Osborn

Michael Osborn
Ms. McKenzie
American Literature
15 April 2015
The Life of Herman Melville
Through my research of Herman Melville I have found many things about him from
when his was born to when he died and everything in between. Also I have questions I would ask
him and wonder if the world would be different without him.
Melville was born on August 1, 1819 in New York, New York. He also has 7 siblings and
his parents are Allen and Maria Melvill (Herman Melville Biography). Around the mid 1820s
Herman had caught scarlet fever and after he gained his health back his vision was left
permanently impaired. In 1832 his father had passed away and around the same time Herman
had enrolled into Albany Classical School but he also attended 4 other schools as well. Then his
familys fur trade business had tanked so they moved to Lansingburgh, where his brother
arranged for him to be a crew member of the St. Lawrence (Herman Melville Biography). The
start of him writing was when he joined the St. Lawrence like the books: Moby Dick, Tybee,
which was his first book, published, Pierre and may others (Herman Melville). Also most people
werent interested in Moby Dick until after Melvilles death. Then when they moved to
Lansingburgh his brother signed him up to be a crew member of the St. Lawrence (Herman
Melville biography). Then he went on a second voyage on a different ship called Acushnet and
that is where the 2 of them had been captured by cannibals and were held captive for close to 4
months. Until the made an escape and joined the whaling ship the Lucy Ann (Herman Melvlille
Biography). Then he died of a heart attack in New York, New York on September 28, 1891.

Osborn

I have some of the questions that I would ask him. Why his mom changed their last name
to what it is now? From what I gathered from it is they changed it after their fathers death so
that they can remember him by putting an e at the end of Melvill (Herman Melville
Biography). What was his reasoning for writing Moby Dick? Its about Melvilles years of
working aboard whaling ships and the real-life sinking of the Essex (Herman Melville
Biography). What made you get into writing? What I could find it was through his schooling and
when he was on his voyages on his adventures around the world (Herman Melville Biography).
Through my research on Herman Melville I have found out that the world would be
different without him. The reason for it is because he has had an impact on so many peoples
lives through: his books, his adventures, and everyday people he runs into. For example: when he
was on the Acushnet he was writing some of his stories and he was captured by cantabiles and he
had escape and joined another ship called Lucy Ann and this all happened in around 5 month
period and he had contact with a lot of people and still have contact even though he is dead
because he influences people through his books still to this day. Even though he doesnt
influence everyone he still can be a part of peoples conversations, dreams, and lives. He also is
one of the most famous American Author and he had published many books throughout the years
here are some of them: 1846 Typee: A Peep at Polynesian Life 1847, Omoo: A Narrative of
Adventures in the South Seas, 1849 Mardi; Redburn, His First Voyage, 1850 White-Jacket, 1851
Moby-Dick, and 1852 Pierre. That is why I think that Herman Melville is a great American
Author and that the world would be better off with him being in and on it.

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Work Cited

http://melville.org/melville.htm#Writings
Jmadden@mail.multiverse.com. "The Life and Works of Herman Melville." The Life and Works
of Herman Melville. Multiverse, 25 July 2000. Web. 22 Apr. 2015.
http://www.biography.com/#!/people/herman-melville-9405239
"Herman Melville Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2015.
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~HYPER/bb/hm_bio.html
Padilla, David. "Melville, Herman." Melville Biography. AS@UVA, 1 June 2001. Web. 22 Apr.
2015.
http://www2.uncp.edu/home/canada/work/canam/melville.htm
Jones, Myra, and Melissa Adams. "Herman Melville." Herman Melville. Mark Canada, Ph.D,
1997. Web. 27 Apr. 2015.