RAHMA HAMZA

MOBY
DICK
CHARACTER PROFILES
CONTENT PAGE
Character Summaries Chapter Summaries
I. Ishmael I. Chapter summary until Ch. 5
II. Queequeg II. My opinion on the book
III. Captain Ahab
IV. Starbuck
V. Stubb
ISHMAEL
• As the narrator, Ishmael explains in
detail what happens to him on his trip
on the Pequod, though in truth, he is
only a minor character in the story and
does not play a particularly big role
throughout the story. He can be quite
naïve or clueless at times, and is not
very skilled in whaling business. Yet
still, he is determined to learn and
improve himself. He has mentioned in
the story that he is a sailor and has
spent his happiest days on sea.
 • The third person mentioned in the book, and
later also a good and loyal friend towards
Ishmael, Queequeg the harpooner was of big
importance to the fluency of the story. He
told Ishmael he was the son to the leader of
his tribe, and so the next-in-line, yet he
neglected this responsibility thrown upon
him, and fled on a ship where he had first
learned harpooning. Now he was a proud
and strong harpooner, and helped Ishmael
learn whaling throughout their trip together.
Although Ishmael showed fear towards him
QUEEQUEG in the beginning, Queequeg returned trust,
generosity and kindness to Ishmael. He was
also chosen to be Starbuck's harpooner,
which was a great honor as Starbuck was a
highly respected first mate.
Captain Ahab
• Despite his late appearance, Ahab is likely to
be the protagonist of the story. He is said to be
an elderly, yet devised and strong man. He is
admired and looked up to by many, including
Ishmael, though he has gone through a lot in
the past. Ishmael mentions noticing a
lightning-shaped scar running down his face
and neck. Ahab also lost one of his legs to the
white whale, or, as he calls it, Moby Dick, the
reason for his obsession with it. Ahab wants to
kill the whale as revenge, no matter the cost.
He knows the danger he could face going after
Moby Dick, but does not care. Unfortunately
he then drags the whole crew of the Pequod
into his ill-fated destiny with him.
Starbuck
• He is the tall, thin, thirty-year old chief
mate from Nantucket. The gentleman is
known to be courageous and practical,
but also shows knowledge and wisdom
during the novella, proving the cause to
him being highly respected by the crew.
He also evinced his courage when
dauntlessly standing against the captain
Ahab due to seeing the recklessness of
his old man.
Stubb
• Stubb is the jolly second mate of the
Pequod. He is light-hearted and takes
life lightly, having a kind-hearted and
easy-going personality. He enjoys
whaling but more than that seems to
have big pleasure in puffing on his pipe.
The Book
Summary
• Ishmael is a young sailor who
enjoys life at sea. One day he
decides to join the Nantucket
whaling business, which, at the
time, was a growing industry.
Little did he know the journey
was going to take him through a
merge of friendship and
fiendship, good and bad. Join
him on his journey where he
meets new people and discovers
the concept of whaling.
 My View Point on
the Book
• The Book is interesting and
quite informative. It shows you
the life style of a whaler in the
older era. I'd recommend this
book to anyone who has bias
towards such things. I also like
the morals the novella gives you.
It teaches us that obsession or
addiction to false beliefs can be
misleading and often cause us to
make wrong decisions.