Analysis of the Symbolism in Moby Dick

Moby dick is a realistic novel showing the conflict between human and nature.moby dick is entitled to the spirit of nature.

In this novel we may also notice that almost everything described in it has its symbolic meaning.in fact ,it is an encyclopaedia book about whale 共屈,but its meaning is more than this.Next, three crucial things will be analyzed from symbolism.

ⅠThree crucial symbolic meaning

1.The Symbolic meaning of Moby Dick?

Moby Dick is the White Whale绑谣, the world’s largest creature. Moby Dick has various symbolic meanings for various individuals.

Firstly,About character Ahab as the capital in this novel,most people acclaim that? the whale represents just evil. However,I consider? the white whale also a challenge for the Ahab apart that reason. Many hunters is aim to accumulation money,but Ahab's aim is to kill it. Indeed, in the novel the whale is described as a powerful , mysterious image of nature that is difficult to conquer. But the evil we said is not just totally in form. So, to some degree, the white whale is metaphor for the industrialization of the capitalism. on one hand , it shows the fear of author to the newborn capitalism, and the strength of capitalist social productivity. On the other hand拗引,it reflects his sympathy and concerns to the fate and terrible situations of people at that time.

Secondly,it symbolizes nature to human beings, for it is powerful, complex, mysterious, and dangerous.we can regard the conflict with white whale as the conflict with the real nature.Human being is the first one to be blame for the damage of the nature. It swims peacefully in the sea until disturbed by humans, then shows a terrible rage. Melville tries to convey to us such a faith: man cannot conquer nature. In order to live a better life, one must follow certain principles, rather than doing absurd things like Ahab, who only aim is to kill white whale. so when Ahab desperate to kill the white whale, the white whale also retort. Symbolically, this is punishment of the nature. Ahab’s plan make the tragic fate for himself and the crew of the vessels.As the saying goes:facts speak louder than words. A series example proved that while we are destroying? the order of the nature world, we are just seeking the destruction .

2.The Symbolic Meaning of Ahab

Ahab, the captain of the ship Pequod, is the other crucial character . Ahab is a typical “isolato”. He cuts himself off from his wife and kid to hunt Moby Dick which makes him loss his leg. He hates Moby Dick which is an embodiment of nature. After the loss of his pride in conflict with the white whale, he seems to undertake the work of evil in the universe.

The name Ahab in Moby Dick is symbolic and taken from the Bible, in which Ahab is described as a king who turns vile.

However, he is also a man dare to against the gods, against the old custom rules, a man fear nothing, never gives up, only aiming to defeat moby dick and he is an experienced sea captain. Having fight with the terrible sea for forty years, He has a noble soul, great and simple heart .

With the above analysis, Ahab's character is multiple, contradictory. This image of the symbolic meanings is also complex, vague, difficult to grasp .To him, good, evil coexist, and beauty and ugly exist side by side.

3.the symbolic meaning of Ishmael

Ishmael is school teacher and part-time sailor.He is influenced by calvinism. He describes such issues as free will. He is the sole survivor of the Pequod. He was controlled by a feeling of loneliness and estrangement, which is a common feeling between human and human, nature and soul, which is one of the themes of the novel. The author thought that in 19th century, American was under the control of such loneliness. So He escaped from his living environment and got on the Pequod just want to find a new life that could make him feel happy and fulfilled. In this voyage, he gradually knows the importance of love and friendship,through Ishmael借宵,he still hold the hope of human.

ⅡConclusion

Throughout the famous novel even though its structure seems chaos? , we may notice that almost everything described in it has its symbolic meaning. For instance, a pipe symbolizes pleasure, and a rope symbolizes unity and corporation. We may find many such images in the book, both people and objects. When analyzed from difference angle they can have different symbolize,which make the book more vivid and profound. The book does not only reveals the spirit and social reality of the 19th century,it also leads people to look forward to love and beauty. And the influence of the book is still far-reaching. The symbolic meanings are still worthy researching in today's society.

