Moby Dick Reading Packet (4)

Obviously, you need to answer these on lined paper.

Chapters 53 and 54

aggregate - the totalagrarian - related to farmingcozening - deceptive

intimation - a hintunostentatious - without showinesserudition - education, knowledge

1. \-Vhatis a "Gam"?

Note: Melville uses an interesting narrative device in Chapter 54 to tell the story of theTown-Ho. Ishmael is telling the story to us as he told it to a group of Spaniards afterhaving experienced all that passed on-the Pequod.

2. Considering that Ishmael is telling this story after his time on the Pequod, what can youinfer from him saying that Moby Dick is a "most deadly immortal monster"? (Thisis kind of a spoiler as far as whether or not Ahab will succeed in his quest.)

3. In what way does Moby Dick appear to be an enforcer of justice in this story? Explainyour answer.

Chapters 55 - 58

azure - bluecentaurs - mythological creaturesdistend - to swelleffulgent - brightly shiningfrontispiece - the first page of a bookgirdled - encircledheinous - horribleindiscriminately - at random

instigation - the act of beginninglexicon - a dictionarypestilent - infectedpicturesque - pretty; vividprofundities - depthsrecumbent -lying downrueful - compassionate; regretful

Note: These four chapters deal primarily with Ishmael's perceptions of whales and whalingthroughout history, and with Right whales.

1. In Chapter 55, Ishmael dev otes a considerable amount of time to telling us about theinaccuracies of all the current pictures of whales. In terms of the themes of this book,what deeper meaning can you find in the following lines? "there is no earthly way offinding out precisely what the whale really looks like. And the only mode in whichyou can derive even a tolerable idea of his living contour, is by going a-whalingyourself; but by so doing, you run no small risk of being eternally stove and sunk byhim" (259 - Signet Edition).

2. Why do you think Ishmael spends a chapter (57) going into detail about all the variousbooks, paintings and statues of whales, and all the places the whale seems to appear innature (in hills, in the clouds, in the skies)?

3. Chapter 58 is incredibly meaningful. In what ways does Ishmael describe the sea? Whatdoes it represent? Explain what he means when he says "For as this appalling oceansurrounds the verdant land, so in the soul of man there lies one insular Tahiti, full ofpeace and joy, but encompassed by all the horrors of the half known life. God keepthee! Push not off from that isle, thou canst never return!" (268 Signet Edition).

Chapters 59 and 60

aesthetics - beauty; good tasteaugment - to add to; enhancecontortions - twisted movementsfurlongs - distances of more than 200yardshapless - unfortunate

impelling - turninglanguid - weak: lacking energystiletto - sharp, pointedsuperseded - replacedvolition - will

1.Dagoo spots a giant squid in the distance, and he thinks it is Moby Dick. Why doesStarbuck say, "Almost rather had I seen Moby-Dick and fought him, than to haveseen thee, thou white ghost!"?

2. What leads Ishmael to believe that squid comprises the main diet of the sperm whale?

3. What makes the whale-line so dangerous to the men in the boats? (Note: this descriptionforeshadows the end of the book.)

Chapter 61

bawl - to hollercanted - sangcompass - abilitydenizen - a resident

desperadoes - criminalsflurrv - a burst of activitvportly - pudgy, fa •

1.Explain how eight or nine men in a rowboat with a number of ten pound spears can killa whale weighing many tons.

2. What literary devices are used in the following: "The red tide poured from all sides ofthe monster like brooks down a hill"?

3. What is the final sign that the hunted whale is dead?

Chapters 62 and 63

audacious - reckless; boldconvulsive - spasmodic twisting of thebodycurvetting - prancing, frolickingelucidate - to make clear

prudently - wiselyflurry - a burst of activitycompass - abilitybawl- to holler

1. How does Ishmael explain the fact that only 1 in 10 thrown harpoons finds its target?

2. What are the potential consequences of keeping the second iron in the boat for toolong?

Chapters 64 and 65

argosy - fleetdepreciates -lowers in valueejaculation - exclamationepicures - people with refined tastesfastidious - neatgizzard - the throat

intemperately - without moderationmastications - acts of chewingquiescence - inactivityreproachfully - condemninglyunctuous - oily

1.Explain what Melville is saying when he says that even if the crew were to kill athousand whales, but not Moby-Dick, "all that would not one jot advance his grand,monomaniac object".

2. Describe the dialect in which old Fleece speaks.

3. Fleece gives a "sermon" to the sharks, because Stubb tells him to do so. He tries toappeal to the shark ' s sense of moderation and fairness. He says that if the sharkscould control and restrain their nature, they would be better creatures. In part, he says:"You is sharks, sartin; but if you gobern de shark in you, why den you be angel; forall angel is not'ing more dan de shark well goberned. Now, look here, bredren, justtry wonst to be cibil" (287). HOl'.'does his "sermon" apply in a larger sense (to ailmen, and/or to Ahab in particular)? How might it contain a thematic message?

