‘Moby-Dick’ and the Problem of Suffering

Dr. Kelly Scott Franklin argues that Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick addresses the fundamental Christian challenge of how a benevolent and all-powerful God can permit suffering. In his analysis, Franklin notes that the character of Captain Ahab represents the anguish caused by this problem of pain, which eventually drives him to madness.

Ahab views the white sperm whale, Moby Dick, as a supernatural force or a manifestation of God. While Ahab seeks revenge against the creature for taking his leg, Franklin suggests the novel uses this pursuit to explore the tension between faith and the realities of human devastation, such as war, disease, and natural disasters. Despite this struggle, Franklin writes that the book avoids despair by offering mysterious insights into the meaning of suffering.