Melville uses the diverse crew of the Pequod to suggest that humanity is a "unified community". The novel argues that the only way to survive an "indifferent universe" is through the bonds we forge with one another—the literal and metaphorical "cord" that ties one sailor to another during a whale hunt.
: In stark contrast to Ishmael’s connection with Queequeg, Captain Ahab is defined by his monomania. He rejects the "Brate Prijatelju" ideal, viewing his crew only as tools for his vengeance. Moby Dick - Brate Prijatelju
: Ishmael, a schoolmaster-turned-sailor, initially fears the "savage" Queequeg. However, their shared experience in New Bedford leads to a "marriage" of souls, where they share a bed and a pipe, effectively dismantling 19th-century racial and social prejudices. Melville uses the diverse crew of the Pequod