The quote, “Choice, not chance determines destiny” by Aristotle is a quote that can be connected to the story of Moby Dick in many different ways, but at the same time can be hard to follow when comparing the truth in the statement against the book. As Ishmael journeys through the unknown sea in search of Moby Dick he realizes that he has made this decision, whether it be right or wrong, and must follow through with it now. It is a decision that puts him there on the ship, and one that keeps him there as well. It is also a decision of his to stay and sleep with Queequeg and befriend him though he is a cannibal. Maybe it is chance though that puts him with Queequeg instead of another sailor. It could be chance that they end up aboard the
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The question why comes up when talking about this decision, but if the readers think about it people can either look at Moby Dick as a whale or as Ismael tends to see it, as knowledge of life and lessons for decades to come. Now that kind of knowledge plays a big role in this book and gives the whole book the edge and determination it needs on Ishmael’s part, but knowledge like that can be dangerous. As Emerson says here, “Don’t trust children with edge tools. Don’t trust man, great God, with more power than he has, until he has learned to use that little better. What a hell should we make of the world if we could do what we would! Put a button on the foil (sword) till the young fencers have learned not to put other’s eyes out,” it is evident that the kind of knowledge and power that Ishmael is searching for is really dangerous and overwhelming. By no means should any human being ever need it because somethings in life are better off left alone. This idea of certain things better left alone is a good one and relates very well to the story of Moby Dick as well as the quote from Emerson. In fact they go hand in hand. These quotes have been proven through the book Moby Dick and in reality as somethings are more trouble than it is worth. When Ishmael and Captain Ahab go after the whale Moby Dick, both with different intensions, they end up in great danger and everyone but Ishmael dies. People are dangerous as it is in the world of today, but with the knowledge of everything readers can imagine the danger then. New compounds, chemicals, and weapons could be made. Things not necessary to life but filling the void of the unknown, could be created out of boredom. Just think if humans were to know every secret left to find how dangerous that they would become with all that power. Then there would be a loss for jobs because everything would then be known, and there
The question why comes up when talking about this decision, but if the readers think about it people can either look at Moby Dick as a whale or as Ismael tends to see it, as knowledge of life and lessons for decades to come. Now that kind of knowledge plays a big role in this book and gives the whole book the edge and determination it needs on Ishmael’s part, but knowledge like that can be dangerous. As Emerson says here, “Don’t trust children with edge tools. Don’t trust man, great God, with more power than he has, until he has learned to use that little better. What a hell should we make of the world if we could do what we would! Put a button on the foil (sword) till the young fencers have learned not to put other’s eyes out,” it is evident that the kind of knowledge and power that Ishmael is searching for is really dangerous and overwhelming. By no means should any human being ever need it because somethings in life are better off left alone. This idea of certain things better left alone is a good one and relates very well to the story of Moby Dick as well as the quote from Emerson. In fact they go hand in hand. These quotes have been proven through the book Moby Dick and in reality as somethings are more trouble than it is worth. When Ishmael and Captain Ahab go after the whale Moby Dick, both with different intensions, they end up in great danger and everyone but Ishmael dies. People are dangerous as it is in the world of today, but with the knowledge of everything readers can imagine the danger then. New compounds, chemicals, and weapons could be made. Things not necessary to life but filling the void of the unknown, could be created out of boredom. Just think if humans were to know every secret left to find how dangerous that they would become with all that power. Then there would be a loss for jobs because everything would then be known, and there