PLOT STRUCTURE ANALYSIS

The plot of Benito Cereno is developed in a rather unusual manner. Through much of the story, there is a total vagueness about what is really going on. Since Delano does not understand the happenings on the San Dominick, the reader is also left in the dark. Even after the climax occurs when Cereno jumps into the whaleboat with Delano, not everything is cleared up; therefore, Melville ends the book by giving the written deposition of Cereno, which supplies all the missing information about the slave rebellion. Therefore, much of the detailed action in the story is really told as a flashback.

Although it is vague for the most part, the plot of the story is developed along classic lines. In the first part of the first section, the setting and the major characters are presented. A conflict (even though it turns out not to be the real one) is also developed; Captain Delano, upon seeing a floundering vessel, feels he must save it, even though he never really understands the circumstances until the plot is over.

The rising action begins when he boards the San Dominick and immediately feels that there is something strange happening on the Spanish ship. He is totally vexed about the many machinations he endures on board and wavers between total disgust, outright suspicion, and uncontrolled fear. Through it all, he manages to convince himself that he is being ridiculous and that it is merely the foreignness of the galleon that makes everything appear so strange. He does not become aware of the real circumstance of the rebellion until the climax occurs when Cereno jumps into his whaleboat, followed by Babo, who draws a knife to kill his "master."

The falling action includes the battle between Delano's crew and the rebellious slaves, the taking of the ship, the sailing to Peru, and the trial and conviction of the Africans, including Babo. The conclusion reveals Babo's punishment and Cereno's escape to a monastery and subsequent death. As a footnote to the plot, Cereno's deposition is given. In it, all the gory details of the rebellion are presented in order to clear up all the vagueness of the actual plot.

In spite of the circuitous construction of the plot, it largely adheres to the major unities of time, place, and character. The actual plot occurs over a few days, from the time the San Dominick draws near to St. Maria until the rebellion is put down by Delano's crew. The time is expanded by the deposition, which goes back to tell of how the rebellion took place, and the trial, which takes place several weeks after the rebellion is ended. The entire story centers only on three characters: Delano, Cereno, and Babo. Little is learned about any of the other Spaniards, Africans, or Americans that people the story. Finally, almost all of the action takes place on board the San Dominick, and the entire setting is upon the sea, whether at full sail or in the harbor. As a result, the story is tightly unified in spite of the flashback found in the deposition. In fact, the main plot of the story is so tense that it could be compared to a psychological thriller, an action-adventure tale, or a mystery story.

The story is further unified by the repetition of images. Throughout the day he spends on board the Spanish galleon, Delano notices the oakum-pickers, who never seem to move; in a similar manner, he is always aware of the sound of the hatchet polishers as they jarringly toss their cleaned weapons into a pile. The constant presence of Babo is another unifying element. Whenever Cereno is seen in the tale, Babo is right by his side; throughout the story, Delano is very bothered by the too familiar relationship between the servant and his master. In fact, the whole issue of slavery is repeatedly referenced in the tale, further unifying the plot. There are also repeated references to the carving of the fighting figures on the back of the ship and the words, "Follow Your Leader," at the front, both of which take on symbolic meanings. All of these sensual images help to tighten an already masterfully constructed plot.

The plot is also held together by the theme of slavery, which is indirectly approached by Melville. The plot is not really directly tied to the slavery issue, for there are no passages discussing the practice in any depth, and the conflict really revolves around the question of good vs. evil. But in the presentation of the slaves, there is a very subtle commentary. Melville seems to believe that rebellion is the natural outcome of the terrible institution of slavery. It is noteworthy that Melville likens the Africans to robed monks (Black Friars) when Delano first sees them on board and that Cereno's last spoken words in the story are about The Negro. Even the last image of the book, Cereno's death at the monastery, is tied back to the first image of the robed slaves, creating one final unifying element to a cleverly plotted story.

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