Published in 1851 by Herman Melville, Moby Dick has been hailed as the greatest American novel with good reason. The story entails an examination of 'civilized' man in a uncivilized world and man's attempt to overcome the forces that bind him. The characters (and plot) are symbolic of select facets of man and his interaction with the forces we would call God.

Ishmael, is the first character we meet due to the fact that he is the narrator and observes all events that take place on the whaling vessel (Pequod). Ishmael regards all events unbiasedly through the eyes of an agnostic Christian.

Truely the most enigmatic character of the novel, Ahab assumes all control of the whaling journey in an attempt to carry out his revenge on Moby Dick, who severed his leg on a previous journey. Ahab sees his quest as a way of man to strike back at God.

	In this update I've considered the fact that Moby Dick, though not present on the ship for obvious reasons, is a character as much as the others. Moby represents man's lack of control over natural forces and the novel contemplates this fact through its references of the whale.

My favorite character though not recognized as a main one by many. Ahab's struggle against the whale is seen as a battle against God, and who is better to battle God with than a devil? Fedallah (I've sketch what he looks like to me) is enlisted mysteriously by Ahab as his harpooneer. His has abilities to see into future events and is not seen sleeping even at night. It is commonly believed that Ahab has made a pact with the devil himself to hunt Moby Dick and Fedallah represents the demon. He plays an integral role in the final parts of the novel. Too bad the movie version wrote him out.

Starbuck, the first mate, pleads with Ahab to end his vendetta against the White Whale. Starbuck is so convinced that Ahab is has lost his mind that he even plans a mutiny.

This character is the second mate and represents man's ambivalence through his attitudes. The conversations between him and Flask, the third mate, shed light on what Melville symbols in the novel mean.

Queequeg is a cannibal harpooner that Ishmael meets prior to sailing. Their interactions as good friends tell of Melville's effort to discourage racism, a very liberal idea in 1851.