What would one expect to be the personality of a man who has lived his life as an outcast living in the shadows? A man who has lived his life surrounded by only the same gender? It is such a life which a well-known author, Herman Melville, has experienced. Growing up, Melville was always second to his genius brother. This caused a slight drift between him and his family, and also affected the way he thinks or expresses himself. Melville’s novels Typee and Billy Budd focuses on the voyages of the protagonist at sea while encountering difficult situations and events. Both novels are based on the true story or real life experiences of Melville, working as a cabin boy in several vessels. The protagonist of the novels are most likely a representation of the author’s true character. A character analysis of Melville reveals that through the protagonist’s internal dialogue and actions in Typee and Billy Budd, Melville’s secret affection towards the same gender emerges.
Herman Melville’s background may be the explanation to the development of his personality. Unlike the typical men, he is…show more content… His father, Allan Melville, was not a model father. He gave different treatments to his two sons. Herman, as a child, always stood in the shadow of his older and more favored brother, Gansevoort, who was already quite accomplished in school at a young age. Gansevoort unfortunately, soon became deceased, leaving his family in uncertain circumstances. Herman was viewed by his father as very slow in comprehension. When he later bloomed and started to excel, it was already too late as his father became too busy to even provide him any attention. The absence of a major male influence in Melville's early life might have forced him to search for another man to get close to. It seems plausible that the lack of love he received from his father was the cause of his attraction towards
