Oakley1

MackenzieOakley
Mrs.Pierce
APEnglishIV
4May,2016

ObsessiveFiguresofLiterature
Passionisapositiveobsessionobsessionisanegativepassion(Carvel).Whetherin
literatureorinreality,obsessionisanastypersonalquality.Thisispatentlyviewedthroughthe
fictionallivesofDorianGray,CaptainAhabof
MobyDick
,andVictorFrankenstein.Though
therearemanyothercharactersthroughliteraturewhoexhibitthesametraits,thesethreemen
arearguablysomeofthemostapparent.Despitethesebooksallbeingfictional,theissuesof
obsessionthatthecharactersstrugglewitharealltooreal.Throughouttime,obsessionhasbeen
witnessedthroughthecommonmanandevenmore,thenotsocommonman.Figuressuchas
AdolfHitler,JosefStalinandevenCharlesMansonwhohavebroughtgreatstrifeanddeath,all
beganwithatinysparkofobsession.
Obsessionisasacolonyoftermitesaretoahouse,onceinsidethehouse,theyreproduce,
eatwood,anddestroythehousefromtheinsideout.Ontheoutside,thehousemaylookperfect
andstructurallysound,butontheinside,theimportantsupportbeamscouldbeasplitsecond
fromfailing.Thetermiteanalogyhelpsexplainobsessiononlylackingoneimportantconstruct
termitesareanunwantedpestthatwouldbeeradicatediffoundwhileobsessionisinvitedinto
themindandevenwelcomed.Oncetheobsessionisintroduced,itactsasanalmostdrug
addiction,andtheaffectedcannotfunctionwithouttheobjectoftheirobsession.

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Nomatterthetopicofone'sobsession,itisdetrimentaltotheirpersonality.Oneclear
waythatobsessioncanpresentitselfiswithinpartnerandpartnerrelationships.Inpartnerand
partnerrelationships,thereisalmostalwaysaninfatuationorhoneymoonstage.Thisusually
takesplaceduringthefirstfewmonthsoftherelationshipandinahealthyrelationship,dims
downastimepasses.Forsome,theinfatuationonlygrowsstrongerastimecontinuesand
developsintoobsession,whichcreatesaveryunhealthyrelationship,causingproblemssuchas
onefeelingunwanted,onefeelingsmothered,orfarworseissuelikeabuseorstalking.
HistoricfiguressuchasAdolfHitlerandJosefStalin,however,sufferfromamuchmore
intenseformobsessionbothsuccumbingtoobsessionwhichleadtotheatrocitiesthey
committedandtarnishedthehumanworld.BothHitlerandStalinwereobsessedwithnotonly
completetotalpowerbutalsosharedradicalviewsofnationalismandracism.Hitlersobsession
drovehimtoeradicatetheJews,Gypsies,homosexuals,andPolishtogaincontrolofnotonly
Germanybuttoattempttocontroltheworld.Hitler'sobsessionleadtoawarwhichtotaledin
millionsofhumansdeathsanddestructionofnumerouscitiesandeconomies,severelyscarring
theworld.
AsseenthroughHitler,whenthetermiteofobsessioneatsthroughonesmind,all
reasoningissooneatenaswell.Onewilldoabsolutelyanythingtogainwhathe/shedesires,no
matterthecostevenendureharmtooneself.ThistheoryisclearthroughthestoriesofCaptain
Ahabfrom
MobyDick
,VictorFrankenstein,andDorianGray.Throughouttheirlives,ignoring
socialnorms,themoralcode,humanethicsandmore,toachievetheirdesires,eachofthesemen
succumbtotheinsanitythatisobsessionandoneaftertheother,themendie.

