>Ishmael isn't the main character Can someone explain

>>9834973
The sea is the main character you dumb pleb

>>9834973

If by "main character" you mean protagonist then that is Ahab.
Ishmeme is the fag narrator and stand-in for Melville's hysterical larping

Ishmael is just a narrator character, a device for the story to function. Similar deal in Joseph Conrad's books, if you've ever read them. First person narrator, but the story is always about somebody else.

>>9834973
Ishmael doesn't have much agency throughout the whole story apart from narrating it and giving all the background information about whaling does he?

Also, I finished Moby Dick yesterday as well. Where do I go next? Other great seafaring books? How are Melvilles other works?

Ishmael is the protagonist of the first 28 chapters or about 100 pages, then Ahab appears and Ishmael retreats to the position of background narrator and Ahab becomes the protagonist.

>>9835054

Ahab doesn't have an active role until the end though

>>9835054

Amazing breakdown professor where might I take your classes?

>>9835058
He does, he's the driving force behind the whole quest, even if he doesn't really 'do' very much.

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>it's a whale facts chapter

>>9835015
>Other great seafaring books? How are Melvilles other works?
Stevenson is pretty good if you are just looking for adventure. As for Melville's other works, I enjoyed Typee and his short stories.

>>9834976

>implying Moby Dick isn't the main character

he's literally the title of the book I mean come on

On the subject of Ishmael, am I the only one who got annoyed that he was apparently privy to events he was very unlikely to be a part of? There is no way he observed a lot of the plot. I can only assume Ishmael is a liar or at least makes up stuff based upon what he heard or thinks happened.

>>9835902

These were unironically some of my favourite chapters. I even liked Cetology. My least favourite chapters were ones where plot happened.