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Religion And Free Will In Fitzgerald's Moby Dick

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In the classic tale of Moby Dick, the readers are taken on a journey of epic proportions, sailing on the high seas in search of an animal only comparable to the Leviathan. On this voyage we not only get an inside look into the scientific knowledge of whales, but also a look into the deep desire to hunt these creatures. Overall this is a story that has stood the test of time. However, would the story be as memorable without the captivating personalities that take place in this classic novel? A perfect example of how a personality can completely change how great a story is would be Captain Ahab. Without Ahab, would the reader be able to completely grasp the disparity of the situation? There’s also the character of Starbuck who questioned many decisions made by Ahab and …show more content…

For Stubb, he represents the role of the skeptic. Throughout the novel the themes of religion and fate/free will are very present, and Stubb definitely has a relationship with these ideas. In Moby Dick, there are multiple references made to Christianity, especially with the story of Jonah and the whale. We also have religious people on board, like Starbuck for example who is a Quaker. A prominent aspect in being religious is the concept of putting your faith in a higher power. For Christians they would put their faith in God, and so forth. Stubb is the complete opposite of religious, putting all of his faith into the idea of fate. Emphasizing the idea that whatever happens is meant to be and nothing can change that. I also believe that his belief in the idea of fate is what led Stubb to be so carefree and easygoing about whatever happened aboard The Pequod. Whale hunting is a very dangerous task, and pretending not to be worried about his life and blaming whatever happens on fate seems to me like a defense mechanism. It’s almost as if he’s trying to run away from his problems and choosing to blame everything on fate and the

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