Symbols in Moby-Dick

Question 4 • English 11 A

What is symbolic about the material that Ahab used to make his leg?

Answer

The leg is made from wood, symbolizing Ahab’s connection to the wooden ships on which he hunts whales.

The leg is made from whalebone, symbolizing Ahab’s deep admiration for the creatures that he hunts.

The leg is made from a tree that was struck by lightning, symbolizing Ahab’s conflict with the natural world.

The leg is made from a whale’s jawbone, symbolizing Ahab’s desire to take revenge on the white whale that injured him.

Explanation

Ahab’s artificial leg is made from a whale’s jawbone. Because Moby Dick caused the injury that cost him his leg, using whale bone connects the leg to the whale and reinforces Ahab’s consuming desire for revenge. The correct choice is “The leg is made from a whale’s jawbone, symbolizing Ahab’s desire to take revenge on the white whale that injured him.”

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