Perspective on Religion Herman Melvilles Moby-Dick Essay

Perspective on Religion Herman Melvilles Moby-Dick A cornerstone of the philosophical and narrative substructure of Herman Melvilles Moby-Dick is point of view, or perspective. The textually primary point of view in the novel is Ishmaels, since he is the narrator of the story. However, Ishmael relates his story in such a way that one can easily detect numerous other voices, or other perspectives, in the story, which often oppose the narrators voice. These other, non-primary perspectives function both to establish Moby-Dick as a novel with numerous points of view and to clarify Ishmaels own particular point of view on certain subjects. For instance, in The Ramadan Ishmael attempts to convince Queequeg of the ridiculous and†¦show more content†¦Ishmael speaks also, but his voice, perhaps because it is primary and spread throughout the vast, ocean-like novel, often seems the most muted, the least detectable. Yet Ishmael has a clear and distinct perspective on religion that clearly and distinctly differs from the orthodox Christ ian perspective, from Queeguegs, and from his tragic Captain Ahabs perspective. Making use of the perspectival structure of the text, I aim to contrast Ishmaels unique religious perspective with these other implicit and explicit perspectives set forth in the text, and by this contrasting to ascertain a definite understanding of Ishmaels religion. The voice of Christian orthodoxy speaks loudly in Moby-Dick. Before one can consider this voice properly, however, one must understand that Ishrnael is not a Christian in any orthodox sense of the term. Ishmale twice states that, during the time of his sailing on the Pequod, he was a Christian. Early in the novel he says quite plainly, I was a good Christian; born and bred in the bosom of the infallible Presbyterian Church (57). Later in the novel, he refers to we good Presbyterian Christians (84). Carfeul mediation on these passages and others will lead one to the conclusion that Ishmael is being disingenuous when he refers to himself as a good Christian. It is obvious, first of all, that Ishmael is being ironic and sarcastic in the passages quoted above, as the tone and the context of the passages intimate. Note theShow MoreRelatedA Great Writer By Herman Melville904 Words   |  4 Pagesmost daring writers are able to break the threshold of humanity and ascend into the history b ooks. Growing up with two of the most influential grandfathers who were both Revolutionary heroes, Herman Melville grew into a great writer. Bankruptcy and the loss of his father at age 12 had such a big impact on Herman that he was taken out of school and forced to work. He self-taught himself and briefly went back to school to study Engineering (Reiff 9-11). During his early 20s, Melville was unable to getRead MoreIn the eyes of many his book is seen as a worldwide classic and according to Clark Davis’900 Words   |  4 Pagesaccording to Clark Davis’ composition he brings forth two important elements into his writing, his vivid imagination and philosophical sense. Another way Herman Melville grabs the audience’s eyes is by the way he clashes fact, fiction, and adventure into one piece of work. According to Lois Gordon author of another essay thinks the book Moby- Dick captures the religious side, in which no man can act out the distribution of good and evil (Gordon, 1). These two authors had both divergent and resemblingRead MoreMoby Dick, By John Steinbeck882 Words   |  4 PagesThis is exemplified in Moby dick, during which Ishmael goes on his long rant about different whales, â€Å"What am I that I should essay to hook the nose of this Leviathan! The awful tauntings in Job might well appeal to me. ‘Will he make a covenant with thee? Behold the hope of him is in vain!’ But I have swum through libraries and sailed through oceans; I have had to do with whales with these visible hands†(Melville ). This is Ishmael directly questioning his role when it comes to capturing the whaleRead MoreEssay on Melvilles Trimurti5531 Words   |  23 PagesMelvilles Trimurti Throughout Moby Dick, Herman Melville offers his reader a mà ©lange of foreign curiosities and exotic points of interest that add both depth and texture to the narrative. The abundance of such exotica, however, can prove overwhelming, and many of the novels briefly noted yet remarkably important cultural signposts get lost in the mix. Often overlooked, Melvilles use of Hindu imagery not only lends a sense of mysticism to the novel, but also helps to define the dynamicRead MoreEssay about Desire in Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick2921 Words   |  12 PagesDesire in Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick Moby-Dick describes the metamorphosis of character resulting from the archetypal night sea journey, a harrowing account of a withdrawal and a return. Thus Ishmael, the lone survivor of the Pequod disaster, requires three decades of voracious reading, spiritual meditation, and philosophical reflection before recounting his adventures aboard the ill-fated ship.1 His tale is astounding. With Lewis Mumford’s seminal study Herman Melville: A CriticalRead MoreMoby Dick, Sophies World, East of Eden2310 Words   |  10 Pageswill are hotly debated, drawing in heated discussions