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Kalia Greenway
English 11 AA
Mary Morgan
14 Apr 2014
The Hands of God on Literature
The most well known texts in history influence authors in their writing. Though
these facts are not quoted directly, allusions significantly aid the audience to understand
works in countless numbers of subjects. Referencing the audience by expressing a subject
by mentioning indirectly, as of the use of puns, puns are used to emphasize or imply a
word in a humorous style. Significantly distinctive, both allusions and puns are used in
similar situations to support an idea. Diverse allusions are used by writers to introduce
ideas with a various point of views, however religious allusions are the most used in
numerous of works, written and visual. Allusions that originate in religious texts are
notorious which make them favorable when synchronizing ideas. Universally known
allusions of Ishmael, are used to represent one that has been exiled for being unworthy.
Ishmael's story is well known to many religions but interpreted in contrasting ideas,
which can elude the audience from the principle of the story. Works that reference
Ishmael’s story typically represent a higher power that is unfamiliar and untouchable to
man. Proclaiming the importance of a higher power as a necessity to obtain tranquility,
religious allusions exemplify the influence of God as an necessity by creating situations
with no explanation of its occurrence. Ishmael depicts as being unworthy yet making
history contradicting the biblical allusion.
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The son of Abraham and his handmaiden Hagar, the father of nations, and
ancestor of nomadic tribes of Arabians: Ishmael the unworthy. The name in the eyes of
his father, nevertheless the father of a nation, a contradiction of the definition of an exile.
Ishmael's story begins with his father Abraham without an heir at the age of eighty six.
Sarah, Abraham’s wife, never bearing a child Abraham pleas , “O my Lord! Grant me a
righteous [son]!/ So We gave him the good news of a forbearing son” (Ghoniem 37:101102). Taken as a humorous prank due to both Abraham and Sarah’s age. Abraham’s
second child was prophesied, “Then Abraham fell upon his face and laughed, and said I
his heart, Shall a child be born unto him, that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah
that is ninety years bear?” (Genesis 17:17). Both sons prophesied to accomplish great
deeds for the almighty, though obscurance of which man should be deemed worthy. The
childhood of Ishmael is complemented with the religious texts of Christianity, Judaism,
and Muslim of its legitimacy. The dispute begins with whom was chosen to be sacrificed
to God by Abraham.
The chosen sacrificed son is a delicate subject that is debateable between
religions. Christians and Jews believe Isaac was the chosen one to be sacrificed, however
Muslims believe Ishmael was chosen. The collection of religions agree to one of
Abraham's sons was chosen, though the child was not sacrificed the chosen child
selflessly accepted his fate, as told in the Qur’an:
Thus indeed do we reward those who do right
For he was one of Our believing servants
And we gave him the good news…
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We blessed him and Isaac: but of their progeny are [some] that do
right,
and [some] that obviously do wrong to themselves” (Ghoniem
37:110-114).
The Qur’an explains that it is remotely impossible that Isaac is the chosen one. The good
news of Isaac said that he would have a progeny and consequently God can not order
Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, before the promise is fulfilled” (Ghoniem), due to Ishmael
being the first born. The sacrificed was to be the favorable son in which Abraham
discusses with Ishmael according to the Qu’ran, “... O my son! I have seen in a vision
that I offer in sacrifice: now see what is thy view!” [The son] said: “ O my father! Do as
thou art commanded: thou will find me, if Allah so wills, one of the steadfast!” (Ghoniem
37:102). Being the first son, makes Ishmael favorable in Abraham’s view being his heir.
Isaac is loved but can not compare to the first born son, “... one can safely say that the
sacrificed can be described as the forbearing and steadfast in the Qur’an and if we search
the whole Qur’an we will find the name of Ishmael associated to patience and
steadfastness and not Isaac” (Ghoniem 2). Contradicting with Christianity, Isaac was the
favorable due to Ishmael being the bastard of the two sons, and being conceived outside
of Abraham’s marriage. The legitimized son was proclaimed, “And God said, Sarah thy
wife shall bear thee a son indeed: and thou shalt call him Isaac: and I will establish my
covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him” (Genesis
17:19), with all credibility going to Isaac. Abraham is comforted when promised, “And
for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful,
and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a
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great nation” (Genesis 17:20). Ibn Kathur explains the reasoning for Isaac not being the
sacrificed due to a major fact, “In their [Christians] scripture as well, God is said to have
ordered Abraham to sacrifice his only son and in another version his first son”
(Ghoniem). The Christian bible presents Ishmael as a mere pawn in a major plan. There
is hope of peace with the mediation of Ishmael’s exile declaiming him as Abraham’s son.
