Emerson-Melvil

1 Pages 362 Words

While some literature simply entertains, other literature tries to raise, consider, and answer questions
about life’s fundamental purpose, to get at fundamental truth.
One author who writes in such a manor is Herman Melvil, author of the popular novel Moby Dick .
Melvil used symbolism to raise questions about life in the novel. A symbol is a person, place, or thing that has a
meaning in itself and also represents something larger. There are many symbols in Moby Dick. Many raise,
consider, and answer questions about the many aspects of life. One symbol is the ship. The ship represents the
world. Upon this boat is an extremely diverse crew, symbolising the different people of the earth. The white
whale, or Moby Dick, symbolises nature; unpredictable, immortal, dangerous, and beautiful. The situation in the
story can consider the questions of respect towards nature. When the whale was harmed, it destroyed the boat and
crew. This could be raising questions about respect and the power of nature; as if the whale foreshadows what
would happen if we didn’t respect or if we underestimated natures power. I agree with this interpretation. This
novel was full of research and truth about life.
Another author of this sort is Ralph Waldo Emerson. Emerson wrote such titles as Self -Reliance , and
poetry such as “The Snowstorm” and “Concord Hymn:. Emerson raised, considered, and answered lives questions
while using Transcendentalism. Transcendentalism is the belief that the human senses can know only physical
reality. It focused on the human spirit and the natural world and its relationship to humanity. In Self-Reliance,
Emerson raises such questions as why should people trust themselves. He explains that what happens within a
mans life are lessons to better himself, almost as if he is speaking of fate. I disagree with this statement. The
reason for this is because fate, in opinion, is unrealistic, bec...