literary+element+paper

Trevor Yinger English Per.1 1/12/10

Moby Dick Literary Paper The story Moby Dick had three main characters, Ishmael, Queequeg, and Captain Ahab. Ishmael was a main character and was the __direct(author directly stated his character traits), round__ (shows many trait) and __dynamic(develops through the story)__ character. This character was young boy that was a fisherman that came from New York. He was the narrator throughout the story telling us what he saw and experienced. Queequeg on the other hand was a __flat, static__, and __indirect__ character. This man was a colored man that came from Africa. The author didn’t go into great detail about him and his background but he played a important role in this story. The one thing that he knew best was how to fish and how to get the great whale. Captain Ahab, the most important character, was __round__, __static__, __direct__, and __antagonist__ and __protagonist__. This outstanding and older fisherman we knew everything about his appearance and his abilities. He was in all the conflicts and also started some too. This old man stayed about the same through the story doing what he does best and being mean. Ahab always hobbled around on one leg because of Moby Dick and his close encounter where his leg was bite off. The __plot__ of this story was rather drug out til the end where everything started to happen. In the very beginning of the story Ishmael misses the boat and is forced to stay at a local hotel in Nantucket, MA. That night he found out he would be rooming with a colored guy named Queequeg that didn’t know how to speak English. The next morning they had breakfast and started to become friends once they realized that they would be boarding the same ship in a few hours. Once aboard the ship they got to know everyone and see where they would be staying but never saw the captain. Once they reached the warm waters off the African coast in the Indian Ocean they see Captain Ahab hobbling out on his wooden leg and says " fish on and get that dang Moby Dick." Once the fishing began the mats realized what the conditions were like and started to jump overboard. Also some got scared in a close encounter with Moby Dick so they jumped too. After being caught off guard Moby Dick swam under the ship, putting a whole in it and watched it sink and saw that Ahab died. The main __conflict__ in the story was one, there was a big storm about to hit and the captain wanted to catch Moby Dick. When they hear about the storm is about to hit some jump off the boat to try to get ashore while others try to anchor the boat down( __Person v. Nature__). The other conflict when they want to catch Moby Dick is __Person v. Nature__ too. This conflict was never solved but Moby Dick solved his conflict by damaging the boat and killing Ahab. The __point of view__ of this was first person. Ishmael was telling the story from his point of view and stating evidence on what he saw and what he did. He also uses a lot of quotes from other fisherman and uses the word "I" a lot. The __setting__ of this story is in the distant past in the Indian Ocean. It was in the middle of the summer which was why there was some bad storms the hit the whaling fleet. The setting of this story shows that they were not near the shore and what the conditions were like out on a boat in the ocean and there obstacles they have out there. The __theme__ of this story is treat everyone respectfully now because you might have to relay on them later in your life. If you were mean to someone in your younger days and you find out that they end up saving your life there could be some hard feelings between you and them for what you did, everyone remembers stuff that was said to them. Also in the story Captain Ahab was treating the fisherman with disrespect and when his life was on the line they did not help him because on how he treated them before the storm hit so they helped themselves and each other rather than him. The review of this novel was that the novel was interesting to read and I would recommend it to anyone. The two main points that I thought were good in the novel was the close encounter with Moby Dick because it added some drama to the story and it was a surprise to the reader as much as the sailors. Another point that was good is when all the sailors meet for the first time and seemed like they were going to be as close as family. This novel had more bad points then good, one was the captain and his attitude towards everyone and everything. Also the fisherman were jumping overboard for there lives. Finally when Moby Dick sank the ship and killed Captain Ahab (although he deserved it). My overall opinion of this story was it was a interesting story to read although it was longer than I thought it went pretty fast because I enjoyed what I was reading.