Babo pretends to be a slave; Bannadonna hides his clockwork contraption; Bartleby won't say where he's from. Melville's work is filled with deception and little twist endings, many of which don't twist at all, but just remain mysterious. He's a travel writer in some ways, but a lot of his travel writing is about how you get someplace else and end up looking at a faceful of mist. Melville sails through a tricky world; even the landscape, sometimes, seems like it's trying to fool you.
Questions About Lies and Deceit
- How does Bannadonna deceive the townspeople, and why does he get away with it?
- Is the Lightning-Rod Man trying to pass himself off as Jupiter? Explain your answer.
- Is Benito Cereno trustworthy? Explain your answer.
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
In "Benito Cereno", Babo is a brilliant deceiver.
In "Benito Cereno", Delano mostly deceives himself.