Customer Reviews

Moby Dick (American Short Stories)

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Pick your favorite Holy Book, say, the New Testament. What does it do? Why, it tells you how to gain happiness and eternal fulfillment, and illustrates the consequences of those who follow those rules. Yes, it examines the state of those who disobey, but its focus is on the reward for action.

Now look at Moby Dick. What does it do? Why, it tells you how to destroy your life. Page by excruciating page, it dissects and exposes the annihilation of Captain Ahab, a man destroyed not by a whale, but by his own consuming hatred and obsession for revenging himself upon his perceived "enemy". The final state of Ahab is no surprise; indeed, with his carcass lashed to the monster, Ahab merely assumes in reality the position he had occupied already for years.

Horrific and powerful. If the Bible doesn't convince you to return good for evil because it's the godly thing to do, perhaps Moby Dick will persuade you to abandon your revenge fantasies out of simple self-preservation

Captain Ahab sure could've benefitted from some of the principles of Taoism. His obsession with chasing and slaughtering Moby Dick offers readers great insights into the typical principles of Western European philosophy which Melville was undoubtedly criticizing in "Moby Dick". The author is warning the world of the destructiveness and insaneness of the search and conquer attitude that was so prevalent during his time. Whether through colonization or industrialization, Melville is forewarning the powerful nations of his time of their irrational and unnatural pursuits. Only when we achieve a sense of peace and harmony within ourselves and with nature, can we lead healthy and happy lives. If Captain Ahab had been one with Tao, he would have realized that the great white whale that took his leg, was only obeying it's natural instincts. He, and other whalers, were the ones violating the whale's natural habitat. The consequences of this battle with nature, as Taoists know, are destined to be dire. Unfortunately for Captain Ahab, he never learned or accepted these Taoist principles in his worldly travels.

Reading Moby Dick was like torture- I would have rather been writing a 500 page report. At least I could have written it on something interesting. Moby Dick is a 500 page account of the same whale, the same people, the same trip, and the EXACT SAME THING over and over again. I recommend this book if you have an incrediably boring life to begin with that couldn't get much worse and a lot of time on your hands.

Hello,I'm in grade 11 and for my english class I chose to read Moby Dick for my Idependant study,Well I must say it was a big mistake!I think that this book has a good story line,man goes to kill whale and stuff,but Melville did write whole chapeters about really boring stuff,like the sermon!Wow I must say if you like boring, this is your book!