... An allusion is a reference to a well-known person, place, event, literary work, or work of art. Writers often use biblical and mythological allusions to which their readers are familiar. In Moby Dick, Herman Melville frequently uses biblical and mythological allusions. With these allusions the reader begins to understand the topic of discussion and is also exposed to the wisdom and knowledge Melville possess. The ... first allusion appears in the first line of the novel. "Call me Ishmael." (Melville1). Ishmael was the biblical son of Abraham and his servant Hagar. He was ... names are n...

• Word Count: 639
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... to enhance their own story. Herman Melville's classic American novel Moby Dick is no exception. In Moby Dick, Melville uses innumerable biblical allusions, but readers can observe this literary technique best in the naming of his characters. The use of the Bible in literature is a ... for an author; it allows him to place his characters and plot within an immortal context. Each character lives for a finite amount of time, but given a biblical name he will live forever in scripture. Also, the author's comparison of aspects of a novel allows the reader to know something more about the cha...

• Word Count: 724
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School