Melville shows anger at Christianity through biblical allusions in Moby

Near the beginning of Moby Dick, Father Mapple reminds Pequod sailors of the biblical prophet hex and his unique encounter with a whale. The whale, known as a Leviathan in the Bible, swallows Jonah because Jonah refuses to obey Gods command to preach to a wicked group of people. Father Mapple in his sermon says, If we obey God, we must disobey ourselves and it is in this disobeying ourselves, wherein the austereness of obeying God consists (47). Once Jonah admits his sinfulness and follows his maker, the whale frees Jonah. Father Mapple says that obeying God can be difficult and might not seem logical to the person listening. Once Father Mapple speaks about Jonah and the whale, it becomes clear that Herman Melvilles 1851 novel has a connection to the Bible and Christianity. Melville fills Moby Dick with several biblical allusions, and the novels main characters are think symbolically to figures in the Bible. Melville alludes to the Bible in Moby Dick to bemock Christianity. He u ses his primary characters of Ishmael, Ahab, and Moby Dick to make God seem like a faultfinding(prenominal) being who has no pity on sinners unless they obey him. He also portrays faithful Christians as outsiders who live boring, uninspired lives. Melville definitely shows his frustration toward the creator and Christian teachings.Before exploring Ishmael, Ahab, and Moby Dick and their Biblical counterparts, it is important to understand Melvilles background. He grew up as a baptized Calvinist in the Dutch Reformed Church. His parents dexterous him to obey God at all times, even if Gods commands seem unjust and cruel. However, he quickly turned against his faith after his aim died. During his travels, he witnessed diseases, catastrophes, and hatred throughou... ...elvilles negative experiences with the teachings of Christianity and those who claimed to be Christians definitely influenced his writing in Moby Dick. Instead of just coming out and bashing God and Christianity direct ly, he uses the characters in his novel to get his point across. There are many other instances of Biblical allusions in Moby Dick, but he specifically uses the allusions linked to Ishmael, Ahab, and Moby Dick to mock God and Christianity. By linking personalities in the Bible with characters in Moby Dick, he displays his anger and disagreement with Christianity. God gave everyone a free will, and Melville is entitled to his opinions. Works CitedMelville, Herman. Moby Dick Or The White Whale. London Oxford University Press, 2004. Print.Holy Bible New International Version. New York Harper, 2005.