Why is ishmael a lone survivor in Moby Dick?

Answer 1

Herman Melville was a critique of transcendentalists like Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. While they thought a sublime life was to be found alone in nature, Melville (and other contemporaries like Nathaniel Hawthorne) sought to show that nature can be dangerous and inhospitable. Such pursuit of isolation and nature will eventually destroy the exile, much like Captain Ahab. Ishmael, being the only one to declare himself temporarily at sea, is the only one to return.

Answer 2

Ishmael survives in "Moby Dick" because he is given a lifeline by Queequeg's coffin after the ship capsizes. He floats on it until he is rescued by the ship Rachel. Ishmael's survival can be seen as a symbol of hope and resilience in the face of tragedy.

Answer 3

By floating on the coffin that the carpenter made for Queequeg and staying afloat until the ship that Ahab denied helping arrives

Answer 4

Ishmael is the narrator of the story. His goal is to become part of the crew for a whaling ship.