of religion, chance, and the extent of free will. While some believe we have a significant amount of control over our lives exercised through free will in our choices, others believe an entirely different power is at hand in controlling our lives. These issues often find themselves associated in literature, with examples such as John Steinbeck’s East of Eden, Herman Melville’s Moby Dick, and Jostein Gaarder’s Sophie’s World. Among these booksRead MoreMoby Dick : The Age Of Ecological Crisis3655 Words   |  15 PagesReading Moby-Dick in the Age of Ecological Crisis Within the relatively nascent tradition of ecological literary criticism, Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick has only recently begun to receive critical attention for its environmental themes and content, whereas the environmental movement has long celebrated his contemporaries Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau for their innumerable contributions towards developing an American literary tradition of environmentally centered writings (Schulz 97)Read MorePerception: the True Meaning of Identity1716 Words   |  7 Pageswere cast out of paradise for their betrayal. From a religious standpoint, admitting their sin was a step towards renewing God’s love for them and an acceptance into Heaven as their eternal paradise. According to Whitman, as well as the Christian religion, the children of Adam we are all born sinners. â€Å"To the garden, the world, anew ascending, Potent mates daughters, sons, preluding† (Bartleby). However, the vitality of embracing our faults and accepting that we are not perfect beings helps us discoverRead MoreRomanticism As A Source Of Spirituality1762 Words   |  8 Pagesturmoil. The United States was under Jacksonian Democracy as the American Romanticism began to flourish. Thus, a lot of the conflicts occurring at the time were the rapid industrialization (the necessity of farmers decreased), change in majority religion (immigrants brought Catholicism with them), and slave versus nonslave states (culminating into the American Civil War). Such conflicts and the emerging change brought about a level of influence in writers and artists of the time. What Is AffectedRead MoreThe History of American Literature3501 Words   |  15 Pagesreminders of great hunts or wars. If an entire tribe and all its descendants were killed off, the specific stories and history of that tribe would also be gone. Other tribes may speak of the first, but never in the same detail or with the same perspective as the original tribe members. Long before settlers arrived in America, explorers reported on their voyages to the continent. Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci provided some of the earliest European descriptions of the American continent

Nature Vs Nurture Essay - 1416 Words

Psychologically, nature can be termed as the genetic predispositions impact on human traits. Nurture on the other hand, refers to the influence that learning has on the behavior of persons. The influence of learning is exclusively obtained from the environment. Scholars and lay people continue to argue about whether the strengths and weaknesses of people are as a result of their inherited traits or the ones acquired through learning from the environment. Great social implications have been drawn from the results of this debate. These implications occur in the sense that the intelligence showcased by people depends on their acquired or learned traits. With respect to the inherited traits, there are various traits that are biologically†¦show more content†¦. Alleles are the different forms through which genes exist in the body (Nordrum and Amy 17). These alleles are normally located in an organism’s chromosomes. It is practically impossible to determine the set of allel es that are present in an organism’s chromosomes by simply looking at the outward appearance of that individual. This is the reason why I found it necessary to track down the allele abundance of the tall-height trait in our past generations. Before this current generation of my dad’s family, there were two other generations before. Of these two generations, the preceding one was characterized with the possession of the recessive allele, which contributed to members of the family having average heights. This allele then disappears and it is not present in the generation just before my father’s current generation. Funny thing is that it now emerges again through me in this current generation. As it can be expected, the explanation behind this occurrence constitutes complex biological understanding. However, there are theories and suggestions, which have been placed forward to explain how this happens. The first theory was developed by a scientist called Gregor Men dell. In his experiments, he used the breeding processes of pea. At the ends, he was able to come up with three principles of inheritance. These principles were able to offer anShow MoreRelatedNature vs. nurture Essay1322 Words   |  6 PagesNature vs. Nurture It is a matter of concern whether human behaviors and characteristics are determined by nature or nurture. If a person’s behavior is inherited directly from the genes of his/her parents or other biological factors, then it is the nature that determines his character. But if the environment