Question

read the excerpt from chapter 41 of moby - dick. the white whale swam before him as the monomaniac incarnation of all those malicious agencies which some deep men feel eating in them, till they are left living on with half a heart and half a lung. what theme of the novel does this excerpt best address? the personal empowerment that comes from obsession humankind’s indifference to nature nature’s indifference to humankind the self - destructive nature of obsession

Explanation:

The text describes the white whale as a monomaniac (obsessive) incarnation of malicious agencies that harm people, leaving them with half - a heart and half - a lung, indicating self - destruction from obsession.

Answer:

the self - destructive nature of obsession