Moby Dick by Herman Melville - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 2 Words: 704 Downloads: 1 Date added: 2019/05/13 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: Moby Dick Essay Did you like this example? Herman Melville began working on his novel Moby Dick in 1850, intending to write a report about the whaling voyages. In Moby-Dick, the story revolves around young Ishmael. Ishmael sacrificed his life to find the whale who he lost his leg to. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Moby Dick by Herman Melville" essay for you Create order He forces his men to help find Moby Dick, the Great White Whale. He is hopeless to find him, because he is hoping to get revenge. Melvilles use of symbols like Moby Dick, Doubloon, and the coffin, helps the reader explore the theme of good vs evil. To do this he uses literary devices to accomplish the exploration of the theme. In the novel Melville uses a vast amount of symbols in search for a true explanation of good vs evil, his relationship and his fate with god. One symbol Melville uses, is Moby-Dick. The white whale is associated with the theme, good vs evil. In this case he would represent evil. The whale symbolizes opposition to Ahab and mystery. The whale may represent the limits of man to control this wildness of the natural world. One example of how the author uses Moby Dick as a symbol is when he says Its a white whale I say a white whale. Skin your eyes for him, men; look sharp for white water; if ye see but a bubble, sing out.(Melville). This quote shows that the captain wanted to get revenge to the Whale. To show how Ishmael will get revenge he uses foreshadowing. This indicates how he was planning on getting revenge. One other symbol used would be the doubloon. Ahab offers his crew members the reward of the doubloon if they spy Moby Dick. The doubloon, symbolizes the act of drawing everyone into the search of Moby Dick. By using this coin to get everyone into finding Moby Dick, it motivates them to all help for the search of the whale. The coin represents the stable center of the ship that endanger of being destroyed. During the story, Melville shows what he uses the coin for by saying I was one of that crew; my shouts had gone up with the rest;my oath had been welded with theirs; and stronger I shouted, and more did I hammer and clinch my oath, because of the dread in my soul, With greedy ears I learned the history of that murderous monster against whom I and all the others had taken our oath of violence and revenge(Melville). This shows that the crew members were eager to be the one to get the coin. Melvilles use of diction shows that he convinced his crew to help him get revenge on the white whale, which helps show the theme altogether. Along with the whale and coin, another symbol would be Queequegs coffin. This symbolizes life and death. Queequeg built the coffin when he is was ill, but when he recovers, he has no use for it, so it becomes a chest to hold his belongings and an emblem of his will to live. The coffin further comes to symbolize life. By the end of the story, the coffin is what keeps Ishmael the only one alive. Melville foreshadows imminent death for Ahab employing the coffin imagery. In the novel when it says,?I have forgotten to mention that, in many things, Queequeg placed great confidence in the excellence of Yojos judgment and surprising forecast of things; and cherished Yojo with considerable esteem, as a rather good sort of god (Melville). This shows that the theme good vs evil. Melville uses allusions to show how the coffin is a good thing in the novel, because its keeping people living. Moby Dick is a story of adventure and determination. To sum it all up, Ahabs obsession with the white whale to get revenge fails. To show good vs evil, Melville used literary devices to show symbolism. By using the whale, doubloon, and the coffin as symbols the reader was able to explore the theme, good vs evil. Although in the novel, the focus has been shifted to the dangers of seeing things from only one point of view and to the struggle between good and evil, we are able to understand the exploration of the theme.

