Moby Dick Character List Ishmael The narrator of the novel is a keen observer, a young man with an open mind who is wary of Ahab but, like most of the crew, swept away by the captain’s charisma.

Ahab The “grand, ungodly, god-like man” is a deeply complex figure, one of the most contro-versial in American literature. His monomaniacal hunt for Moby Dick dominates the novel’s plot.

Moby Dick The giant sperm whale seems to manipulate his confrontations with mankind in a manner beyond the capacity of a simple mammal.

Queequeg The Polynesian harpooner who opens Ishmael’s mind and eventually—and indi-rectly—saves his life.

Tashtego Another of the harpooners, descended from Indians.

Daggoo A third harpooner, descended from African tribes.

Father Mapple His sermon at the Whaleman’s Chapel sets the tone for the novel. The mes-sage, through the story of Jonah, is that we must disobey our own desires if we are to learn to obey God.

Starbuck The chief mate aboard the Pequod. He is the only one who attempts to stand up to Ahab’s obsessive direction of the ship’s purpose.

Fedallah The Asian who is Ahab’s harpooner.

Pip The cabin boy, who nearly drowns when he is abandoned during a whale hunt. He discov-ers painful insights that allow him an unusual view of reality and temporarily endear him to Ahab.

Stubb The second mate. He considers himself to be quite the wit, but he is generally more cruel and racist than amusing.

Peleg and Bildad Co-owners of the Pequod.