On an island off the coast of Chile, Captain Amaso Delano, sailing an American sealer, encounters the San Dominick, a Spanish slave ship in distress. He boards the ship, providing much-needed supplies, and tries to unravel the mystery from its aloof and disturbed captain, Benito Cereno.

This tale delves into themes of racism, the slave trade, and madness. It explores the tension between representation and reality, featuring at least one unreliable narrator. Melville's novella has captivated and frustrated critics for decades.