Symbolism is using a person, place, or thing to represent something else which is larger and often untouchable. It is used in literature to allow authors to be objective while still expressing his/her views. Symbols in a story can be interpreted differently by different people Some symbols stand for things that are obvious while others need a more involved explanation. In Moby-Dick, Herman Melville uses symbolism of the whale to express the theme of …showed first 75 words of 606 total…

…showed last 75 words of 606 total…will obtain in killing it (DiCurcio 49-51). In Moby-Dick, Melville uses the symbolism of the whale to express the theme of humanistic relationships. The whiteness of the whale in the novel symbolizes that the whale can be both tranquil and evil. The symbolism of the whale can be interpreted as representing the beauty of the world, or as all that is evil and destructive in the world. In this way, Moby-Dick is similar to nature.