Note: Some of you may find the cook's dialect offensive, but it would have been an accuraterepresentation of Fleece's speech, as he was an elderly southern black man who was probablynot formally educated. Please realize also that Melville tries very hard to present a fair pictureof all his characters, and he obviously sees dignity and equality in all men. As a man who hadextensive contact with people of other races and cultures, Melville is one author who tries hardto avoid stereotyping, and Ihope you can see that he does not speak condescendingly ofother religions, races and cultures.

Chapters 66 and 67

assuaging - calmingdisengaged - released; disconnectedentrails - intestinesincalculable - unable to be counted

intricacies - complexitiesplaited - intertwinedsundry - various

1.How do the guards fend off the sharks?

2. How do the SailOISof the Pequod spend the Sabbath following their first kill?

3. What is a boarding sword, and how is it used?

Chapters 68 and 69

hieroglyphical=- codedinsatiate - never satisfiedintezument - a coverinzorthodoxy - traditional~ custompalisades - fortifications

perceptibly - easily seenponiards - daggersrapacious - greedyveritable - actualwafted - carried on the air

1.What does Ishmael speculate might be the source of the scars on the whale's hide?

2. What is the dead wbale ' s lasting legacy, according to Ishmael?

3. Melville juxtaposes two words to create something that does not exist, but makes sense,despite the incongruity: He describes the birds and sharks feeding voraciously on thewhale's carcass as "sea-vultures" and "air-sharks," respectively. How is this use oflanguage effective?

Chapters 70 and' 71

ascendancy - rising upcabalistically - traditionallydelirium - a state of mental confusionfrigate - a shipinfidel - one without religious beliefsinterdicted - forbidden

laudanum - a opium derivativemaw - large mouthperdition - damnationscaramouch - a cowardly braggartungarnished - without decorationvenerable - old and respected

1. Who is in de facto command of the Jeroboam and why do they listen to him?

2. What strange reason does Gabriel have for saying no one should hunt the white whale?

Note: Gabriel's name is meant to remind us of the angel Gabriel who spoke to Mary tellingher that she would give birth to Jesus. Like Elijah, he is meant to be understood as both aprophet and also somewhat insane. Despite being somewhat crazy, both men actually doaccurately predict the future (their words foreshadow events to come).

3. Recall that Elijah seemed to foreshadow the death of the Pequod' s crew. Now, Gabrielis telling Ahab to keep the letter addressed to Macy. Why does he tell Ahab to dothis? How is this an instance of foreshadowing?

Chapters 72 and 73

abated - slowedapothecary - a druggistconsolatory - comfortingfagged - exhausted

interregnum - a gap in timeli gature - a tiemaelstrom - a large whirlpool

1. Queeque g has to stand on the body of the dead whale in order to set the tackle hooks inthe whale's flesh and fend off the sharks as the butchery commences. How doesQueequeg's position endanger Ishmael?

2. Why does Ahab order the crew to lower for right whales, which they have ignored up tothis point?

3. Why does Stubb suggest that they throw Fedallah overboard? What does he thinkFedallah represents?

Chapters 74,75,76, and 77

apertures - holes or slitsapprised - informedcapacious - roomycranium - the head bonediademed - crownedimperceptible - hard to discernimpotently - without powerincongruity - disagreement

incrustation - a hard outer layerinfiltrated - passed into by fluidodoriferous - smellyperplexity - a puzzleprominence - a bumpprovincial- narrow-mindedvacillation - indecisionvestige - remainder

Questions for Chapters Additional Help and Information74-77

1.Melville chooses to Contrasts:make Ahab both •• It is symmetrical, while Ahab is split by a huge scar.similar to and •. It has "character," "superiority," and "pervadingdifferent from the dignity," while Ahab is "dark," "desperate moody,Sperm Whale (Moby and savage sometimes," "stricken, blasted"Dick). What does • The whale can see two objects at once; Ahab can seeAhab represent? only one-Moby-Dick.What does the whale Comparisons:represent? (recall, the •• They are both" grey," of "advanced age. "whale may represent • They are both "a reproach to all [their] tribe.more than one thing,even opposite •. Ahab, now, is partially constructed out of whale bone.things') •. Ahabs monomania can certainly be compared to the

whale's head as Melville describes it being "tough,"inestimable," and as "impregnable" as if it were"paved with horses' hoofs."

2. W11atdoes Fedallah Consider:represent? •. Fedallah appears in Ahab's shadow.

• Fedallah seems to have no definite substance, whileAhab can be seen as menacing and dark,

•. Fedallah is foreign: his name includes "Allah," areference to a different God and set of beliefs .

•• Fedallah is physically dark and seems to cast noshadow himself.

• Fedallah's superstitions are alien (foreign).

3.i\take a chart that Ishmael describes the Sperm Whale and the Right Whale incontrasts the grand great detail in these chapters. His descriptions show thatdescriptions of the killing the Sperm Whale is a great achievement, 'while killingSperm Whale with the the Right Whale is relatively meaningless and withoutnot-so-grand comparable danger.descriptions of theRight Whale (3 thingson each side)

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