Read the excerpt from Chapter 28 of MobyDick.

He looked like a man cut away from the stake, when the fire has overrunningly wasted all the limbs without consuming them, or taking away one particle from their compacted aged robustness. His whole high, broad form, seemed made of solid bronze, and shaped in an unalterable mould, like Cellini's cast Perseus.

Which best states the theme that is developed in this excerpt?

A. man's ability to exercise free will

B. the paralysis that fate inflicts on man

C. the flexibility of man's intellect

D. man's inability to impact nature

Question

Jamari Barnes

History

17 July, 13:18

Read the excerpt from Chapter 28 of MobyDick.

He looked like a man cut away from the stake, when the fire has overrunningly wasted all the limbs without consuming them, or taking away one particle from their compacted aged robustness. His whole high, broad form, seemed made of solid bronze, and shaped in an unalterable mould, like Cellini's cast Perseus.

Which best states the theme that is developed in this excerpt?

A. man's ability to exercise free will

B. the paralysis that fate inflicts on man

C. the flexibility of man's intellect

D. man's inability to impact nature

+4

Answers (2)

Know the Answer?

Lillianna Vincent · Answer 1

The correct option is letter B, the paralysis that fate inflicts on man. The author uses a metaphore in order to explain it.

Nicholas Mcguire · Answer 2

The answer is D. in this excerpt, Melville describes the way a man looks: like something taken away from the stake, broken, burnt, breakable. This all means that, despite all the human effort, we are still brittle compared to Nature, we can't make any significant impact.