Hermann Melville: ok I'll make my character explain scientifically accurate facts that he possibly couldn't know about, then make him deny it all in the name of Faith. That way the reader understands both what I, as a biologist have to say, and what Ismael thinks. Like, I can explain why whales are mammals, but make Ismael say: this is the theory, but I don't buy it; or explain why hunting whales is a real threat to their very existence and make Ismael say: this is what they say, but I think otherwise. I'm sure my readers will understand the difference.
The readers: wow, this dude really believed whales are fish.





















