Solipsism

               During the class discussion about the contrast between the respective views of Ahab and Ishmael on knowledge, we stated that Ahab is a monomaniac and briefly touched on his obsession metaphysical world.  The discussion reminded me of the idea of solipsism, or the idea that everything that exists does so only in one’s mind.  From Ahab’s actions in pursuing the whale and his speeches about “striking through the mask” and the doubloon, I would like to take it one step further and state that Ahab, for the majority of the novel, is meant to be a solipsist and analyze how it affects his decision making.

                In Orwell’s 1984 (where I heard the term the first time), an example of solipsism is one character explaining to another that 2+2=5 if someone believes it to be so, and that outside of that person’s mind there is no “natural” or external answer for 2+2.  Therefore, the answer is a reflection of what you believe, much like Ahab’s belief that the doubloon and everything else in life are Ahab.  Following that line of logic, Moby Dick and the evil Ahab perceives in him are reflections of Ahab’s own struggles embodied, meaning Ahab is really fighting against those evils that reside in himself.  Once projected on the whale, Ahab cannot turn away from a chance to conquer his own demons, although we are left to speculate what those demons are (futility, loneliness, weakness, and mortality are possibilities).

                Additionally, Ahab’s solipsism explains his recklessness with his crew’s lives.  Ahab is the only one that matters in his mind, since it is through him that everything takes form.  Pip becomes Ahab’s favorite person on the ship only because he reminds Ahab of his humanity, not because Pip is an interesting individual.  Finally, Fedallah’s predictions are warped by Ahab so that they mean what Ahab wants them to mean, proving that the truth is only what he believes.