MOBY DI. CK QUESTIONS PLEASE HELP Throughout the story, there are many symbols. Each symbol is an important element in our understanding of the story and our appreciation for the richness of the author’s words. If you recall… “A symbol is a person, place, or thing that has its own meaning and also represents something larger, usually an abstract idea.” Think about symbols in terms of word association:

The whale stands for .

The peg leg stands for .

The boat stands for .

When we analyze symbolism in a story, we begin with the symbol and what it represents. We provide textual evidence of this symbol’s use in the story. And we discuss how that use leads us to our conclusion about the symbol.

For example, the peg leg. In the lesson, you learned that the peg leg might symbolize the “psychological injuries Ahab has suffered in his battle against the great whale.” The lesson mentions the dents in the floor of the boat and the dent in his brow as evidence of this: “The dents on the wooden planks have been caused by Ahab’s peg leg as he strode up and down the deck. The dent on his brow is the imprint of his obsessive pursuit of Moby-D. ck.” The dent is the “textual evidence” and the discussion is the interpretation of “how this leads us to our conclusion.” In this same way, consider the following symbol:

The color white.

Write a strong paragraph discussion of the symbolism. Begin with what it symbolizes, find the textual evidence (at least two pieces of evidence from the story—quotes and paraphrases), and discuss how the evidence supports your idea.