Billy Budd by Herman Melville - Appearance Versus Reality (thesis and first body paragraph)

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…at Billy fails to realize because of his mindset. Even when Billy's crewmate, Dansker, says, "Jemmy Legs is down on you," (9) referring to the master-at-arms, his response is return is to the defense of Claggart. Billy childishly thinks that Claggart's words to him are truthful because he was raised to believe that a sailor's word is frank and uncomplicated. These many events show the boyish personality that Billy allows to block his perception of reality.