Moby Dick

Moby Dick is a novel written by Herman Melville. It is about the 19th century whaling industry. In it, the captain of an American whaling ship becomes obsessed with one particular whale.

It is a white whale that attacks ships. This is partially based on true incidents in which whaling ships encountered aggressive sperm whales. It is a terrifying exploration of the human mind and the way that obsession can lead to distorted perceptions of reality, a dysfunctional relationship with nature, and eventual self-destruction.