Mia Park
Mrs. Januzzi
Myth Honors
9/25/17
Ishmael Essay: Significance of Naming and Renaming in Ishmael
The world in which all species live in is dominated by the human species. In contrary to all other creatures, humans individualize themselves through providing every person with a unique name that serves as their identity for the rest of their life; likewise, humans, though constructive, are considered the superior species because of their ability to understand beyond the capability of wild animals and due to their freedom and power of thought, expression, and communication. However, in Daniel Quinn’s Ishmael, a fictional story of a humanlike and intellectual gorilla that attempts to teach the narrator about the reality of man’s catastrophic …show more content…
Through being named after a cast off and teacher like figure, Ishmael is progressively transformed into a relative of mankind and an influential figure who seeks to impact the understanding of humans in order to save the world. While Ishmael undergoes this significant change through several influential factors, naming and renaming is the most crucial part of Ishmael’s transformation into a teacher in Ishmael because it establishes Ishmael as an individual, enables him to gain an identity both as a person and as a teacher, and releases him from his captivity of thought and communication.
Since being identified as Ishmael by his teacher, Sokolow, the gorilla gained a different perception of himself, obtained the same level of individualism as humans, and established his teacher identity, giving him a purpose and a clear role as an influential figure. Before Ishmael was given a name, he believed he was identified in the same way as all the other gorillas. However, when given a unique name, he felt individualized and …show more content…
Specifically, Sokolow naming the gorilla Ishmael is even more symbolic and significant to the gorilla’s role in the novel, because it is a clear reference to the bible’s Ishmael, thus representing the gorilla as a an impactful figure who seeks to help the world through communicating with other humans. It is evident that naming the gorilla Goliath represents the flawed view of mankind on other species as uncivilized and inferior to the human species; likewise, it also represents Ishmael’s lack of understanding, communication, and identity before he meets with Sokolow. However, Sokolow renaming the gorilla Ishmael, a name that suits the gorilla’s role and purpose in the novel, marks the beginning of Ishmael’s recognition of his personhood, Ishmael’s establishment as a teacher, Ishmael’s bounds of communication, and the release of Ishmael from his captive state of
Mrs. Januzzi
Myth Honors
9/25/17
Ishmael Essay: Significance of Naming and Renaming in Ishmael
The world in which all species live in is dominated by the human species. In contrary to all other creatures, humans individualize themselves through providing every person with a unique name that serves as their identity for the rest of their life; likewise, humans, though constructive, are considered the superior species because of their ability to understand beyond the capability of wild animals and due to their freedom and power of thought, expression, and communication. However, in Daniel Quinn’s Ishmael, a fictional story of a humanlike and intellectual gorilla that attempts to teach the narrator about the reality of man’s catastrophic …show more content…
Through being named after a cast off and teacher like figure, Ishmael is progressively transformed into a relative of mankind and an influential figure who seeks to impact the understanding of humans in order to save the world. While Ishmael undergoes this significant change through several influential factors, naming and renaming is the most crucial part of Ishmael’s transformation into a teacher in Ishmael because it establishes Ishmael as an individual, enables him to gain an identity both as a person and as a teacher, and releases him from his captivity of thought and communication.
Since being identified as Ishmael by his teacher, Sokolow, the gorilla gained a different perception of himself, obtained the same level of individualism as humans, and established his teacher identity, giving him a purpose and a clear role as an influential figure. Before Ishmael was given a name, he believed he was identified in the same way as all the other gorillas. However, when given a unique name, he felt individualized and …show more content…
Specifically, Sokolow naming the gorilla Ishmael is even more symbolic and significant to the gorilla’s role in the novel, because it is a clear reference to the bible’s Ishmael, thus representing the gorilla as a an impactful figure who seeks to help the world through communicating with other humans. It is evident that naming the gorilla Goliath represents the flawed view of mankind on other species as uncivilized and inferior to the human species; likewise, it also represents Ishmael’s lack of understanding, communication, and identity before he meets with Sokolow. However, Sokolow renaming the gorilla Ishmael, a name that suits the gorilla’s role and purpose in the novel, marks the beginning of Ishmael’s recognition of his personhood, Ishmael’s establishment as a teacher, Ishmael’s bounds of communication, and the release of Ishmael from his captive state of