Various groups of people have long believed something differentiates themselves from others. Most take this further, claiming that they surpass all other peoples. This scheme of thought dominated early America, and continued to provide a justification for ethnocentric attitudes through the mid 19th century. In turn, these beliefs justified discrimination against others in all facets of American society, leading the Anglo-Saxon majority to snub recent immigrants, and in its extreme, perpetuate the slave system. Yet, the cogent arguments for these beliefs remained slim. Melville found there exist striking similarities between the goals of all people, and the means they use to achieve those goals. All people depend on one another for their physical
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He does this through an analogy between interdependent people, and whales which are considered “fast” to a ship under unofficial maritime law (433). He states “a fish is technically fast, when it is connected with an occupied ship or boat, by any medium at all controllable by the occupant” (433). Through the example of marriage law, he explains that this also applies to people (434). People become “fast” to another when someone else has any degree of control over them. In asking the question “who aint a slave,” Ismael expresses the belief that someone exerts influence over everyone (6). In querying “what are... slaves but Fast-Fish” he concludes this line of argumentation, positing that people’s dependence on others makes them all “fast fish.” Melville expands upon this, suggesting that the multilateral nature of this dependence further ties humanity together. In “The Line,” Melville gives another analogy, comparing the whale-line to the ties that connect people (306). He implies these connections are complex, and involve a large group of people: “the whale-line folds the whole boat in its complicated coils, twisting and writhing around it in almost every direction” (305). This suggests that interdependence, among “all men,” characterises human relationships
He does this through an analogy between interdependent people, and whales which are considered “fast” to a ship under unofficial maritime law (433). He states “a fish is technically fast, when it is connected with an occupied ship or boat, by any medium at all controllable by the occupant” (433). Through the example of marriage law, he explains that this also applies to people (434). People become “fast” to another when someone else has any degree of control over them. In asking the question “who aint a slave,” Ismael expresses the belief that someone exerts influence over everyone (6). In querying “what are... slaves but Fast-Fish” he concludes this line of argumentation, positing that people’s dependence on others makes them all “fast fish.” Melville expands upon this, suggesting that the multilateral nature of this dependence further ties humanity together. In “The Line,” Melville gives another analogy, comparing the whale-line to the ties that connect people (306). He implies these connections are complex, and involve a large group of people: “the whale-line folds the whole boat in its complicated coils, twisting and writhing around it in almost every direction” (305). This suggests that interdependence, among “all men,” characterises human relationships