Benito Cereno †Reader Response Criticism Essay

Most readers of Benito Cereno will be move when the African conspiracy is fin in ally revealed. Although Melville begins the novella with ominous imagery, the textbook is designed to lead the reader away from the true events of the San Dominick. The point of view of Benito Cereno is the major tool Melville uses to trick the reader. The story is written in the third person, plainly expresses Delanos thoughts and observations. Most readers will trust Delanos judgement, and his observations of dupe Benito and his mob set the reader up to be surprised.Firstly, Delanos mistrust of fool Benito caused me to suspect the Spanish captain of taking part in a conspiracy against Delano. Benito asks him strange questions about The Bachelors Delight with a guilty shuffle (188). When Delano becomes nervous while watching Benito conversing privately with Babo, I was also alarmed. The image that I was most struck by was Benito Cereno stand with his face passelcast, as Babo, who is kneeling do wn, looks upward at his master Delano illustrious this contrast, and I interpreted the scene as symbolic of Cerenos guilt.Secondly, I believed Babo to be a devoted and loyal servant. Delano was impressed by Babos c one timern for seize Benito, as was I. I never interpreted Babos constant service as anything but well-intentioned in fact, all of the slaves on the ship appeared to be good-natured. Delano even reflected on the ability of the African race to mix work with pleasure after observing the negroes onboard playing what he thought were the orders of Cereno. He was completely unaware of the slaves true intentions.I, ilk most readers of Benito Cereno, was completely unaware of the mutiny of the slaves until Delano realized upon his departure that Don Benito had been terrified all along of Babo however, upon rereading the text, there are many clues as to what was going on. In this new context, the image of Don Benito looking down while Babo looked up at him tamps on an entirel y new meaning. This distinctly represents Babos power contrasted with Cerenos helplessness. The same dynamic is shown when Babo is shaving Don Benito and cuts him.Delano notes that nothing could have produced a more terrified aspect than was at once presented by Don Benito (215). During a second reading, I was also fitting to notice several other assertions of the Africans power. The two Africans who pushed aside the Spanish seaman, and the African boy who attacked the Spanish boy were demonstrating their control over the ship and its passengers. Also, when a Spanish seaman tries to answer Delanos questions about the San Dominicks troubles, the Africans take over as they became talkative, he by degrees became mute, and at length quite glum (197).These are all important details that illustrate the cardinal events of the ship, but the reader is not able to correctly interpret them during the source reading. These events are only significant to the reader once the conspiracy has b een revealed. The text of Benito Cereno is designed to mislead the reader. Delanos point of view caused me to misinterpret the events onboard the San Dominick. The characteristic reader is only able to uncover the hidden clues of the story once Delano himself becomes aware of the real conspiracy.