Essay Questions

What is the significance of Mrs. Tartan in “The Ambiguities” by Herman Melville?

Herman uses Mrs. Tartan in his book metaphorically to show the significance of charity. He describes her as a loving mum to Lucy who demonstrates the qualities of a financially responsible parent who puts the interest of the family first. Similarly, her charitable activities towards others are a fact that a reader cannot assume. The author writes:

“She was a matchmaker--not a Lucifer match-maker--though, to tell the truth, she may have kindled the matrimonial blues in certain dissatisfied gentlemen's breasts.”

How does the theme of “Loss of Innocence” manifest itself in the “Ambiguities” by Melville?

The author uses Pierre's story to bring out the theme of loss of innocence. He, unfortunately becomes of age because of the ideas introduced to him at an early age. He is oriented to the culture of voracity, dishonesty, and deceit. It is a complicated process for Pierre to internalize the new ideas introduced to him. These ideas introduced to him make him aware of what is happening in the World. For instance, he is able to see the wrongs committed in New York and the world at large. The evils committed in the world bring danger to its inhabitants. He witnesses the challenges people face such as poverty and crime, which he experiences as well. He comes up with own defensive mechanisms to guard himself against the worldly evils. Pierre finds himself in the middle of global evils at an early age, thus losing his innocence.

The title “Ambiguities” itself is symbolic. Explain how.

The title of the novel itself is symbolic illustrating difficulties one goes through. In the entire novel, Melville utilizes suffering to generate a sequence of pairings that oppose each other. The relationship between Pierre and Glen is homoerotic to symbolize hardships. Therefore, the challenges that Pierre faces are captured in the novel to the end. A reader is able to internalize and create an imaginative image of the ambiguities that Pierre is going through.