For Herman Melville’s character, Ishmael, to be aboard a whaling ship is a new experience, a vivid taste of human nature, and most importantly a test of character. It shares these many extreme attributes with another familiar setting: Hell. Melville uses his writing throughout Moby Dick to create an absolutely infernal atmosphere. He does this by using animalistic personification, creating a beastly environment and alludes to the devil on more than one account. Finally, Melville leaves out no detail
Any literary work is unique. It is created by the author in accordance with his vision and is permeated with his idea of the world. The reader’s interpretation is also highly individual and depends to a great extent on his knowledge and personal experience. That’s why one cannot lay down a fixed “model” for a piece of critical appreciation. Nevertheless, one can give information and suggestions that may prove helpful. PLOT The Elements of Plot When we refer to the plot of a work of fiction, then