<p>Melville&rsquo;s Moby Dick endures as a literary classic because it explores foundational themes such as the battle of good versus evil, man&rsquo;s quest to conquer nature, racism and obsession. Moby Dick however explores these themes with a combination of pluck, humor and exhaustive explorations of whaling culture and vocation. Melville has also crafted a progenitor of the &ldquo;epic male novel&rdquo; which would later influence the works of Hemmingway and Ellison. The encyclopedic diversion contained in the book are structurally echoed in Jeanette Winterson&rsquo;s Written on the Body. Moby Dick is a rich work brimming with imagery well worth the commitment to reading.</p>