Know Your Craft
Melville fills the novel with detailed cetological information, ship terminology, and whaling procedures, making the technical passages essential to understanding the world of the story.
Ishmael's Role
The narrator Ishmael serves as both participant in events and detached observer, often breaking from the narrative to offer philosophical commentary and reflection.
Layered Symbolism
Objects like the doubloon, the color white, and the try-works carry multiple symbolic meanings that shift depending on which character interprets them.