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Moby Dick Metaphorical And Literal Meaning

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I feel like this chapter has a metaphorical and literal meaning. First i'm going to discuss its literal meaning as in how this chapter affects the story. In this chapter Melville is showing us how obsessed Ahab really is with Moby Dick. Melville does this by making what is presumably Moby Dick’s spout of water seem almost divine to Ahab which seems to be driving him insane.
Another thing this chapter is showing us is how mad Ahab is being driven while chasing Moby Dick. He takes his men through a horrible storm, a storm so bad that they have to strap themselves to the side rails, just to chase after a whale that may or may not be Moby Dick. All the while Ahab is on the deck just standing there taking all the punishment mother nature

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