101 pages 3 hours read

Herman Melville

Moby Dick

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1851

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics.

Introduction

Teacher Introduction

Moby Dick

  • Genre: Fiction; literary
  • Originally Published: 1851
  • Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 1230L; grades 10-12; college/adult
  • Structure/Length: 135 chapters with epilogue; approximately 544 pages; approximately 23 hours, 41 minutes on audio
  • Protagonist/Central Conflict: The central conflict in the story revolves around Captain Ahab’s relentless pursuit of the white whale, Moby Dick, who previously destroyed Ahab’s ship and severed his leg. Narrated by Ishmael, a young sailor who joins Ahab’s whaling expedition, the novel presents the psychological and philosophical depths of the characters as they embark on a dangerous and obsessive quest. The story explores revenge, obsession, the human condition, and the power of nature.
  • Potential Sensitivity Issues: Graphic descriptions of whaling and violence; complex language and symbolism; revenge, mortality, religion, mysticism; dated, insensitive language; mental health; outdated terms for mental illness/health conditions

Herman Melville, Author

  • Bio: Born 1819; died 1891; American novelist, short story writer, and poet; best known for Moby Dick, which was initially met with mixed reviews but has since become a classic work of American literature; often explored philosophical and existential themes; influential in the development of American literature and the exploration of the human psyche
  • Other Works: Typee (1846); “Bartleby, the Scrivener” (1853); Billy Budd, Sailor (1924, posthumously published); Omoo (1847); The Confidence-Man (1857); Redburn (1849); White-Jacket (1850)

Related Titles

By Herman Melville

Study Guide

logo

Benito Cereno

Herman Melville

Benito Cereno

Herman Melville

Study Guide

logo

Billy Budd, Sailor

Herman Melville

Billy Budd, Sailor

Herman Melville

Study Guide

logo

The Piazza

Herman Melville

The Piazza

Herman Melville

Study Guide

logo

Typee

Herman Melville

Typee: A Peep at Polynesian Life

Herman Melville