In chapter 5 of Ishmael the quote gets more loaded. Ishmael induces narrator to see ‘Takers’ as screw ups. In a way the quote and subsequent narrative can only result in one outcome. Mankind’s flawed nature requires prophets to tell everybody how to live, as nobody knows. Ishmael’s inferences caused narrator to realise lacking this knowledge is the sole cause of mankind’s screw-ups. The chapter has sort of an open end because Ishmael only makes an offside remark that tomorrow the narrator might learn new ways to look at things. suggesting we do know how to live but prefer prophets telling us, as we’ve somebody to blame for out mistakes and Ishmael only makes an offside remark that tomorrow the narrator might learn new ways to look at things.
