Symbolism in moby dick

This is a sample essay on the symbolism in Melville's Moby Dick. Each character will be discussed and what each name represents. This is a research paper about symbolism of the major characters in Herman Melville's Moby Dick or allusions of the major characters:

• Ishmael
• Capt Ahab
• The Whale

The thesis statement for the essay must be at end of the intro paragraph and must be used either argumentative or in survey thesis method (examples further below). Make sure to include the author and title of the book in the intro paragraph. Conclusion needs to restate the thesis, though not word for word.

Melville's Symbolism

Herman Melville wrote more than just Moby-Dick. His stories Bartleby the Scrivener and Benito Cereno are wonderful in their own right. In Bartleby, the repetition of the phrase I'd rather not, drives home the point of a man caught between the walls of bleakness. As Bartleby sits and stares at the black wall out of his cubicle, he realizes that his life is not worth living. The wall symbolizes the oppressive weight that crushes down upon his spirit, leaving him with little desire but to give up everything and wish for death. Benito Cereno is another example of Melville capturing his America in microcosm. Melville explores the relationship between good and evil as he would in Moby Dick, exploring in Cereno the idea that goodness will find a way to triumph, but may not always be a lasting victory. Cereno's death remains an ambiguous commentary on one man's actions toward inspiring evil.