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Aftercarefullyreadingandanalyzingtheprolificclassic,
MobyDick
,StoneWashingtonposes
thequestionCaptainAhab,killedbyMobyDickorhisobsessionforrevenge?(Washington).
Besidesthefactthatheisasailorwhospendshisdaysfloatingonamustyshipfullofmoney
hungrymen,itisclearfromthefirstpointofhisintroductionthatCaptainAhabisntallthere.
Uponwalkingondeck,mentionably,forthefirsttimesincetheboatleftshore,sixmonthsprior,
Ahabcontinuallyflauntshiswhaleboneleg.Thingsonlygetworseasthevoyagegoesonand
hecontinuallymurmursandshoutsabouthisrevengeonMobyDick.Thereareseveralinstances
whereAhabisfoundspewingoutprolongedspeechesabouthishatredforthewhaleandhowhe
willdoabsolutelyanythinginhispowertoexterminateit.Afterawhile,hiscrewsoonrealizes
thatwhenAhabsayshewillirrevocablydoanythingtohavehisrevenge,thatincludesputting
themindangeraswell.
Ahabsrevengegraduallygrowsfromahatredtoanutterobsessionwitheachbreathhe
takes.Whenhiscrewfinallyrealizesthattheyarenothingmorethansentinels,alongtoseekout
MobyDick,ratherthanworkforthewhalingindustry,theybegintoridiculeAhabforbeingso
entangledwithhisrevengeonthewhaleandthreatentoleavetheship.Thisridiculeonlyangers
CaptainAhabmoreandcauseshimtoworkharderinhisquesttomurderthewhitewhale.Based
onthisinformation,StoneWashingtonnoteshowAhabisverymuchsimilartoHitlerinhisway
ofthinkingandmannerisms.Bothmen,whomareinfectedbyobsession,areabsolutely
entrancedbythederanged,misguidedideaoferadicatingwhattheydespisemost.ForHitler,he
wantednothingmorethantoabsolutelyabolishanyandallthatwerenotapartofhisAryan

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racewiththatanyandallneverhavingcommittedanycrimesagainsthim.ForCaptainAhab,
heheldontoadreamofkillingthewhitewhalethatmanyothersseekedtodestroyuntilit
festeredandboiledinhisbrain.Whenhisfirstattempttokillthewhalefailed,andhelosthisleg,
thedreaminsidehisheadintensifiedandhedeemedithissolepurposetoterminatethewhale.
Seeingashowbothmenthrivedoffoftheirridiculousaspirations,itisperfectlyclear
howtheobsessiontermiteatethroughtheirbrainsandconsumedthem.Again,Washington
explainsthisbysaying

bothmendidn'trealizethatthesameeviltheysoughttoremovefromthe
worldwastheveryevilthatafflictsthesemen'ssoulsfoolishpride,andselfishambitionthe
demonicintenttoreignsupremeovertheworldtheyneitherunderstandnorcancontrol,which
makesthemunwitting(orwitting)dupestocarryoutthedevil'swillovertheaffairsof
men.(Washington).Withthatbeingsaid,guidedbytheiractions,bothHitlerandthefictional
CaptainAhabsstoriescametoanendwiththeiruntimelydeaths.NotonlydidAhabdie,but
becauseofhisobsession,hisentirecrewdiedandhisshipsanktotheverydepthsofthesea.
AlongwithAhab,thereisVictorFrankensteinwhoseobsessionabsolutelyruledhislife,
literallyandfiguratively.Inthebeginningofthenovel,FrankensteinstatesNooneneedever
die.Illmakesureofthat.,whilehestandsatthefootofhismothersgrave.Completely
shuttingoutanyandalloutsideinfluences,people,eventsandmore,Victorisolatedhimselfin
hislabanddedicatedhiseverywakingmomenttothecreationofhismonster.Consumedbythe
termitesofobsession,hetreatedhislovedoneslikeamonsterandhismonsterlikealovedone.
Whenhiscreationwasfinallycomplete,hemovedfromcreating,toplayinggod,by
spendinghisdaystryingtoreanimatethehideousbeing.Thisshowstrueanuttercarelessnesson
Victorspartforifhehadanyvisiblesense,hewouldneverattempttobendtherulesof

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humanity(BaddiesinBooks).AlmostinstantlyafterVictorfinallybringslifetohiscreation,he
stateshowhideousandfrighteningthemonsteris,andimmediatelyabandonsthecreatureonce
again,carelessly.WhenVictorabandonsthecreature,hisobsessionabandonshimself,ashe
wantsabsolutelynothingtodowiththecreatureuntilmuchlaterinthestorywhenthemonster
showsupenragedandreadytokillhim.Thecreatureslowlyexterminateseachpersoncloseto
VictorandendswiththepersonclosesthisfianceElizabeth.