最后編輯于
?著作權(quán)歸作者所有,轉(zhuǎn)載或內(nèi)容合作請聯(lián)系作者
  • 序言:七十年代末,一起剝皮案震驚了整個濱河市矾削,隨后出現(xiàn)的幾起案子壤玫,更是在濱河造成了極大的恐慌,老刑警劉巖哼凯,帶你破解...
    沈念sama閱讀 218,451評論 6 506
  • 序言:濱河連續(xù)發(fā)生了三起死亡事件垦细,死亡現(xiàn)場離奇詭異,居然都是意外死亡挡逼,警方通過查閱死者的電腦和手機括改,發(fā)現(xiàn)死者居然都...
    沈念sama閱讀 93,172評論 3 394
  • 文/潘曉璐 我一進店門,熙熙樓的掌柜王于貴愁眉苦臉地迎上來家坎,“玉大人嘱能,你說我怎么就攤上這事∈瑁” “怎么了惹骂?”我有些...
    開封第一講書人閱讀 164,782評論 0 354
  • 文/不壞的土叔 我叫張陵,是天一觀的道長做瞪。 經(jīng)常有香客問我对粪,道長,這世上最難降的妖魔是什么装蓬? 我笑而不...
    開封第一講書人閱讀 58,709評論 1 294
  • 正文 為了忘掉前任著拭,我火速辦了婚禮,結(jié)果婚禮上牍帚,老公的妹妹穿的比我還像新娘儡遮。我一直安慰自己,他們只是感情好暗赶,可當我...
    茶點故事閱讀 67,733評論 6 392
  • 文/花漫 我一把揭開白布鄙币。 她就那樣靜靜地躺著,像睡著了一般蹂随。 火紅的嫁衣襯著肌膚如雪十嘿。 梳的紋絲不亂的頭發(fā)上,一...
    開封第一講書人閱讀 51,578評論 1 305
  • 那天岳锁,我揣著相機與錄音绩衷,去河邊找鬼。 笑死,一個胖子當著我的面吹牛唇聘,可吹牛的內(nèi)容都是我干的版姑。 我是一名探鬼主播柱搜,決...
    沈念sama閱讀 40,320評論 3 418
  • 文/蒼蘭香墨 我猛地睜開眼迟郎,長吁一口氣:“原來是場噩夢啊……” “哼!你這毒婦竟也來了聪蘸?” 一聲冷哼從身側(cè)響起宪肖,我...
    開封第一講書人閱讀 39,241評論 0 276
  • 序言:老撾萬榮一對情侶失蹤,失蹤者是張志新(化名)和其女友劉穎健爬,沒想到半個月后控乾,有當?shù)厝嗽跇淞掷锇l(fā)現(xiàn)了一具尸體,經(jīng)...
    沈念sama閱讀 45,686評論 1 314
  • 正文 獨居荒郊野嶺守林人離奇死亡娜遵,尸身上長有42處帶血的膿包…… 初始之章·張勛 以下內(nèi)容為張勛視角 年9月15日...
    茶點故事閱讀 37,878評論 3 336
  • 正文 我和宋清朗相戀三年蜕衡,在試婚紗的時候發(fā)現(xiàn)自己被綠了。 大學時的朋友給我發(fā)了我未婚夫和他白月光在一起吃飯的照片设拟。...
    茶點故事閱讀 39,992評論 1 348
  • 序言:一個原本活蹦亂跳的男人離奇死亡慨仿,死狀恐怖,靈堂內(nèi)的尸體忽然破棺而出纳胧,到底是詐尸還是另有隱情镰吆,我是刑警寧澤,帶...
    沈念sama閱讀 35,715評論 5 346
  • 正文 年R本政府宣布跑慕,位于F島的核電站万皿,受9級特大地震影響,放射性物質(zhì)發(fā)生泄漏核行。R本人自食惡果不足惜牢硅,卻給世界環(huán)境...
    茶點故事閱讀 41,336評論 3 330
  • 文/蒙蒙 一、第九天 我趴在偏房一處隱蔽的房頂上張望芝雪。 院中可真熱鬧唤衫,春花似錦、人聲如沸绵脯。這莊子的主人今日做“春日...
    開封第一講書人閱讀 31,912評論 0 22
  • 文/蒼蘭香墨 我抬頭看了看天上的太陽蛆挫。三九已至赃承,卻和暖如春,著一層夾襖步出監(jiān)牢的瞬間悴侵,已是汗流浹背瞧剖。 一陣腳步聲響...
    開封第一講書人閱讀 33,040評論 1 270
  • 我被黑心中介騙來泰國打工, 沒想到剛下飛機就差點兒被人妖公主榨干…… 1. 我叫王不留,地道東北人抓于。 一個月前我還...
    沈念sama閱讀 48,173評論 3 370
  • 正文 我出身青樓做粤,卻偏偏與公主長得像,于是被迫代替她去往敵國和親捉撮。 傳聞我的和親對象是個殘疾皇子怕品,可洞房花燭夜當晚...
    茶點故事閱讀 44,947評論 2 355

推薦閱讀更多精彩內(nèi)容