Moby Dick Gets Rewritten without the Letter 'E' to Raise Awareness about Disability

Down Spain, the Spanish Committee of Representatives of Persons with Disabilities (CERMI), and Fnac are launching “Moby Dick Unlimited”, Herman Melville’s masterpiece rewritten without the letter “e”.

For the first time Capitan Ahab is missing an arm and not a leg, instead of chasing a whale he is looking for an octopus and the story takes place in Cuba and not Nantucket. 

It is a unique version of the legendary tale which seeks to show that although the story changes, it can be equally wonderful. People with disabilities are fully aware of this as they write their own stories every day and do not believe in limits. It is an inspiring and original story designed to raise awareness in society about equality of opportunity for all through culture which in April, a special time for Fnac as the month of reading, will spotlight its commitment to literature as a source of inspiration and a means of social integration. 

“Moby Dick Unlimited is a story which tells us about the human condition and the dignity of human beings,” says Agustin Matia from Down Spain. “We build our lives every day by overcoming our own limitations and not letting fear of difficulties and ‘the sea monsters’ around us be a hindrance but rather an incentive. People with disabilities are bursting with personal achievement, a spirit of sacrifice and perseverance. Starting from a difficulty, all of them can overcome barriers and not set limits on what they can do.”

“People with disabilities can enhance our world with new standpoints, with an exciting and rewarding view of things, their own, different and unique gaze,” adds Jose Martín, head of branded content at Fnac Spain. “Here at Fnac we are supporting this project as promoters of culture to broaden our vision of reality, of fiction and art, because only by opening up the way we see things can we move forward as a society and as people.” 

“What’s different is changed and done better, and if we apply this to society the lesson is obvious,” argues Luis Cayo Pérez Bueno, chair of CERMI. “Let us learn from these changes and appreciate everything that diversity offers us.” 

The book is for all audiences and can be downloaded for free here.