Becauseofhiscancerousobsessionandcarelessactions,Victorloseseveryoneheloves
andendsuponadirtyship,muchlikeAhab.Onceagain,obsessiontakesthewinwhenVictor
diesontheship,alonelyandbitterman.Althoughobsessionwasnotthedirectandspecific
reasonforhisdeath,itwasultimatelyhisobsessionthatguidedhimdownthepath.Thisgoesto
showthatonceagain,nomattertheobjectofonesobsession,itisandalwayswillbe
detrimentaltotheirbeing.Whetheritbeanorexia,anobsessionwiththinnessandcomposure,a
stalkersobsessionwithanotherpersonoranyotherpersonalobsession,Expertssaythat
obsessionisagatewaytomanyothermentalillnessesandshouldbeeliminatedinitsearlystages
(PhychForums).ForVictorFrankenstein,hisobsessionfesteredandmultiplieduntilthewoodof
hisbrainwasnothingmorethanahollowunitforthetermitestomultiplyand
that
iswhyhemet
hisdemise.
WithAhabandFrankensteinestablished,onecanmovetoarguablythemostobsessive
characterinallofclassicliteratureDorianGray.Althoughhedidnotembarkonhisobsessive
journeyonhisown,alongtheway,hedidnothingbutinstigateitandallowittocontinuallybe
influencedbyothers.Notably,however,wereitnotforLordHenryWotton,withhisentrancing,
portentousanddogmaticwords,therewouldbenostory.PriortomeetingLordHenry,Dorian

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waswhollyoblivioustonotonlyhissuperiorityoverthecommonmanbuthiseclecticbeauty.
ByfeedingDorianearfulsofprettywordsandplayingwithhimlikeatoy,LordHenrywatched
asDoriansminddeterioratedandhemasticatedonhiswords.
OnecontributingfactortoDoriansdescentintoobsessionwasBasilHallwards
magnificentportraitofhim.LordHenryusedthispaintingasanaortatoDoriansheartandmind,
aswellasavesseltoseepintoeverycreviceofDorianaltogether.Doriansobsessionslowly
formedintoamereaffixiationandappreciationforhisownvanitybutrapidlygerminatedinto
muchmore.Astimepassed,andonceagain,withthehelpofLordHenryandalittleyellow
bookheprovided,Dorianbegantobecomeobsessedwithstuffandthingsfinejewels,gaudy
tapestries,sex,andallpleasurableaspectsoflife.Whilecommittingsinaftersin,duetohis
newfoundadmirations,andkeepinghisportraitcloseathand,Dorianeventuallynoticedadaily
changeinthefaceofhisportrait.
OnceDorianrealizedthathewasincontroloftheportrait,andwitheachsinhe
committed,theportraitgrewtobemoreandmorerepugnant,hetangledhimselfinhisbiggest
obsessionyettheportraititself.Jewels,moneyandsexareallcommonobsessionsamong
hungrymenbuttobeobsessedwithonesownvanityisafarworsetale.Asstatedinhisessay,
Redoedopointsoutthatmosthumansaregenerallycaptivatedbyouterbeautyratherthanthe
latterinnerbeauty(Redoedo).ThisiscertainlythecasefornotonlyDorianGray,butalmost
everyoneinhisstory,aseveryonewhoencountershimimmediatelynoteshisbeauty.Thisonly
supportstheaccusationthatthehumanracehasaslightbutimpeccablyobviousobsessionwith
appearance.Forexample,younggirlsdroolingoverfashionmodelsonfancymagazinesand
doingeverythingintheirpowertoattainthesamelevelofbeauty.

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AsDoriancontinuedtocommitsinsandcontinuedtowatchthefaceofhisportraitdeteriorate
daily,hisminddeterioratedwithit.Eventually,Dorianfellcompletelyinsaneandmurderedhis
painter,BasilHallward,incoldblood.Asthenovelcametoanend,justlikeAhabandVictor,so
didDorianslife.ShortlyaftermurderingBasil,Dorianrealizedhiseverymistakeandwithone
lastlookathisportrait,hefelltothefloorofhisfathersstudio,dead.Therewasnorealmedical
reasonforDoriansdeathbutyethelayonthecoldfloor,breathlessandahideousshellofthe
manheoncewas.TherealfaceofDorianGraywaspainteduponhislifelessbodyandforonce,
theworldsawhimforwhohetrulywas.
Witheachcharacter'sstoryendinginnotonlytheirowndeath,butthedeathofothersas
well,itisutterlylimpidtoseejusthowmuchobsessioncanruinapersonnomattertheobjectof
theirattention.FromAhabsobsessionwithagargantuanwhitewhale,toVictorsobsession
withreanimatinglife,toDoriansobsessionwithhisownvanityandeverythingpleasurable,
thesethreemenlivedhorrendouslifestylesandputeveryoneclosetothemindanger,without
anyregretsorregardsforhumanethics.Thetermitesofobsessionconsumedthesemenandruled
theirlivesentirely,untiltheywerenolongertheirownpersonbutthetermitethemselveseating
throughanddestroyingtheworldaroundthem.Passionisapositiveobsession.Obsessionisa
negativepassion.(Carvel).