Ishmaels Death

As the ending of Ishmael by Daniel Quinn, approached, the last thing I thought would happen, would be his death. I was a bit thrown off guard but once I thought more about it, I believe Ishmael death was a hopeful ending. Throughout the story, Ishmael loses many people close to him and the only left he has to give is his teacher. Ishmael even says so, “I mean only that I’ve finished what I set out to do. As a teacher, I have nothing more to give you” (Quinn 254). Ishmael taught the narrator all he had wanted and finished the lessons. When he died it was a symbol of not only the end of everything Ishmael had to teach but also chapter. Once the narrator found out Ishmael has passed away, his says “stood there blinking at him, unable to fathom what he was getting at” (Quinn 260). He was obviously shocked and was not sure what to think or do next. So he then gathered Ishmael’s belongings and went home. When he was home, he “discovered there were messages on both sides” (Quinn 262) of the post that was. Finding these two messages on the post shed the light towards "a new chapter" of hope. “With gorilla gone, will there be hope for man?” this gave the narrator hope that he can continue Ishmaels lessons on his own without there. I think that Ishmael’s death was not a tragedy at all but an example. An example that we are should find the good, and move forward. To keep the knowledge we have been given by the person and let other be aware of it.