Melville Stories is a collected work of the author's short-form work. It includes several novellas and novelettes concerned with Melville's typical subject matter. Bureaucracy, record-keeping and the running of libraries, seafaring life, and exploration are dominant themes throughout the collection. Also prevalent is the concept of research and its inclusion in creative narratives. Whaling and life aboard whaling and merchant ships are also central symbolic systems around which many of Melville's stories turn.
The most popular website for book notes. SparkNotes was created by students for students, and their summaries are accessible and extremely well-written. Besides the usual plot overview, chapter summaries, and character analysis, SparkNotes differentiates itself with a section discussing themes, motifs, and symbols.