NCHS AP English Language

The Archetype of Ishmael (Chris Fitzer)

In a Jungian sense, one's archetype is there unconscious characteristics that are innate to all human beings. They unknowingly affect our daily routine and are part of the five parts of a human, the remaining being ego, persona, anima, and shadow. Archetypes contain boundless amounts of universal knowledge but remain in our unconscious. They manifest themselves in art, dreams*, and religion. For Ishmael, his archetype is simply stated in his name. Biblically Ishmael, the son of Abraham and Hagar, became an outcast to the Judeo-Christian culture when, after Abraham's wife, Sarah, had a child, Abraham banished Ishmael for the tribe of the Israelites. Throughout literature the name Ishmael has stood for an outcast, and it is no different in Moby Dick. Ishmael is an outcast from society, especially the whaling community. He is incompetent in the ways and beliefs of sailors, yet his archetype also contains the need for adventure, the need for the sea. Universally the sea when discussed as a whole is seen as a tempestuous body of water, perilous and unnerving. [Water alone is seen as a purifier and symbolizes new life.] Like all other humans. Ishmael's archetype becomes visible through dreams, art, and religion. In the occasion with the Numinous in his early childhood, this dream or subconscious knowing of a divine presence further supports the outsider nature of Ishmael. He is lost and alone, and he needs this comforting "hand" to care for him. As an outsider, he remains without common social contact and uses this presence to help comfort him. [Later this consoling hand becomes the hand of Queequeg, his sailing companion.] Also this belief in a supernatural Numinous parallels to the manifestation of Ishmael's archetype in his religion. This shows his faith in a divine creature. Ishmael's persona is that of a New English Christian, but unconsciously his archetype and persona conflict. As he comes into contact with the pagan rituals of Queequeg, Ishmael slowly becomes aware of the hypocrisy of Christianity of the times. Just as Ishmael in the Bible was an outcast of the Jews [later Christians], so to is Ishmael a castaway in Moby Dick. Ishmael obviously believes in the common rules and practices of the church that are actually very close to the basic pagan beliefs. This idea correlates back to the definition of archetypes. As humans we are born with this unconscious that is very similar to the unconscious of everyone else. That is why when these archetypes were manifested into religion, all the major religions have fundamentally the same beliefs. [This is also true with art and the ideals of beauty]. The major difference between religions, especially Christianity and paganism, is based solely on the relative influence of circumstance. Varying situations have affected the way a religion develops and through tradition, different faiths become more and more different, yet at their core they have the same basic philosophies. In relation to Moby Dick, Ishmael is able to respect Queequeg because his realizes that they have the same fundamental ideas on faith, but he was unaware that it came from his unconscious archetype. Also, although Ishmael biblically is associated with Islam, the Palestinians, etc., it states that Ishmael and Hagar were not deserted by God when they were cast out into the desert. So at Ishmael's foundation he remains a Judeo-Christian, despite how social corruption has mutated the church. In addition to religion and dreams, another manifestation of one's archetype is through art: both the production and critique. Early one while at the Spouter Inn, Ishmael comes across a chaotic and vibrant painting. For him this painting reveals a ship caught is a roaring tempest and is about to be destroyed be a gigantic whale. This painting appeals to the adventurous nature of Ishmael's archetype. For Ishmael t, which normally would appear as a frozen image, actually "breaks the ice bound stream of Time" and seems to be alive. In a similar sense it captivates Ishmael's exile archetype. He is lost in a chaos [fueled by his depression and thoughts of suicide] just as this boat in astray in a turbulent storm. Ishmael has the persona of a teacher, depressed and incompetent in the ways of sailing and whaling, yet his archetype remains as an adventure-seeking outcast of society.

*Mr. Oliver gave a wonderful example on the idea of a universal unconscious archetype that I feel is worth repeating. "On a remote island, most likely in the Pacific, where there are no native reptiles a man awakes from a dream in a fright. In this dream there was the appearance of a serpent or snake. This man has never physically seen a snake, yet it appears in his dream. This dream was a manifestation of his universal archetype. He unconsciously was aware of things beyond his realm of knowledge through his archetype." That does not mean that all dreams are manifestations because we have dreams based on personal circumstance that are therefore unique to the individual.

Written by Chris Fitzer

posted by NCHS AP English Language III @ 9:29 PM