that a person grew up in, affects his behavior, then it is the nurture that determines his/her character. It became a great matter of controversy among scientists, psychologists and sociologistsRead MoreNature Vs. Nurture Essay1612 Words   |  7 PagesNature vs. Nurture Essay Throughout many years, scientists have been debating about whether nature or nurture is the driving force that shapes a person’s cognitive abilities and personal traits. Before the ongoing debate can be explained, it is necessary to understand what nature and nurture actually are. Nature is loosely defined as the genetics one inherits and tendencies that influence development. Many things in an individual are hereditary, for instance; gender, disease, height, eye color,Read More Nature vs Nurture Essay804 Words   |  4 PagesNature vs Nurture In his book, the universally acclaimed and bestseller The Selfish Gene, Richard Dawkins presents his viewpoint that living organisms are but survival machines, that the individual [is a] selfish machine, programmed to do whatever is best for its gene as a whole. In fact, this is the central concept in his book that he brings across. An individuals behaviour and actions are 100% determined by its genes and the individual behaves in accordance to ensure the best persistenceRead More Nature vs Nurture Essay1585 Words   |  7 Pages Nature or Nurture? The Determination of Human Behaviour The nature versus nurture debate has spanned over decades, and is becoming more heated in the recent years. Following the mapping of the human genome, scientists are pursuing the possibility of controlling human behaviour such as homicidal tendencies or insanity through the manipulation of genes. Is this possible for us to ensure that humans behave in certain ways under certain circumstances in future? This is highly doubtful, as the determinationRead More Nature vs Nurture Essay570 Words   |  3 Pages Nature vs Nurture The issues pitting nature against nurture are exceptionally significant for the gamut of discoveries that attribute an increasing proportion of traits and behaviours to ones genetic makeup. The resulting variety of physical shortcomings and limitations in each person has, for centuries, been countered by endeavours to improve or interfere where necessary, and every individual is consequently the product of a delicate middle path of balance between the two. The importanceRead MoreNature vs. Nurture Essay794 Words   |  4 Pages Nature vs. Nurturenbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Through time, psychologists have argued over whether only our genes control our behaviors in life or if the environment and the people surrounding us have any effect in our lives. This is called nature versus nurture. We do not know what dictates our behavior, or if it is a combination of both. One question is, if genes control our behavior, are we really responsible for our actions? I think that if we can make choicesRead MoreNature Vs Nurture Essay882 Words   |  4 PagesNature vs Nurture The discussion about nature and nurture can be considered one of the oldest problems in psychology, the main question of which is: Are human traits present at birth or are they developing through experience? (Meyers, 2013). The natural side of the discussion asserts that the facial features and the way of their development strictly through DNA and genetics are transmitted by parents and grandparents. The nurture side of the debate argues that we are born with a clean list andRead MoreNature vs. Nurture Essay1250 Words   |  5 PagesNature vs Nurture   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For the past five weeks we have studied three different but influential people in our perspective on human nature class. They are Freud, Plato and Tzu. The main discussion between all of them is nature versus nurture. I will discuss the difference between nature and nurture and then I’ll apply to each of these philosophers and how they react to it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When looked up in the dictionary the term nature means the universe and its phenomena or one’s own character and temperamentRead More Nature vs Nurture Essay778 Words   |  4 PagesNature vs Nurture Most of us have an intuition that, although our genes provide advantages and constraints, we retain great control over our lives. However, we are developing a second, competing intuition that, like it or not, our genes determine our abilities, our preferences, and our emotions. We would like to think we are much more than the sum of our genes, but scientists have apparently demonstrated that our genes determine some of our most complex behavioral and cognitive characteristicsRead MoreEssay on Nature vs Nurture1052 Words   |  5 PagesNature vs. Nurture M. B. Liberty University Psychology 101 Nature vs. Nurture There has been extensive debate between scholars in the field of psychology surrounding the Nature vs. Nurture issue. Both nature and nurture determine who we are and neither is solely independent of the other. â€Å"As the area of a rectangle is determined by its length and its width, so do biology and experience together create us.†(Myers, 2008, p. 8) Carl Gustav Jung, and leading thinker and creator of analytical

Get Capone the Rise and Fall of America’s Most Wanted...