Scarlet Letter by Nathanial Hawthorne - 890 Words

Imagine your inner soul trying to rip out of your body all tell people of all of your sins. Also, imagine your sin is floating around letting you see others sin. Finally, you are a product of sin, your life is full of evil, and torture. Until your sin is revealed by your unknown father. These events happened to the character in Nathaniel Hawthorns The Scarlett Letter. Their sin affects the way that these characters live. The Nature of sin can bring the worst and best out of people. Whether it is hidden or know, the sin can bring good and bad things to the people who have sinned. Dimmsdale’s sin was locked inside him, as he ended up breaking down and decoding sick, and then died after revealing his sin. Hester’s sin was know and she†¦show more content†¦Praised be his name! His will be done! Farewell! That final word came forth with the minister’s expiring breath.† (Scarlet Letter page 227-229.) Dimmsdale dies after he has revealed his se ven year old hidden sin because it over came him and killed him. The exact opposite of a hidden sin would be a known sin. Hester’s sin is known and she becomes a working part of society. Hester has acknowledged her sin and learned to live with it even though it was hard at first. She hot used to to and moved on to live a normal life. â€Å"When the young woman— the mother of this child—stood fully revealed before the crowd, it seemed to be her first impulse to clasp the infant close to her bosom; not so much by an impulse of motherly affection, as that she might thereby conceal a certain token.† (Scarlet Letter page 50.) Hester shows that she is uncomfortable with the A of her chest, so she tires to hide it, and for a while she becomes very haughty towards society. â€Å"The letter was the symbol of her calling. Such helpfulness was found in her—so much power to do, and power to sympathize—that many people refused to interpret the sca rlet A by its original signification. They said that is meant Abel, so strong was Hester Prynne, with a woman’s strength.† (Scarlet Letter page 110.) Hester is starting to become abel to do things by herself. â€Å"Hester Prynne went one day to the mansion of Governor Bellingham, with a pair of gloves whichShow MoreRelatedThe Scarlet Letter By Nathanial Hawthorne1074 Words   |  5 Pagesa young woman found guilty of adultery. She is required to wear a scarlet A on her dress to shame her. She must stand on the scaffold for three hours, to be exposed to public humiliation. As Hester approaches the scaffold, many of the women in the crowd are angered by her beauty and quiet dignity.† The Scarlet Letter written by Nathanial Hawthorne centers on sin, identity and society. The meaning of the A in the Scarlet Letter is meant to mean â€Å"Adulterer†. The meaning is not definite, the A meaningRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter, By Nathanial Hawthorne2079 Words   |  9 Pagesin today’s society, it was severely looked down upon in the 1800s. In The Scarlet Letter, Nathanial Hawthorne communicates the story of Hester Prynne, an adulteress. Hester Prynne lived in a Puritan Society in which women were held to high, difficult, and unjust standards by men. Evidently, she undergoes unusual punishments for her infidelities against her estranged husband. She forcibly wears an embroidered, scarlet letter A on her breast for the remainder of her life. Though physically benign, itsRead MoreSymbolism Of The Scarlet Letter By Nathanial Hawthorne881 Words   |  4 Pagesmany symbols throughout Nathanial Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter. The characters and many di fferent things throughout the book are all symbolic, but the main symbol in the novel is the letter â€Å"A† on Hester Prynne’s gown. Not only are there many symbols throughout the novel, but the letter â€Å"A† has many different representations of itself such as, adultery, which is the main symbol for the â€Å"A,† her ability to do things, and she is even referred to as an angel. The letter is meant to be a symbolRead MoreThe Influences of the Main Characters in The Scarlet Letter by Nathanial Hawthorne961 Words   |  4 PagesWho is Arthur Dimmsdale? Do we, as readers, ever fully understand the extent of Dimmsdale’s character provided to us by Nathaniel Hawthorne? In the novel, The Scarlet Letter, the on-the-surface themes of sin and suffering are very clear, but the development of the different characters and their own personal challenges plays a big factor (and maybe even the biggest factor) to the moral of the story rather than what is s hown in plain sight. There are three main characters that reflect the differentRead MoreAntifeminist and Feminism within The Scarlet Letter1388 Words   |  6 PagesAntifeminist and Feminism within The Scarlet Letter In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s â€Å"The Scarlet Letter† Hester Prynne is accused and convicted of adultery. During the puritan era women in this society had specific obligations and rights they had to maintain. By Hester having an affair and acting unladylike the community disapproved of her actions causing everyone to isolate her in her town. Due to Hester Prynne’s Isolation and the harsh judgment she received from everyone in her town, she goes throughRead MoreThe Novel The Scarlet Letter 893 Words   |  4 PagesThe Weight of a Name The Scarlet Letter is a timeless novel because of the timeless characters depicted in the piece. Each character was carefully constructed by Nathanial Hawthorne to represent a specific aspect of sin. He used these characters to tell a story that would translate how distorted the Puritans’ view of sin was. Not only did he thoughtfully plan the characters’ personalities, backgrounds, and beliefs