Final+Product-Expansionism


 * Argument**

Herman Melville's //Moby Dick// explores and illustrates American expansionism and emperialistic tendencies proceeding the revolutionary era. That is, Ahab, with his lust for expanding his domain over Moby Dick, personifies the blooming American expansionism following the nation's independence. American desire for westward colonization indirectly correlates with Ahab's voracious yearns to dominate the oceans.

[|American Expansionism in Moby Dick (Film)]


 * Essay

Expansionism and Emperialistic Tendencies in Moby Dick Herman Melville's //Moby Dick// explores and illustrates American expansionism and emperialistic tendencies proceeding the revolutionary era. That is, Ahab, with his lust for expanding his domain over the white whale, personifies the blooming American expansionism following the nation's independence. American desire for westward colonization indirectly correlates with Ahab's voracious yearns to dominate Moby Dick as seen through four recreated stages of the novel. Melville's episodes within //Moby Dick// which epitomize the desire for and outcome of emperialisitic tendencies following the revolutionary period are the boarding on the ship, hardships out on sea, chase, and the inevitable failure and death of the crew. Melville includes these portions throughout his novel in order to suggest the possible failure of humanly insatiable desire seeding from the emperialistic era. The first scene which introduces western expansionism and emperialistic tendencies is the ship boarding. As Ishmael boards the Pequod and is informed by Queequeg of Captain Ahab's obsessive will to annihilate Moby Dick, symbolic references are seen within all three characters. Ishmael symbolizes the indifferent masses of the post-revolutionary era, for the capture and death of the whale is of no importance to him. Queequeg, with his opposition of Ahab's intentions, may be affiliated to the liberal of the westward expansionism era. Ahab's fervent will to expand his domain over the whale labels him a blatant supporter of emperialism of the era. Thus, the introductory boarding scene portrays the masses for and against westward expanson of the 18th century. The incredulous hardships tackled by the crew aboard the Pequod also depict an aspect of western expansionalism in the era. That is, Melville attempts to illustrate the difficulties endured by the colonials as they westwardly progressed accross the continent. Struggles such as mutiny, malnutrition, and hopelessness are deeply rooted with symbolism. The mutiny symbolizes the lawlessness that was occuring during expansionism and emperialism. Terain such as the wild west and other emperialistic claims so far from government that there was no control. This was the same environment as on the ship. The malnutrition the sailors suffered from was reminicent of the poor supplies early settlers had. They were sometimes poorly armed they fell to savage Indians. The hoplessness of the sailors of ever finding the whale was also derived from expansionism and emperialism. Early settlers would often grow hopeless because of the vast lands they still had lying before them and the lengths they had to go to, to acquire them. Thus, the hardships and struggles of the sailors represent the expansion and emperialism of the United States in the 1800s. The third scene which explores western expansion and emperialistic tendencies is the chase of Moby Dick. It symbolizes the fervor of Americans and the length the US went to in execution of the above principles. Ahab led his crew in a never ending search for the elusive whale. The US also was on a never ending quest to conquer the western part of the continent. They would stop at nothing to realize Jefferson’s dream of expanding the country from the eastern and western shores. They also used many different methods such as buying the land, claiming the land, and killing the savages. Ahab also employed many different strategies in trying to catch Moby Dick such as looking for him and asking other ships if they knew of the whales whereabouts. The chase also symbolizes the lengths the US went to expand. They invested much effort and money in expansionism and emperialism. Ahab also had strong determination in his chase. He put his and his crew’s lives at risk. Thus, the chase represents the expansionism and emperialism of the United States in the 1800s. The conclusive scene portraying western expansionism and emperialistic tendencies is the inevitable failure and death of the crew. This theme shows that Melville was not supportive of expansionism or emperialism in the least. He predicts their eventual demise. He shows this through the outcome of the Pequod’s chase and battle with Moby Dick. He has all of the crew, save for one, perish into the unforgiving waves. This symbolizes that the United States’ ventures will ultimately fail. He was correct in one respect. The US’s emperialistic ventures were not that successful. For this purpose they were limited to areas such as the Philipins and never further explored their ambitions in this field. During Ahab’s conquest with the whale, only Ishmael survives. This shows Melville’s patriotism. His writing symbolizes that through whatever mistake the country makes, it will always survive and move on. Thus, the failure and death of the crew represents the expansionism and emperialism of the United States in the 1800s. Overall, Herman Melville's //Moby Dick// firmly alludes to the notion of blooming American expansionism and emperialism from the athor's perspective. The mere boarding of the ships eloquently reveals three characters' symbolic affiliation. The hardhsips faced by the Pequod crew are meant to represent the struggles of the colonials. the frantic chase of Moby Dick led by Ahab symbolizes the eagerness of the Americans to fulfill the expansion principles. Melville concludes his argument with the death of nearly all members of the crew save one, demonstrating how the expansion-driven journey will ultimately fail. In conclusion, Herman Melville argues within his //Moby Dick// that expansionism and emperialism of the 18th century will have no success and will result in the reconstruction of America, as seen through a symbolic correspondance of Ishmael renewing his spared life. **

Scene One

Enter Queequeg, Ishmael, and Ahab

on the ship

Queequeg: "It's better to sail with a moody good captain than a laughing bad one."

Ishamel: "Call me Ishmael."

Ahab: "I have two pledges that I shall yet slay moby Dick and survive it because I am immortal on land and on sea."

Ishmael: "Aye aye, I knew hew as never very jolly."

AHAB: LET'S TO IT!!!!

Scene Two

hardships out on sea

Queeueg: It is so miserable in this damp drizzly November.

Ishmael: These hardships make me question the validity of undergoing this voyagae, but it is a ponderous task.

Ahab: The storm is as violent and murderous as in Noah's Flood. It has not yet subsided.

Ishmael: The ocean of which you describe is a wintry ocean, whose freezing spray cases us in ice as in polished armor that seems to coat the heart of Ahab.

AHAB: LET'S TO IT!!!!

Scene 3

the chase

Ahab: The sea was a crucible of molten gold with the foreboding presence of the sought after beast beneath the waves.

Queequeg: Lets search for Moby Dick.

Ahab: LET'S TO IT!!!, for I am immortal.

Ishmael: Take caution for thou couldst die on this voyage.

Queequeg: I have spotted Moby Dick. wOOt

Ahab: LET'S TO IT!!!!!! (and thus they shall chase Ahab!!!)

Ishmael: After Ahab saw the whale, I then saw Ahab in all his fatal pride.

Scene 4

failure and death (isntrumental and fire)

Ahab: Oh Moby Dick, I clutch thy heart at last!

Queequeg: Ahab siezed from the harpoon from the rack.

Ahab: I will kill you, Moby Dick.

Ishmael: Pip jumped from the whaleboat.

Ahab: From hell's heart I stab at thee, for hate's sake I spit my last breath at thee.

(All men live enveloped in whale-lines. All are born with halters round their necks; but it is only when caught in the swift, sudden turn of death, that mortals realize the silent, subtle, ever present perils of life.)