Get Capone: The Rise and Fall of America’s Most Wanted Gangster Al Capone. Everyone is bound to hear the name at least once in his or her life. The charming, broad smile, the greenish gray eyes, heavy set, and five foot ten and a half; a seemingly normal man. Until someone notices the scars. A faded purple, still fresh looking, Al Capone’s scars marred the normal face, they gave a glance into the life of the notorious gangster. But who was Mr. Alphonse â€Å"Scarface† Capone? One reporter comments, â€Å"†¦ Here is a man [Capone] who is an enigmatic, a man who nobody knows, not even his closest intimates.’† (Eig 198) What did the public think of â€Å"Scarface†? Katherine Geroud said, It is not because Capone is different that he takes the imagination;†¦show more content†¦The Prohibition law banned the consumption and manufacturing of alcohol. Bootlegging was the act of smuggling alcohol to different places and customers. †Å"Bootlegging offered a kind of dignity.† (Eig 9) With the help of the death of â€Å"Big Jim† Colosimo, Torrio became Chicago’s top gangster. By buying pieces of all sorts of businesses, illegal of course, Torrio and Capone soon controlled businesses all over Chicago, some being breweries. â€Å"Under the rules of Prohibition, brewers were still allowed to produce near beer, which contained only a minute concentration of alcohol†¦ beer without alcohol was about as marketable as candy without sugar.† (Eig 12-13) The illegal alcohol sold for more than fifty dollars a barrel with a profit of at least fifteen dollars. One freight car full was worth about $250,000 and that was just the profit! â€Å"History would remember them as warriors battling for the fat profits of Prohibition and the press would make them objects of affection. But when they set out in the bootlegging trade in the early 1920s, they were simply hoodlums.† (Eig 15) With the gang sters on the move towards the earnings from bootlegging, America was watching, all with baited breath. Competition in the bootlegging and gang business was fierce, and if you weren’t strong enough to survive, you were quickly and efficiently disposed of, thus the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre occurred. â€Å"†¦Inside a humdrum garage at 2122 North Clark Street, anShow MoreRelatedProhibition and the Rise of Organized Crime4837 Words   |  20 PagesProhibition and the Rise of Organized Crime Peter H. Mitchell Neumann University Thesis: Although prohibitions goal was to increase a sense of integrity in the United States, it encouraged normally law-abiding citizens to break the law, enabled the growth and influence of organized crime, and increased levels of corruption in government and law-enforcement. Outline: I. Introduction      A. Definition of Prohibition   Ã‚   B. Eighteenth Amendment   Ã‚   C. Medicinal Use D. Sacramental Use II. AffectsRead MoreThe Drug Of The United States2009 Words   |  9 Pagesdifficulty in that operation is known as â€Å"El Chapo†. Most underground drugs today come from a cartel in Mexico because the drugs are inexpensive (Schuppe). Throughout his life, Joaquin â€Å"El Chapo† Guzman Loera has smuggled over â€Å"one million pounds of narcotics† into the United States, and backboned the United States drug market (Ware). Joaquin Guzman had a hard beginning in life, starting with his struggling childhood, which influenced him to get involved in the drug trade and led to his control overRead MoreModern History.Hsc.2012 Essay25799 Words   |  104 PagesNavy sent a battleship group to Scapa Flow to join with the British Grand Fleet, destroyers to Queenstown, Ireland and submarines to help guard convoys. * Several regiments of U.S. Marines were also dispatched to France. The British and French wanted U.S. * Units used to reinforce their troops already on the battle lines and not waste scarce shipping on bringing over supplies. * The U.S. rejected the first proposition and accepted the second. General John J. Pershing, American Expeditionary

His first ball free essay sample

Wharepapa receives an invitation from the governor-general to their flash party. The reason behind me choosing the idea of Cultural Difference is because Tuta is a Maori boy and the governor-general is pakehas, so there is a lot of difference between a Pakehas and Maori apart from being human. The style, living, eating, drinking, manners and communicating skills are all going to be new and different to Tuta than his. He felt like his going to be left out and won’t have real fun because the government house and the people who are invited and are going to be so professional and well mannered, Tuta hesitated and got confused he didn’t whether to go to this party or not but than Tuta’s mother steps in and forces him to go because if he doesn’t go that be disrespectful towards the government house she said ‘’I had to it was too late to send back the invitation’’. He has to follow etiquette, which he disliked. QUESTION: 2 – How do you relate to a character/event/idea/setting in this text? Give your personal opinion of this character and reflect on why you think this: My personal opinion on this the short story, ‘’His First Bal’’ Is Cultural difference. Cultural differences are actually not a big deal, which makes it a big deal is the people themselves. Tuta is a free , enjoying and open person he doesn’t know what table manners are he doesn’t know what professional means cause he only know how to enjoy life openly. When he gets an invitation from the government house people around Tuta suggested him that he has to put his maori behaviour aside for a day and act like gentle man and act