The main character in the novel "Moby Dick," written by Herman Melville, is Ishmael. Ishmael serves as the narrator, providing an account of his adventures aboard the whaling ship Pequod, captained by the obsessive Captain Ahab. The story revolves around Ahab's relentless pursuit of Moby Dick, a giant white whale that had previously damaged Ahab's ship and bitten off his leg. Through Ishmael's perspective, readers explore themes of obsession, revenge, fate, and the human condition. Melville's intricate narrative style and rich symbolism have made "Moby Dick" a classic of American literature, delving deeply into both the personal and philosophical.