On Chapter 108, it is again written in a style of a play. Captain Ahab and the carpenter are having a conversation regarding the captain’s leg. I believe the author’s intention for this sudden change of the style of writing is to help the reader comprehend how each character reacts to a certain situation. In this situation, Captain Ahab is abusing the carpenter and makes a long dialogue about his suffering of having a “ghost” leg. As soon as the captain leaves and he alone is resuming his work, the carpenter reacts to what the captain said. He reflects on the captain’s queerness through a soliloquy.

            The author uses many references to make comparisons. We see an example on page 481 on the first paragraph, when he is describing the Asiatic lands. “(…) but yesterday planted by the recentest race of men and lave the faded but still gorgeous skirts of Asiatic lands, older than Abraham; while all between float milky-ways of coral isles, and low-lying, endless, unknown Archipelagoes, and impenetrable Japans. Abraham is a character from the Bible, and he was very old. To make a comparison like that, the beautiful Asiatic lands had to be very old.

            I thought it was interesting how the author describes death on Chapter 112. First, he capitalized the letter “d” in Death. The author then starts describing Death`s actions as if it were an actual person. “Death seems the only desirable sequel for a career like this (…); therefore, to the death-longing eyes of such men, who still have left in them some interior compunctions against suicide (…).”  (Melville, 483) This description of death captures the reader`s attention, helping them to be engaged with the plot.

The author includes many metaphors as he is explaining what is going on in the story. We see an example on page 356, as he is describing the sinking of the whale. “This puts me in mind of fastening to an elephant in a tilbury on a plain-makes the wheel-spokes fly, boys, when you fasten to him that way; and there`s danger of being pitched out too, when you strike a hill.” Elephants are big animals and are being trapped in tight spaces like a tilbury. The author is comparing that to the sinking of a whale, “the utmost monster of the sea”. The whale couldn`t escape and was desperate.

            On Chapter 82, he makes many references to other people as he explains the “honor and glory of whaling”. On the third paragraph, he makes a reference to Perseus of Greek mythology, who was the founder of Mycenae and of the Perseid dynasty and was also known as the prince of whalemen. On page 363, he references St. George and the dragon, which is believed to be a whale. He also references a passage of the Bible, from Ezequiel: “Thou art as a lion of the waters, and as a dragon of the sea.” He references the story of Hercules, which he believes “derives from the still and more ancient Hebrew story of Jonah and the whale (…)”

            He honors Perseus, St. George, Hercules, Jonah, and Vishnu, the ones that he references in the previous pages. In page 365, he again references Jonah in response to the distrust of some of the Nantucketers. My interpretation for this chapter is to engage the reader to experience the “signal magnification of the general miracle”. Ishmael sees these men with whaling experiences as an inspiration to him as he is seeking his passionate dream.

There are moments in which the author interrupts the story, reinforcing important background information which he believes to be necessary for the comprehension of the reader. We see an example on page 241, of Chapter 53. On page 240, he asks a question, “but what is a gam?”. He then gives a definition which is incorporated into the Lexicon. “GAM.-Noun- A social meeting of two (or more) Whale-ships, generally on a cruising-ground; when, after exchanging hails, they exchange visits by boats` crews: the two captains remaining, for the first time, on board of one ship, and the two chief mates on the other.” (Melville, page 241)

            The author also presents many allusions as he is explaining a situation. On page 264, he presents many allusions. On the beginning of the first paragraph, he presents an allusion to Hinduism belief, as he makes a reference of Vishnu. “The Hindoo whale referred to, occurs in a separate department of the wall, depicting the incarnation of Vishnu in the form of leviathan, learnedly known as the Matse Avatar.” (Melville, page 264) On the same page, he also makes a Biblical reference. “Then, there are the Prodromus whales of old Scotch Sibbald, and Jonas` whale, as depicted in the prints of old Bibles and the cuts of old primers.” (Melville, 264)

            On page 301, towards the end of the chapter, he again presents another allusion. He alludes to Shakespeare. “The head looks a sort of reproachfully at him, with an “Et tu Brute!” (Melville, 301) It`s a famous line from Shakespeare` play, “The Tragedy of Julius Caesar”. The line was said during a scene of betrayal and shock. Likewise, in this scene of the story of Moby Dick shows the saddest sights, betrayal.

In Chapter 28, the author names the title “Ahab”. Ahab is easily perceived as an important character in the story of Ishmael’s journey. Throughout the chapter, the author describes the intimidation of Ahab’s character. “Every time I ascended to the deck from my watches below, I instantly gazed aft to mark if any strange face were visible; for my first vague disquietude touching the unknown captain, now in the seclusion of the sea became almost a perturbation.”  (Melville, pages 119-120) The author uses metaphors to express his emotions and what he encounters in his journey.

            In Chapter 40, the author turns this chapter into a script-style type of writing. He writes who specifically says each line, and what are their actions according to what’s going on in the story. My interpretation for this sudden change of writing style is for the reader to be involved in the other characters’ reactions. The characters were dancing and showing off their different nationalities. Pip says a long important line towards the end of the chapter as he is “shrinking under the windlass”, which shows that he is afraid due to the conflict between the sailors and was asking God to “have mercy on this black boy down here”. (Melville, page 175)

            Melville uses many allusions to explain a situation or a character. For example, as he is describing Captain Ahab, he uses the allusion to Greek mythology. “His whole high, broad form seemed made of solid bronze, and shaped in an unalterable mould, like Cellini’s cast Perseus. (Melville, page 121) Also, we see different examples of allusions in Chapter 32, “Cetology”. There are allusions to whale authors as shown in page 130.

The author introduces the character, Ishmael, in the first few pages. There is not much depth for his character background. He is very poor, with little or no money in his purse (Page 1), but he is anticipative of his dream of exploring the world by sailing through the oceans. The author then interacts with the reader, through Ishmael’s perspective. He refers to the reader when he asks questions. For example, “Why upon your first voyage as a passenger, did you yourself feel such a mystical vibration, when first told that you and your ship were now out of sight of land?” (Melville, page 3)

            Towards the end of chapter 1, in page 6, he describes the pleasure of having a whaling voyage. “By reason of these things, then, the whaling voyage was welcome; the great flood-gates of the wonder-world swung open, and in the wild conceits that swayed me to my purpose, two and two there floated into my inmost soul, endless processions of the whale, and midmost of them all, one grand hooded phantom, like a snow hill in the air.” (Melville, page 6) Within this passage, he uses metaphor and simile to emphasis his perception of the journey. It`s his greatest passion, and he sees it as his purpose in life.

            “You shuddered as you gazed and wondered what monstrous cannibal and savage could ever have gone a death-harvesting with such a hacking, horrifying implement.” (Melville, page 11) Ishmael must stay in an inn to spend the night for his journey. Melville uses this phrase to emphasize the horrific experience that Ishmael must go through because he’s poor and wants to go on a whaling journey. He addresses to the reader, using metaphors to describe what are the events that are happening. It addresses the sacrifice Ishmael must take to pursue his greatest passion.