out in order to convey this distortion of sin, but their names were carefully consideredRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter By Hugues Merle1580 Words   |  7 PagesThe Scarlet Letter (Figure 1) painted by Hugues Merle in 1861 depicts the novel The Scarlet Letter by Nathanial Hawthorne. Hester Prynne, an adulteress forced to wear the letter â€Å"A† upon her bosom forever, becomes an outcast from the community with her daughter, Pearl. Merle was often known for painting scenes of mothers and children. He illustrates the scene of Hester and Pearl sitting in the town square as part of her punishment. The townspeople walk by, pointing fingers and making shrewd remarksRead MoreSins inThe Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne Essay1517 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Be true! Be true! Be true! Show freely to the world, if not your worst, yet some trait whereby the worst may be inferred† (Hawthorne). As this sentence is read in the The Scarlet Letter, the reader will realize that the main theme of the book is the sentence above. Throughout the book, secret sin damages the lives, soul, and the integrity of the main characters. However, it could have easily been evaded through open confession of their sins. Nathaniel Hawthorne’s purpose in writing this novel isRead MoreEssay about Nathaniel Hawthornes Use of Symbolism482 Words   |  2 PagesNathaniel Hawthorne is a prominent writer who uses many different elements in his works. He uses elements such as symbolism, figurative language, metaphor, irony and etc. to make his work prominent. In the works by N athaniel Hawthorne, he uses symbols for secret sin in The Scarlet Letter, â€Å"The Minister’s Black Veil,† and â€Å"Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment.† As seen in The Scarlet letter, the symbol for secret sin is the Scarlet letter â€Å"A.† The â€Å"A† represents the sin in which Hester commits adultery withRead More Exposed Sin vs. Hidden Sin in the Scarlet Letter Essay633 Words   |  3 Pageshidden sin as related to The Scarlet Letter, and the effects it has on people. In Nathanial HawthorneÂ’s The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne represents the exposed sin while Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale and Roger Chillingworth represent the hidden sin. Hester PrynneÂ’s sin is exposed on the scaffold in front of the townspeople. For punishment she is made to wear the letter “A”, for adulteress, on her bosom. HesterÂ’s daughter, Pearl, is herself a symbol of the scarlet letter. Pearl is always seen with

The New Testament Times Free Essays

The Jewish religious world is considered to be one of the major themes during the New Testament times. In order to fully understand the New Testament, one must have a clearer understanding of what are the possible similarities or possible differences between the Jewish religious world and non-Jewish religious world during the time of Christ. The core focus during the instant of the Old Testament was the law and the covenant, but during the time of the New Testament, it was Jesus Christ. We will write a custom essay sample on The New Testament Times or any similar topic only for you Order Now Let us first consider the non-Jewish religious world as the Christian world. The main similarity between the Jews and the non-Jew, particularly the Christians, is that they believed in the same God and both groups have acknowledged the authority of the Old Testament. However, one of the main differences between the Jews and the Christians lies in each cluster’s perception of the â€Å"messiah†. It has been said that long before the time of Jesus Christ, most Jews have already hoped for the coming of the â€Å"messiah†, a powerful, successful conquering king from the blood lineage of King David. This king is said to be the one who would lead Israel to the peak of glory, with peace and victory all over the state. However, during Christ’s time, his disciples had already acclaimed Him as the â€Å"Messiah†. Consequently, Christians regarded the â€Å"messiah† as their means of spiritual salvation because of Christ’s nature as Son of God. Contrasting to what the Jews have believed, Christ had not lived to be a great political figure but a sacrificing, crucified individual who made radical statements, some of which is contradictory with the Jewish religious world. These radical statements lead to the acceptance of Gentiles or non-Jews into the community. Jesus taught that the basis for God’s acceptance is faith. The church embraces Jews and non-Jews alike. Conflicting with the idea, the Pharisees believed that God is particular with obedience of the law from the Old Testament. They supposed that the practice of high moral ideas will make them rightfully religious. Thus, they considered themselves as holier than non-Pharisees. During the New Testament times, Christianity spread to Asia Minor and Greece. The Jews also spread and had large populations in cities around the world. With the Christians and the Jews compared and contrasted, let us now consider the non-Jewish religious world as the Greco-Roman religious world, also during the same period. One great difference between the Jewish religious world and the Greco-Roman religious world is the number of gods in which each religious world recognizes. The Jews believed in only one God, the same God of the Christians. However, the Greek and the Romans have venerated a number of deities. The Greek and Roman religion is said to have merged during the time of the New Testament. This resulted to different cults with one god or goddess being patronized. Contradictory with the high moral standards of the Jewish religious world, these cults are said to conduct festivals in honor of their god or goddess in which they engage in â€Å"immoral† activities. The Cult of Attis, as an example, involves many orgies. Another example is the Cult of Bacchus in which its followers, during the festive days, engage in drunken frenzies to commemorate the gift of life. Reference: Grolier Encyclopedia of Knowledge. Vol. 3. USA: Grolier Incorporated. 2002. pp.102-106 Key Elements of the Background to the New Testament.   Available: May 6, 2006    How to cite The New Testament Times, Essay examples

