing to fear. On the boat, they spend a lot of time together. Ishmael learns from Queequeg on numerous occasions, such as when they sit metaphorically threading the strings of fate in "The Mat-Maker". Indeed, Queequeg is more of a role model than any other character in the novel. After this experience, Ishmael learns to model Queequeg feeling appropriate concern towards things worth fearing. The way Ishmael describes his reverence for the white whale comes from what Queequeg teaches him about nature. As he begins to understand the grandeur of nature, and all its creatures, Ishmael takes it upon himself to discover what is so terrible about the whale. This discovery is monumental for Ishmael as he delves deep into the thoughts of the human race – something he would never have attempted before his journey. He indicates that “there is still something elusive in the most intimate idea of ​​this hue, which strikes more panic in the soul than this redness which confronts blood”. (205). Obviously, there is something to fear in the whale. But instead of blindly calling it terrifying, Ishmael successfully explains why he should fear, respect, and revere the whale. Ishmael also learns to understand and respect what Queequeg reveres in nature. Ishmael's original perspective is limited only to how nature can help him become more introspective. His only aspiration for his trip is to benefit from the solidarity that Nature offers. Being on the water, with nothing left to distract him, will facilitate a better understanding of himself. In the chapter "The Masthead," when Ishmael stands one hundred and fifty feet above the ground, looking out to sea, he demonstrates his new perspective through a discussion of his position: There you are, one hundred feet above - above the silent decks, walking along the depths, as if the masts were gigantic stilts, while beneath you and between your legs, as it were, swim the most enormous monsters of the sea... lost in the infinite series of the sea, with nothing ruffled except the waves. The ship in trance rolls indolently; the sleepy trade winds blow; everything resolves you into languor. Most of the time, in this tropical whaling life, a sublime silence invades you; you hear no news; do not read newspapers; the extras with striking stories of commonplaces never deceive you… (169). When Ishmael depicts his feelings about his situation so high up on the masts, he displays a new sense of respect for nature. He describes the grandeur of the sea and its power to hypnotize him. We have the feeling that the difficulties of Ishmael's existence are trivialized by the power of Nature. But Ishmael does not seek to explain or control what he observes. He's not a great philosopher, and that's part of what makes him such an essential crew member. He does not overanalyze nature or seek to understand it, but is content to have gleaned this new perspective. This perspective is important in the development of Ishmael's story. He never forgets the respect he acquires for Nature with Queequeg as his guide. Even in the latter part of his journey, when he describes the fall from the greatness of the Pequod, he displays this understanding: "...then all fell away, and the great shroud of the sea rolled away as five thousand years ago years” (624). While the Pequod and its crew are swallowed up by a wave, Ismaël notices that the sea is not disturbed. As important as the fall of the Pequod is to some, it is inconsequential in light of the enormity of Nature. This is an observation that Ishmael could not have made before his journey, because he would have been caught up in themonstrosity of the disaster. But through Queequeg's understanding and sense of perspective, Ishmael is able to correctly and adequately place the fall from the Pequod's greatness within the larger scheme of events. Ishmael's understanding of fate and free will, and the roles each plays, evolves in light of these events. introspection. In the first chapter, Ishmael's statement "Who is not a slave?" shows that he feels subject to the wills of many different forces. He shows no discontent with his apparent inability to influence his fate; Instead, Ishmael tries to convince the reader that he has no free will and is, in fact, powerless. He said: “Even if they hit me and beat me, I have the satisfaction of knowing that everything is okay; that everyone is served in one way or another in much the same way…” (6). Ishmael justifies his slave mentality by suggesting that he resigns himself to being governed by his destiny. However, this reflects Ishmael's initial deplorable state more than his actual nature. Later, once he is more comfortably settled on the ship, he reveals a new perspective. He comes to understand that he is not powerless and that his choices can actually bring about change. Once aboard the Pequod, Ishmael's view of destiny changes dramatically, as he recognizes the power of his free will. In the chapter "The Mat-Maker", he and Queequeg weave the metaphorical threads of destiny. Here Ishmael displays a new perspective on destiny and free will, describing how they are intertwined: The straight chain of necessity, which must not be deviated from its ultimate course - each of its alternating vibrations, indeed, only tends towards that. ; free will is always free to shuttle its shuttle between given threads; and chance, though restrained in its play within the right lines of necessity, and laterally in its movements directed by free will, though so prescribed by both, chance reigns in turn over one or the other, and deals the final blow to events (234). Ishmael now recognizes that free will has a place in his destiny. Although its role is limited and limited by the works of chance and necessity, free will has some power over destiny. These proclamations radiate greater personal power than Ishmael originally led us to believe. But just after expressing these feelings, the "ball of free will falls" from his hands, at the sighting of the whale. Ultimately, even though Ishmael is not the whale's slave like Ahab, his life is still, to some extent, controlled by it. In light of such statements about the power of his choices, Ishmael appears to be remarkably passive. As one might expect, he does not actively seek to influence his destiny. It would be wise for Ishmael to become more active and involved in the life of the ship, but instead he continues to be the Ishmael we've always known. In "The First Lowering", Ishmael recounts the horror-filled scene of the crew's descent for a whale. “A brief rushing noise burst from the boat; it was Queequeg's dart iron...whipping them to the gunwale, we returned to our places. There we sat knee-deep in the sea, the water covering every rib and plank…” (244-245). Here again, Ishmael plays the role of the observer. His presence on the boat is not essential to the task at hand, as we see when it is Queequeg who takes risks to capture the whale. But here, Ishmael's role as observer is not only essential, but revealing of his balance. Although it seems that Ishmael is fully aware of his power to influence.