Sarah blinded by envy said to Abraham, “... cast out this bondwoman and her son
[Ishmael]: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac”
(Genesis 21:10). Abraham’s heart for Ishmael, God without hesitation speaks, “Let it not
be grievous in thy sight, because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in thee,
hearken unto her voice; for Isaac shall thy seed be called” (Genesis 21:12). By Abraham
exiling his first child and his mother, he disowned his title as well as taken his given
right an is casted away as being unworthy of God’s covenant, yet became the father of
nations.
One of the most prominent novels in history portrays biblical allusions in a
distinctive way. Moby Dick an American classic written by Herman Melville luminates
the narrator as being an admirable being. Establishing Ishmael's point of view as the
format of the novel creates an understanding between the audience and the character.
Creating this bond to connect with the exile and witness a laudable character depicted
otherwise, Ishmael stays contempt expressing little emotion throughout his journey to
find the mysterious white whale of the seas. Having the knowledge with in a variety of
subjects, Ishmael is the most valuable being on the ship. When spoken about the
mysterious white whale, Ishmael shows the audience his fear of facing the beast. Ishmael
explains, “... the whiteness of the whale that above all things appalled me” (Melville
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131), and being blinded by fear, Ishmael comes to realize, “Though in many natural
objects whiteness refinedly enhances beauty, as if imparting some special virtue of its
own…” (Melville 131). This statement signifies the importance of Moby Dick and the
white whale in Ishmael’s journey. Moby Dick essentially is not a character due to the
audience being unaware of his thoughts, feelings, or intentions, but merely acts as a
symbol. The white whale symbolizes the relationship between mankind and God. The
myths of this beast are used for managing fear and danger in whaling not taken literally,
unlike the Captain Ahab (Sparknotes). Captain Ahab’s reasoning for the whale’s evil is
for explaining that lost of his l though his occupation has consequences. Out of
vengeance, Captain Ahab has made an iniquitous reputation for himself, “All that
maddens and torments; all that stirs up the lees of things, all truth with malice in it; all the
cracks the sinews and cakes the brain; all the subtle demonisms of life and thought; all
evil, to crazy Ahab, were visibly personified, and made practically assailable in Moby
Dick. He piled upon the whale’s white hump the sum of all the general rage and hate felt
by his whole race from Adam down; and then, as if his chest had been a mortar, he burst
his hot heart’s shell upon it” (Melville 130). The only way of observation and
interpretation of Moby Dick is the surface of the ocean, the creature is seen when it wants
to be seen (Sparknotes). Melville explains a journey that is impossible to accomplish, and
is challenging physically and mentally. The hope to unveil the legend and prove to all of
its evil was the favorable ending for the sailors on the Pequod. The unknown stay in the
depths to conceal the unknown and unknowledgeable truths (Sparknotes). Analyzing
Moby Dick as a symbol, creates the connection of the Christian and God: a legend of a
man who sees all and can perform miracles unlike any man, a legend which is never seen
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nor heard of unless wanted. Captain Ahab envys this creature, “Ahab’s quenchless feud
seems mine. With greedy ears I learned the history of the murderous monster against
whom I and all the others had taken our oaths of violence and revenge” (Melville 125),
cursing all the sailors on the Pequod to damnation. Seeking its evil to end its days,
equivalent to humankind and God instead of admiring its beauty as of Ishmael the
unworthy creating a conundrum. “Melville creates another history of humanity…, and
makes the two histories compete” (Taketani).
