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Whiteness of the Whale in “Moby-Dick” by Melville Research Paper

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Introduction

Moby-Dick is a novel written by Herman Melville, an outstanding American writer. In it, Ismael, the sailor of the whaler Pequod, describes the crew’s journey driven by his captain’s maniac desire to kill Moby-Dick, a white sperm whale. At the same time, the novel is a unique piece of literature as it is peculiar for its symbolism and the reflection of multiple themes, along with their various interpretations. In this paper, the concept of whiteness is analyzed with the use of the book’s chapter 42 and its representation in the modern world in relation to racial equality and discrimination. Regardless of color perceptions determined by past experience, culture, emotions, and individual features, whiteness is associated with the universal fear related to either the absence of meanings or the presence of multiple ones. In relation to discrimination, the focus on race-related superiority and the refusal of diversity lead to failure.

Discussion

In Moby-Dick, the concept of color perception is thoroughly analyzed through different characters’ attitudes to white as the color of the whale. For Ahab, the animal’s whiteness is associated with pure evil, and the caption is determined to revenge by killing it. However, the sailor Ishmael is not highly categorical, and in Chapter 42, the author describes his thoughts related to feelings evoked by Moby-Dick and the reasons for their appearance. In particular, Ishmael admits that “it was the whiteness of the whale that above all things appalled” him, causing overpowering and intense horror (Melville 1). At the same time, he reflects on different attitudes to whiteness by different cultures and nationalities throughout history. In particular, for him, “whiteness refiningly enhances beauty, as if imparting some special virtue of its own, as in marbles, japonicas, and pearls; and though various nations have in some way recognised a certain royal preeminence in this hue” (Melville 1). In addition, whiteness is traditionally associated with innocence, virginity, honor, respect, divinity, royalty, justice, and God’s power.

At the same time, despite positive connotations, whiteness may evoke negative associations. In particular, as Ishmael states, “for all these accumulated associations, with whatever is sweet, and honorable, and sublime, there yet lurks an elusive something in the innermost idea of this hue, which strikes more of panic to the soul than that redness which affrights in blood” (Melville 2). Thus, using the examples of the white shark and bear, the sailor supports his notion related to the feeling of terror that may be caused by their whiteness. Moreover, he states that similar animals of another color do not look so terrifying, and it is whiteness that makes them mysterious and malicious.

Indeed, Ishmael’s thoughts refer to color symbolism that may be regarded as the evolution of people’s psychological associations with particular colors under the influence of cultural norms and beliefs. Formed throughout the historical development of societies, these associations impact individuals and their perceptions of colors, which may drastically differ between cultures. For instance, while in Western cultures, white is the main color of brides’ dresses as the symbol of purity, in Eastern societies, it is associated with death and funerals (Jonauskaite et al. 6). At the same time, people’s perception of colors is formed on the basis of not only cultural and religious values and beliefs but emotions and life experience as well. Multiple studies are dedicated to the evaluation of potential relationships between colors, art, language, feelings, and sensations. For instance, according to Jonauskaite et al., “colors may become associated with emotions because they appear in particular emotional situations of evolutionary significance” (6). In turn, Whiteford et al. suggest that art, especially music, and color perception have similar emotional content within the framework of the emotional mediation hypothesis (2). In other words, people may associate music with particular colors when they both refer to the same feeling or events that evoke it.

At the same time, the connection between color perception and other factors is reflected in Ishmael’s thoughts. In particular, reflecting on the duality of whiteness, he states, “to the common apprehension, this phenomenon of whiteness is not confessed to be the prime agent in exaggerating the terror of objects otherwise terrible; nor to the unimaginative mind is there aught of terror in those appearances whose awfulness to another mind almost solely consists in this one phenomenon, especially when exhibited under any form at all approaching to muteness or universality” (Melville 8). In other words, people’s feelings of either magnificence or terror related to white are determined by their knowledge and experience that evoke emotions rather than color itself. In the same way, while Ahab is obsessed with his desire to kill the whale, it is probably not its color but its struggle with the captain that resulted in the latter’s lost leg that drives his hate and cruel intentions.

