Melville and the Other
The relationship between Ishmael and Queequeg is one of the most interesting aspects of Moby Dick so far. Ishmael, although initially portrayed as Xenophobic, very quickly accepts Queequeg as his very close friend. I was actually surprised as first by how quickly Ishmael both began to question his own religion, and how quickly he came to the conclusion that Queequeg, although a foreigner, was still his fellow man. I am interested to see how their relationship progresses throughout the story. However, based on what we have read of Melville it doesn’t surprise me that he lets his main character come to the conclusion so quickly that the church and society may be wrong. In Typee, Tomo ends up being conflicted about leaving the cannibals behind; Benito Cereno, showcases blacks as being the masterminds behind a siege. Melville, in many of his stories and poems is very concerned about other cultures, and how they relate to and compare with his own western culture he was raised in. I’ve noticed many times that he question if western culture is actually any better than any other culture, and this question is very prevalent in Moby Dick. I am curious to see how Melville continues to use the relationship between these two men to explore this topic even further.