Rob Cornelius The Whiteness of the Whale 2. What makes Ishmael swear an oath to kill the white whale? Does Ishmael see Moby Dick the same way which Ahab sees him? Why is the whiteness of the whale terrifying? We know that Ahab has long before this story taken an oath to kill Moby Dick, but why have Ishmael and the crew of the ship taken up this oath too? And what exactly is the significance …
showed first 75 words of 1053 total

showed last 75 words of 1053 total
…with enough persistence (e.g. racial discrimination). So with a combination of fear of a fabled white whale, an uneasily pinpointed urge to destroy that which is different and beautiful, and an instilled sense of retribution to this creature, Ishmael has made an oath to kill. And in my opinion, we have all of the needed information for an incredible story not only so far, but in the next pages which make up Moby Dick.