The non-white characters in the novels are marginalized despite the insight they display. Pip, the black boy of the Pequod, may be mad, but that is no reason to disregard his speeches as insignificant. At different time in the novel pip proves to be the voice of reason on the ship. For example, in chapter 99, the Doubloon, when looking at the golden coin, most of the characters only see their own desires in it. However, when Pip takes his turn, he sees the truth of the situation. He describes the doubloon as the “ship’s navel,” and he knows if it is removed, as all the other crew members are “on fire to unscrew it,” the consequences will be dire: Moby Dick will have been spotted and the ship will be in great danger of being destroyed. However, and despite their flashes of insight, these characters are ignored and sidelined. After Pip is stranded in the middle of the sea he becomes mad. His madness is a constant reason for other characters in the novel to disregard him. Stubb in chapter 99 observes the characters looking at the golden coin. After watching the other characters and commenting on what they say, he “quit[s] Pip's vicinity” because while he “can …show more content…
A common portrayal of African-American slaves as being superstitions. For instance, Jim believe it is “the worst bad luck in the world to touch a snake-skin” with one’s hands. However, this superstition is proves to be right when the snake’s mate bites Jim. Moreover, in chapter 4 Jim uses the superstitions that other people believe to gain money. Jim has a hair-ball, which has been taken from the “fourth stomach of an ox,” and uses it to fool other individuals into giving him money in exchange for information from the “spirit inside” of the hair-ball. Therefore, not only is the stereotypical portrayal of Jim is broken by being proven right, but it is also shown that Jim is an intelligent person who can use such superstitions to his