In the Heart of the Sea: Critical Analysis In the year 2000, an author by the name of Nathaniel Philbrick won the National Book Award for his nautical background and expertise in the fabrication of his classic novel, In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex. Published in May of the same year, the book proudly exhibits several excellent exemplars that collectively relate with the symbolism within the plot. The story takes place in 1820, and revolves around the crew aboard the New England whaling ship, the Essex. On a mission to find and obtain whale-oil, ironically, the vessel was assaulted by a whale of extremely large proportions. Stranded out at sea, the crew must find a way to stay alive until their rescue. Within this
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The whale attacks the ship only after the vessel has fired at three of its whale friends. To Owen Chase, this horrifies him because the whale begins to support certain characteristics that resemble those of a human being; it seemed to be seeking revenge by trying to avenge its comrades. To his apperception, the mammal’s behavior is proof to him that sperm whales have some form of intelligence that could rival that of those who hunt them. Therefore, the marine animal is an accurate symbol of Chase’s own self doubt; his perception of human superiority is challenged by this single sperm whale. He thinks, "if other sperm whales should start ramming ships, it would be only a matter of time before the island's whaling fleet was reduced to so much flotsam and jetsam." (89). Essentially, he questions all the knowledge he had grown up with; the boy had previously learned that whales were just mere tools used for a single purpose, retrieving expensive-selling oil. After the incident, he is never able to think the same. He continues to wonder, what “destiny or design” had been at work. Furthermore, Chase’s doubt is finalized when he believes the predicament to be “anything but chance.” (89). Owen Chase’s self doubt that formed from this single encounter is a weight that is hauled with him until the day he
The whale attacks the ship only after the vessel has fired at three of its whale friends. To Owen Chase, this horrifies him because the whale begins to support certain characteristics that resemble those of a human being; it seemed to be seeking revenge by trying to avenge its comrades. To his apperception, the mammal’s behavior is proof to him that sperm whales have some form of intelligence that could rival that of those who hunt them. Therefore, the marine animal is an accurate symbol of Chase’s own self doubt; his perception of human superiority is challenged by this single sperm whale. He thinks, "if other sperm whales should start ramming ships, it would be only a matter of time before the island's whaling fleet was reduced to so much flotsam and jetsam." (89). Essentially, he questions all the knowledge he had grown up with; the boy had previously learned that whales were just mere tools used for a single purpose, retrieving expensive-selling oil. After the incident, he is never able to think the same. He continues to wonder, what “destiny or design” had been at work. Furthermore, Chase’s doubt is finalized when he believes the predicament to be “anything but chance.” (89). Owen Chase’s self doubt that formed from this single encounter is a weight that is hauled with him until the day he