Specifically regarding the religious/bible origin (Ishmael as the illegitimate son of Abraham).
2007-11-30 06:13:17 · 3 answers · asked by xc_man69 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
I think that the fact that Ishmael was the semi-legitimate son of Abraham (like four of Jacob's twelve sons, he was the son of a concubine, a recognized relationship) and was, according to tradition, the ancester of the Arabs, isn't so important in this context as the fact that he was an outcast. When the narrator of Moby Dick begins by saying, "Call me Ishmael," implying that that isn't his real name but one he has chosen for the purpose, he evidently also means to imply that he feels apart from most people.
2007-11-30 07:08:48 · answer #1 · answered by aida 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Besides the religious significance (and this novel is rich in symbolism and imagery), the narrator does not say his name "is" Ishmael, he says "Call me Ishmael." Immediately it causes the reader to wonder who he really is, why might he want to hide his true identity, and if we, the reader, can trust his narration.
2007-11-30 14:57:25 · answer #2 · answered by Dale 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why does it have to have any symbolic meaning? Couldn't he have just picked out that name? A lot of people back then had names from the Bible.
2007-11-30 14:38:11 · answer #3 · answered by lilith663 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