Important Turning Points free essay sample

The revolution began as a disagreement over the manner in which Britain treated the colonies, in contrast to the way the colonies felt they should be treated. Colonists felt they deserved the same rights as the English; on the other hand, Britain viewed them as only created to benefit the crown and parliament. This conflict is best shown in one of the most commonly used terms of the American Revolution: No Taxation Without Representation. Beginning in 1756 and lasting until 1763, the French and Indian war was one of the most important turning points in pre-Revolutionary Americas relationship with Mother England. The war was a result of an Imperial struggle between the French and the British over colonial territory and wealth. These forces, the war can also be attributed to the localized rivalry between British and French colonists. Previous to the war, British Parliament passed the Act of 1696 and the Molasses act in 1733. We will write a custom essay sample on Important Turning Points or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Both of these taxes were viewed as acts solely to benefit Britains economy.Neither put a strain on the colonies economically, but both were despised because they represented another way in which Britain held power over the colonies. In 1734, newspaper publisher John Peter was arrested and accused of seditious libel by a royal governor. In 1735 was acquitted after his lawyer convinced the jury that truth is a defense against libel. This event gained the colonists a greater amount of free speech, and thus became less fearful of openly showing their feelings towards Britain.The American colonists were active In fighting against the French and aided Great Britain, even though they felt as though the war was not directly their own, Benjamin Franklin attempted to unify the colonies at a conference In Albany during the war. The Albany Plan was created during the conference, but the problem with the Plan was that the leadership community of the American colonies was small, government oriented, and conservative. The British were not willing to give up such control to their own colonists, so the Plan failed.However the politicians who met at the conference during the war networked, creating the bonds necessary for the American Constitution and Declaration of Independence. The British began to tighten their grip of the colon ists with the proclamation of 763, increasing the number of British troops in the colonies, as well as creating taxes for earning back large war debt accumulated during the war. The Proclamation dealt with the Indians by essentially Ignoring them; restricting ventures Into western territory east of the Appalachian Mountains.This act was Just another example of parliament the colonies. No longer did the colonists need protection from the French, so soldier presence was unnecessary, as well as the fact that it was not Britains paternalist government, which created a community for change in the American colonies. Both Common Sense and the Declaration of Independence in 1776 were important turning events in pre-Revolutionary Americas relationship with Mother England.Common Sense was published after the Boston Massacre of 1770 and during the American Revolution 1775-1783. In the Boston Massacre a mob harassed British soldiers and were then openly fired upon, killing three and wounding eight. This act marked one of the first physical confrontations of the war, and convinced many to want to part with Britain. By the time of the American Revolution occurred, all ties with Britain had been cut off, and open war had begun. Common Sense, by Thomas , was an instant best seller, both in the Colonies and in Europe.It brought blame for why the colonies had suffered directly upon the British monarch George Ill. It stirred the colonists to be patriots, and to hold strong and achieve independence. Many consider his work to have sparked the Revolution. Common Sense advocated for a declaration of independence, to show the obligations that America had to the rest of the world. Soon after the publication of Common Sense, Pains argument was followed up in the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration was formed through the connections made at the Albany conference and stressed many of the same ideals Pain had in Common Sense, but in a more official representative way. It declares America as an independent sovereign nation that had all equal rights and responsibilities. The Declaration resulted in the inevitable war with Britain, which upon winning, America was finally granted the independence that they had so long been fighting for.The American Revolution occurred because the colonies did not feel as though they were being treated as equals to their British counterparts. It did not occur from one specific instance, but through many over time. As a result of the French and Indian War the colonies began to feel an even greater sense of unequal treatment by the British. By the time Common Sense and the Declaration of Independence were published these ideas had increased ten fold marking each progressive event as a turning point in Americas dying relationship with the mother country.