In literature, symbolism produces an impact by attaching additional meaning to an action, object, or name. Symbolism takes something actual and associates it with something else to change the meaning.
Repetition plays a significant role in literature, making symbols familiar and well-known to the reader. Common signs such as colors, animals, seasons, and weather are used repeatedly, enhancing the reader's knowledge and connection to the text.
In the novel “Moby Dick by Herman Melville, two interesting symbols, among many, in this novel were the ship’s captain, Ahab, and the Whale. To Ahab, the White Whale represents the power that limits and controls man. Ahab sees the whale as evil and something he has to conquer. Ahab perhaps saw himself as God-like. His nature was charismatic, but he seemed obsessed with the need for power over this whale. The name “Ahab” must have had a symbolic meaning for Melville because Ahab is named after the biblical story of Ahab in the Books of Kings 16:28–22:40, the evil idol-worshipping ruler.
"Moby-Dick” was named after a real-life whale called Mocha Dick, named after the Chilean island of Mocha, where sailors first encountered him. This real-life inspiration adds a layer of authenticity to the novel's symbolism.
The whale’s whiteness was another symbol used by the author, which was at least a symbol of fear and a metaphor for obsession. It served to focus on Ahab’s need to conquer. The choice of white as the color might imply purity or innocence, suggesting that Ahab’s focus was restoring justice through retribution, which he had made his lifetime task as the real evil. Whales tend to be light shades of dark grey, blue, brown, and black. Perhaps the symbolism in having the whale white justifies the hate because it is different.
Ahab’s chase across the oceans of the world isn’t just one of chasing a white whale but one of pursuing the symbolic God that the whale represents. This pursuit is not just a physical journey but a spiritual one, where Ahab is seeking to conquer the ultimate power, which he perceives the whale to embody.
Something that someone pursues obsessively and with little chance of success is what a white whale moment has come to mean. An example of this would be referring to a problem or something that will never get finished as our white whale.' white whale moment' has come to mean. An example of this would be referring to a problem or something that will never get finished as our 'white whale ', a reference that has become a part of popular culture due to the novel's enduring influence.
The story becomes a profound investigation into the meaning of life, inviting readers to delve into their own existential questions. A significant symbol used by the author was at least a symbol of fear and a metaphor for obsession. It served to underscore Ahab’s relentless need to conquer. The choice of white as the color might imply purity or innocence, suggesting that Ahab’s focus was on.
