"Besides all those whaling details, Moby Dick is about someone who's looking for something so huge, something they've wanted all their life, yet they know when they find it, it will kill them"
- Laurie Anderson
About this Quote
This quote by Laurie Anderson talks to the power of Moby Dick as a story of aspiration and catastrophe. It recommends that the protagonist of the unique, Ahab, is looking for something that he has actually desired all his life, but he understands that when he discovers it, it will eventually cause his demise. This speaks with the power of Ahab's aspiration and his desire to run the risk of whatever for his goal. It also talks to the power of Moby Dick as a story of catastrophe, as Ahab's aspiration results in his own destruction. Ultimately, this quote speaks with the power of Moby Dick as a story of aspiration, tragedy, and the repercussions of our actions.
"Life is life - whether in a cat, or dog or man. There is no difference there between a cat or a man. The idea of difference is a human conception for man's own advantage"