Is there a higher power? if so what is this power and what are its limits? Most people ask themselves these questions throughout their lives, but wrapping their mind around the idea and establishing an answer has proven a difficult challenge. Such questions bring beliefs, thoughts, and faith into consideration–topics that we are often unsure of in the grand scheme of things. But why are we so unsure? Why do humans find themselves to be inherently doubtful unless visible, tangible truth exists? Because we are naturally wary of the unknown–we fear that which we cannot explain.
Looking at the captain of the Pequod, Ahab, one can see this ongoing, inner struggle with faith play out. After encountering the great white whale that is Moby-Dick in a battle that costs him his leg, Captain Ahab dedicates his entire purpose and being to vengeance. For Ahab, Moby-Dick is all evil and must be killed. Thus the whale symbolically represents evil and doom; however, in a more abstract sense, Moby-Dick could be Ahab’s “higher power,” his God, if you will. Part of the mystery and intrigue of Moby-Dick is the lack of understanding that the whalers have concerning this unique sperm whale. While Ahab claims him the evil of all earth, Ishmael, our narrator, as well as the rest of the crew truly ponder this label and develop a desire to know for themselves. Yet through Ishmael’s countless attempts to characterize and understand the nature of the whale using various disciplines of study, we find that not only is this task rather impossible, but trying to do so is often futile and leads to death. The only person who cannot see this; however, is the captain. Ahab struggles in his attempts to understand and overcome Moby-Dick throughout the long journey aboard the Pequod, failing to see that his lack of success is foreshadowing his ultimate demise.
"Ahab at night" Painting by Leroy Neiman
Ahab is blind to his true drive–he does not solely seek revenge, instead he struggles with Moby-Dick because of his lack of understanding. This struggle can be paralleled with a similar struggle that more and more individuals face today. Many of those in today’s young to middle aged generations are turning their backs on religion or simply choosing to call themselves atheist. Although I can not be sure of their motives for choosing to do so, I am certain that a good amount of these individuals simply have too many questions for which answers cannot be given. Religion or belief in a God of any kind requires faith, a challenge for those who require seeing to believe. And with a lack of tangible proof, how can you believe such a thing? If there is a God why do good, innocent, and faithful people die suddenly in a car crash or with cancer? All unanswerable questions that encourage the nonbeliever to keep on not believing. This lack of proof, this limit to human knowledge, mirrors the mystery and uncertainty concerning Moby-Dick. When there is no evidence, no concrete information, no way to explain, human’s choose to turn away in fear or confront and challenge.
"The Fight" Painting by Leroy Neiman
"Assault on the Pequod" Painting by Leroy Neiman
As Captain Ahab submits himself to ending his struggle with Moby-Dick, he submits himself to his fate. He lives only to encounter and overcome the whale, thus, when he finds himself face to face with the massive white monster he understands that one of them must lose, dying a tragic hero. As Ahab struggles with his limited knowledge, so do atheists, the consequences of which are often greatly destructive for both the individual and the world around them. Ahab’s fight leaves him dead at the expense of all but Ishmael, and in the modern world, the fight of the nonbelievers leaves the world with more sinners and doubters and an overall lesser emphasis on morals. The evidence of the harmful effects of a lack of faith are evident in the problems that the whole planet must face today. We find ourselves increasingly engrossed in more war and conflict than ever before, with more murder, more crime, and no sign of peace in sight. We find ourselves struggling between life and death when struck with natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina, or battling to salvage what is left of our natural resources after spilling more than two million gallons of oil in the gulf. All conflicts and problems that may not be so inevitable if we stop running from the faith that we need to have in some higher power.
It is true that God didn’t dump the oil in the gulf to send us a sign, we spilled the oil in the gulf ourselves–we start wars and conflict ourselves. But if we had something or someone to believe in would the consequences be so traumatic and destructive? Maybe the storms are our warning, he did once send a flood according to the book. It is wise to consider the weight imposed by this interpretation of Melville’s masterpiece. Ahab teaches an important lesson, that doubting, questioning, and underestimating the power of that which is much larger than ourselves can only lead to a futile struggle or a face to face meeting with our ultimate demise–take your pick.
