Truth In Jeremiah 29: 11, By Herman Melville

He believes “our souls are like those orphans whose unwedded mothers die in bearing them: the secret of our paternity lies in their grave, and we must go there to learn it” (535). In other words, Melville thinks that we can never know the truth until we die and are in our graves, and there we will understand the truth. It is a very depressing and negative view of the soul, truth, and the purpose of life. Melville says we will never know what truth is in our lifetime and so with that being said, there’s very little need for life according to him. This belief and view of life could not further itself from real Biblical truth. In Jeremiah 29:11, God says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to

Just from these two scripture verses we can see the value and purpose of our life. Melville believes that “threads of life are woven by warp and woof, calms crossed by storms, a storm for every calm” (535) and that there’s nothing we can do to change our predestination and fate. Not at all, God has given us free will so that we may decide to follow Him. Melville believes we are stuck in our position and cannot do anything to change our circumstances. He is fully ignorant of free will. Ahab’s faith is one that believes fully in predestination but unlike Stubb, believes that if he decides fully aware of the negative consequences, it doesn’t matter because there’s nothing he can do to change it. Ahab makes decision that he knows will affect his life and the life of his whole crew, but continues with it blaming predestination and fate, believing there’s nothing he can do to change the outcome. Starbuck as previously discussed, believes in free will and says, “let faith oust fact; let fancy oust memory; I look deep down and do believe” (535) in