Catharsis on the Whole in Ishmael

As we discussed in class and as some people have posted on the blog recently, Ishmael is a piece of literature that can be viewed under the lense of "catharsis." We all agreed that the interaction between the pupil and Ishmael was cathartic. In their conversations, they work through the pupil's previously held conceptions and eventually come to completely new realizations. One thing I find important to note is the fact that as we read these back-and-forths, we as readers, too, undergo the process of catharsis. The reader also explores the rather controversial ideas presented by Ishmael as the pupil does. For me personally, there were times when I was completely agreeing with Ishmael but there were also times when I was 100% with what the student was saying. Seeing firsthand how the novel is cathartic was very enlightening to me. Though the actual interactions between the pupil and Ishmael are cathartic for the pupil, the novel as a whole is cathartic for the reader.