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A
I know this is late but in the start of the book, Ishmael's name was originally Goliath. Walter Sokolow (who saved Ishmael and also a Jewish man) came across a painting of a gorilla named Goliath that seemed to be a "symbol for the Nazi giant that was then engaged in crushing the race of David". Once he realized that Ishmael was not a "bloodthirsty monster", he renamed him to Ishmael. Referring to the Bible, Ishmael was the firstborn son of Abraham, where his name translates to "God hears." At the start of Ishmael's life story, he talks about how he would question "why" while in the zoo because he felt as though he was "unjustly deprived of some inborn right." In a sense, God heard him and had him reborn as a whole person through the help of Walter.
Larry A
I was wondering the same thing - as I was finishing Moby Dick when I came across this book. I have concluded that both authors are referencing the biblical character - not each other. Ishmael, in the Bible, was the son of Abraham and Hagar (a servant). In my interpretation, he represents a kind of wildness and disinheritance (as suggested by Gayle).
Gayle Highpine
It's from the Bible. Ishmael was the older son of Abraham, disinherited and banished after Isaac was born.
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