The Adventure of Moby Dick

    While I have read Moby Dick (a very long time ago), I must admit that the first time I read it did not make an impression on me. I remember long monotonous descriptions and characters that seemed depressing and all too prone to rambling on and that is about it. I believe that at the age that I read it, I was reading more for the ability to say that I had gotten through it. However, this time I am approaching Moby Dick from an entirely new perspective. I want to really understand why this book was made to be a Classic, for one, and two, I want to understand how Digital Culture can change how I relate to this novel.
My understanding is that Ishmael is a very mysterious character and he immediately adds intrigue to the story, because you don't learn much about him other than the fact that he is trying to escape his tendency towards depression and suicidal thoughts. He believes that joining the crew of a whaling ship will give him a more practical purpose in life. However, since he was a Teacher, as a narrator, Ishmael is more than your average sailor. His thoughts tend to be very descriptive and philosophical in nature, making the set up of this story feel like a moral and introspective adventure, more than a a wild tale of daring deeds.
I was impressed with Ishmael's character from the start, because I have at one time or another in my life felt like my life was not going the way I wanted it to. And instead of wallowing in his misery, Ishmael makes a drastic change to his life that he feels change things for the better. I find it interesting that Ishmael feels like the life of theory and rhetoric as a Teacher is not enough- that knowledge isn't enough. Instead, he views a life of physical action as the only one that will abate his depression. This reminds me of a discussion about Digital culture and how to make blogging or any other kind of digital media important. To talk about the things that we read about and find interesting isn't enough, we have to make our connections mean something not only to ourselves, but to a wider audience. In order to not have stale conversations that we could have in class, the conversation needs to move forward. I am looking forward to having a participatory reading of Moby Dick, by being influenced by the media I read about Moby Dick and to have my thoughts broadened as I understand how the universal themes of this story can relate to my life today!