Herman Melville wrote one of the greatest American classics: Moby-Dick. Some people would assume he wrote it in a grand place of great inspiration. Some people would be wrong. Melville wrote his famous novel on a tiny farm in Massachusetts. His inspiration was two mountains outside his study window. In his mind, the snow-covered peaks formed the shape of the vicious whale from his novel.

Melville’s Arrowhead farm was very humble. The house was average size with several acres surrounding it. It was ordinary. What makes the place a tourist site is what Melville did there. This gives me hope. It shows that you don’t need to have grand surroundings or great revelations to create a masterpiece. All Melville did was look out his window.