Admitting the possibility of this phenomenon, Ishmael nevertheless believes that the fear of whiteness is closely connected with people’s instincts and the inexplicable core of terror that impacts human nature. He knows that “in essence whiteness is not so much a color as the visible absence of color; and at the same time the concrete of all colors” (Melville 2). People are frightened by both the presence of multiple meanings in the universe and the absence of any at the same time.

In general, Moby-Dick is a novel that is peculiar due to its symbolism, multiple themes, and their various interpretations. One of its topics related to social sciences is racial theory and related racial inequities. Indeed, in Western cultures, especially in the period of colonization, the whiteness of people was associated with divinity, goodness, royalty, perfection, power, and superiority in comparison with the darkness of people of color. However, for the latter, whiteness was associated with death, terror, violence, despair, discrimination, and inequality determined by colonization. In Moby-Dick, this duality is reflected through the image of “the White Steed of the Prairies; a magnificent milk-white charger, largeeyed, small-headed, bluff-chested, and with the dignity of a thousand monarchs in his lofty, overscorning carriage” (Melville 5). For indigenous people, this symbol was associated with both trembling reverence and nameless terror at the same time.

Through the whiteness of the whale in relation to the human nation and people’s attitude to race, ethnicity, and cultures, the author presents two essential thoughts keeping the duality of this concept. On the one hand, assuming that white color is the absence of any color, Moby-Dick may be regarded as the symbol of humans’ fears related to the senseless of the universe and their existence in this world. In this case, the crew’s attempts to find and kill the whale represent people’s desire to make their lives meaningful through violence, discrimination, and hate. Along with religion and achievements in different spheres, these concepts aim to relieve people’s inexplicable and absorbing fear of their lives’ futility.

At the same time, concerning the idea that white comprises all colors, whiteness and its perception provide another meaning, especially in relation to racial equality. In particular, the novel aims to transmit the message of White superiority’s failure through the death of Ahab, who pursues it. In addition, the author presents the white whale as the symbol of diversity as multiple colors are united in one, and all people are the same regardless of their skin color. Therefore, the rejection and acceptance of this concept are represented through the characters’ fates. Thus, being inflexible in his perceptions, Ahab dies from the whale. In turn, Ismael, who reflects on the duality of whiteness, accepts the existence of different points of view and aims to explore the outside world through communication and interaction with others, is left unharmed (Ferrante 7). Thus, the focus on particular ideas, especially destructive ones, leads to failure, while the belief in people’s equality results in salvation.

Conclusion

To conclude, Moby-Dick is an outstanding novel peculiar for its symbolism and the interpretation of multiple ideas relevant to human society. The paper explores the concept of whites, how it is perceived in the book, and how it relates to racial inequality within the framework of modern social sciences. On the one hand, on the basis of color symbolism and emotional mediation hypothesis, colors are perceived by people on the basis of their cultural values and norms, associations with particular emotions, and past experiences. On the other hand, as an absence of colors and the presence of all colors at the same time, whiteness may evoke deep feelings that should be considered. In particular, it is associated with people’s equality regardless of their skin color, and the rejection of this notion leads to failure.

Works Cited

Ferrante, Catherine. ““Comprehensive, Combining, and Subtle”: Ishmael’s Philosophy of Connection in Melville’s Moby-Dick.” Meliora, vol. 1, no. 2, 2022, pp. 1-21. Web.

Jonauskaite, Domicele, et al. “.” Psychological Science, vol. 31, no. 10, 2020, pp. 1-88. Web.

Melville, Herman. Moby-Dick. Chapter 42: The Whiteness of the Whale. Richard Bently, 1851. Web.

Whiteford, Kelly L., et al. “.” i-Perception, vol. 9, no. 6, 2018, pp. 1-27. Web.

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