Literature in a variety of eras has the influence of a higher power, represented by
tainting it or admiring it. Though biblical allusions are favored, however examples show
otherwise. Ishmael stays in solitary when expressing feelings, never sharing information
with the audience. Melville introduces Ishmael in a simple statement, “Call me Ishmael”
(Melville 17). Regarding this statement seems irrelevant, but by simplifying titles makes
Ishmael as a character as being unworthy. Correlated to the bible, Ishmael’s title as the
first born son was not recognized nor his name. God refers to Ishmael as “Abraham’s
seed” and “lad” making the first born unfavorable. God pitys Ishmael and promises
Abraham, and said, “By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, For because thou hast done
this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:/ That in blessing I will bless thee
in multiplying, I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which
is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;/ And in thy seed
shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice” (Genesis
22:16-18). God promises Ishmael’s future due to the acts of his father not his
accomplishments like Isaac. In Moby Dick, Melville, “... has created a profound and
philosophically complicated tale and set it in a world of largely uneducated working-
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class men; Ishmael, thus, seems less a real character than an instrument of the author”
(Sparknotes). Melville chooses Ishmael, the exile, to tell the complicated story of
unveiling the mysterious legend. Creating a story, not one character in the novel has the
intellect nor experience to tell and even Ishmael disappears throughout the novel at long
stretches of time with conversation between sailmates taking his place (Sparknotes).
Ishmael is the favorable sailor of the crew, “...whenever I find myself involuntarily
pausing before warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and
especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong
moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically
knocking people’s hats off” (Melville 17), contradicting with the stereotypical sailorman
with poor use of words and need of anger management. Instead of creating chaos,
Ishmael takes a life threatening journey to clear his mind of death and release his anger,
“...,and shipping aboard a whaler is his version of committing suicide- he believes that
men aboard a whaling ship are lost to the world” (Sparknotes). The Pequod has been
Ishmael's Yale and Harvard learning more about life on shore than he has ever on land.
Ishmael is the enigma of the journey explaining not all is so dependant on fate and the
seemingly supernatural needs to make perfect sense (Sparknotes). Melville creates a
credible character of the exile, and guides the audience to believe differently of Ishmael.
Never judge a book by its cover, a very known saying known by all. Used by
judging everything in life; to understanding people to learning about the unknown. When
first published Moby Dick was unworthy for the audience of 1851, yet in the twenty first
century is a beloved classic. Melville has proved the title of being unworthy as a mere
name that does not define character nor success. The biblical allusion states that Ishmael
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is characterizing someone as an exile of being unworthy. Though the bible contradicts the
allusion itself. Ishmael the father of nations, “And [remember] Ishmael, Idis, and Zulkifl,
all [men] of constancy and patience’ (Ghoniem 21:85). Beloved by millions, Ishmael may
be unworthy to some, yet admired by much more. Many use Ishmael’s name to prove a
point of broadening the allusion, yet some use to strengthen the interpretation of the
allusion. Like puns, many use the content inaccurately, however the pun is never
forgotten nor ever used. One may misunderstand the pun and making it seem corny and
not punny, the expected experience. Yet the pun is still used after countless numbers of
failed attempts of success. The use of allusions are used in identical situations, though
interpreted one way the significance is directed in another. Many tales use allusions to
connect with the audience, yet creates arguments for the audience to find the answers.
Each allusion is given a definition, however the meaning is altered after every time the
allusion is used. The audience is the mediator to distinguish what is right and what is
wrong. Unlike program music, when the audience is given the synopsis of the piece
played. Literature is more like absolute music, not just music; no words and no
explanation. Literature including religious texts, are to have readers become more open
minded. The bible says what is right and what is wrong, yet we as people distinguish
what is worth the risk of possibly being sent to hell. The author keeps interpretation open
for the reader to distinguish how to feel and how to react. The world is not black and
white, which is also a well known saying. Yet many still will not take into consideration
that the world is neither black, white, or grey; as of everything else in life and literature.
Though there is a reputation of such, does not make it legitimate.
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Works Cited
Ghoniem, Muhammad and Saifullah, MSM. “The Sacrifice of Abraham: Isaac or
Ishmael?” Islamic Awareness. 17 Mar 2014. Web.
Moby Dick. By Herman Melville. The Best of Herman Melville. New Jersey: Castle Inc.
(17-364). Print.
Sparknotes Editors. “Sparknotes on Moby Dick’. Sparknotes LLC. 2002. 31 Mar 2014.
Taketani, Etsuko. “Moby Dick: Gnostic Rewriting of History”. Atq 8.2 (1994): 119
Academic Search Premier. 19 Mar 2014. Web.
The King James Bible. Cleveland: The World Publishing Company. Print.