Moby Dick Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Moby Dick - Essay Example Conversely, Starbuck had morals which provided him with opposing strength and a more honorable downfall than Ahab. Both men had a few similarities and were faced with the same challenges in whaling, the absence and presence of morals led the men to deal with the situation in different ways, and ultimately to distinct conclusions. To elaborate the thesis, we can see many instances available in the text. In Chapter cxxvi The Life-Buoy, when they were on a voyage to a rocky island, 'the bodings of the crew were destined to receive a most plausible confirmation in the fate of one of their number that morning' (p.517), there is certain exposition of prospective event that signals something to happen in future. "Indeed, in some sort, they were not grieved at this event, at least as a portent; for they regarded it, not as a foreshadowing of evil in the future, but as the fulfillment of an evil already presaged. They declared that now they knew the reason of those wild shrieks they had heard the night before. But again the old Manxman said nay." (p.518) The scene is described 'as the unsetting polar star, which through the livelong, arctic, six months' night sustains its piercing, steady, central gaze; so Ahab's purpose now fixedly gleamed down upon the constant midnight of the gloomy crew.' Furthermore, they feel as if 'it domineered above them so, that all their bodings, doubts, misgivings, fears, were fain to hide beneath their souls, and not sprout forth a single spear or leaf.' (p.528) If viewed critically and analytically, it may be affirmed that "In this foreshadowing interval too, all humor, forced or natural, vanished. Stubb no more strove to raise a smile; Starbuck no more strove to check one. Alike, joy and sorrow, hope and fear, seemed ground to finest dust, and powdered, for the time, in the clamped mortar of Ahab's iron soul. Like machines, they dumbly moved about the deck, ever conscious that the old man's despot eye was on them." (p.528) Everyone starts off at a common point but takes off at different speeds and on different roads. Ahab and Starbuck were generally the same in basic aspects. First, both of the men had strong beliefs. Ahab believed Moby Dick was evil and was destined to die at his hands. This belief was so strong that it led to obsession and destruction. In a similar fashion, Starbuck's strong belief in God led to his destruction for it prevented him from making the decision to kill Ahab and prevented him from destroying the entire crew. Second, Ahab and Starbuck both had a family. Apart from all of their whaling, their wives and sons were patiently waiting at home for their husbands' return from the voyage. Third, they both shared a common love for the sea Although crazed; Ahab still loved the ocean that he spent much of his life in. He expressed his love for the sea several times on his final whaling voyage remarking that the it's beauty soothed him. Starbuck spent much of his life on the ocean as well and enjoyed its adventures and beauty. In Chapter xxvi, Knights And Squires, Starbuck even respected the sea inhabitants and he