ssing larger themes such as good versus evil and the meaning of life. As Alfred Kazin wrote, ôIt is Ishm'l who tries to sum up the whole creation in a single book and yet keeps at the center of it one American whaling voyageö (Chase 40). That is similar to Homer, who captures the heroism of the Greek people by telling the tale of a group of soldiers who go off to fight a war, win, then try to come home.
A key difference separates Melville's work from traditional epic. Whereas all is resolved when Odysseus finally achieves his goal, very little is resolved in Melville's book. Therein lies its brilliance, not only as a great story of a fascinating quest, but as a meditation on ôman's effort to find meaning in natureö (Chase 46). Ahab's unyielding determination is contrasted with Starbuck's view that a battle with nature is a battle with God, and thus anathema to his Quaker faith. Many questions are raised, but none are answered. These issues are left for the reader to ponder.
So Melville's work is not an epic in a traditional sense, for it is not a poem of national identity that captures America's heroic deeds for posterity. Rather, Moby Dick is a uniquely American take on man and nature. Whereas Odysseus and his followers were able to overcome all sorts of hardships, including natural obstacles, the sailors of Moby Dick are ultimately overwhelmed by nature. Both stories feature heroism, but Melville ultimately conveys the message (among others) that no amount of heroism can overcome a force as powerful as nature.
Conflicts abound in Moby Dick, none more important than the discord between Captain Ahab and Starbuck, the Pequod's first mate. Four particular incidents highlight each character's role as a mouthpiece for a specific world view.
As the Pequod sails farther away from land, Ahab calls the crew together and announces that whoever spots the great white whale will receive an ounce of gold. The harpooner...