professional and bring in the maturity in him so this mean the way he sits and eat ‘’you sit down here and do what I do. Now take up the spoon. No not that one, that one, that’s for your soup, that’s for the first course’’. This is how much Tuta struggled to fit in to Pakehas surrounding and behaviour. Tuta wasn’t comfortable on what he was being put through because that wasn’t him but still he had to put all his uncomfortableness aside and keep up with the pakehas standard which was really difficult for him to cope. If I was put in to Tuta’s shoe I would have been in the same position or even worse because as for me I like to be myself rather than being fake and act plastic. I would like to be who iam not who people want me to be and that’s what Tuta Wharepapa was trying to explain to her mother and others but unfortunately he failed and had to keep it up with what he was told to. The point here is just being yourself people have to except you as you are. QUESTION: 3 Explain in detail how and how this text teachers you something about yourself/society/human nature/our world( historical or present day). What do you think is the writer/director’s purpose? ANSWER- The short story ‘’HIS FIRST BALL’’ actually teachers me a lot and by that I mean about culture and racism. This goes to everyone in the society, human nature and our world. How they pronounced Tuta’s name ‘MR SHIT’ that goes toward racism, because Tuta Wharepapa is a Maori name is it is difficult for pakeha’s to pronounce. I can relate to Tuta’s feelings because my name sounds easy but when someone’s reads out my name it’s hard for them to get the words right I don’t blame them for this even I do make mistakes getting the names right, that’s what happened to Tuta. The purpose of the director behind writing this short story. ‘’His First Ball’’ was to saw how and what are the difference between the two cultures are (maori and pakeha’s) . ow a maori boy Tuta Wharepapa was picked randomly and was invited to a party at government house , in this journey Tuta had to face some difficulty coping with the rules and regulation due to being a maori boy Tuta didn’t really liked the rules and regulation cause he was young wild and free He didn’t had fun but still he made the effort to stay back the party till it finishes it on that night he meets a girl who’s not enjoying the party as much as he’s not he goes up to her and made a convocation and they became friends and the party wasn’t that bad at all.. So what the write was trying to prove over here was that no matter what culture we all are in some point of time we have to face some difficulties and go through them , we have to step up stand out of our comfort zone and give it a go at something new and experience in Tuta’s case he had to experience new culture and manners and get to know how pakehas life are and get to meet new people and make new friends. QUESTION:4 –Why do toy recommend this text? add more details to your answer to question 3/ link to your experience and knowledge of the wider world in and insightful way by looking at a range of different ideas and context/connect, compare and contrast to other text you have read and/ or viewed ) I recommend this short story ‘’His First Ball’’ because the writer placed an interesting concept in front of us what his main idea concept was behind writing this short story and making sure it reaches out to people and communities. I really enjo yed reading this short story throughout the story I got to experience heaps which I wasn’t aware of. As learning about new culture and communities is not an easy task I have experience this as well in my life coming to New Zealand and living the life of a maori wasn’t actually a easy thing for a new comer and the expectations are always high from people but what wasn’t the deal but learned and gaining the knowledge about the maori culture was a hard thing for me their language and the way they pronounce words was difficult for me but as time went pass I get to know and learn heaps about cultures in New Zealand. That’s what happened with Tuta but he made through it and cooperated with the pakehas and their culture and manners , he did face some difficulties like when the man on the hall-way counter asks Tuta his name ‘’your name’’ after Tuta introduces himself the old man says ‘’Tuta Tookypocker’’, in Maori Tookypocker means ‘’shit’’ which was really inappropriate but then it wasn’t really the man’s fault as the old man introduces Tuta everybody in the hall including the governor-general dressed Tuta as ‘’Mr Tuta Tookypocker’’. I still remember in I once learnt in history that back in the days white people were so against black/brown people that they couldn’t stand seeing black/brown peoples face around their community. One day a guy name Nelson Mandela walked in to everyone’s life and changed the way of thinking and he did this by becoming the black president which changed peoples thought and it got easier on the brown/black people slowly as time pass by people got comfortable living around each other which leads us to this generation where everyone is well warmed by each-other. Racism is not the answer to everything, everyone deserves to be treated equal and given the same respect as others. Colour doesn’t makes any different after all we are all humans with the same feelings. I would say that people who still walking in the old path and carries racism along them needs to learn from kids and does not tend to have self-respect. ‘’ You should learn to respect yourself first then you will be able to respect others in your life. Once said by a legend.