tkral15’s Blog

After reading this section i felt like Moby- Dick is two stories mixed together. There is the real scientific chapters that offer information and biological facts. And then there is also the chapters that are fantasy and exaggerated stories.  I think that it is a really interesting way to compose a story. It is also a “cool” way to learn about whales and their history while reading about an adventure. In the two chapters about the paintings of whales i thought it was so interesting how whales were portrayed completely different. From the shapes, and sizes, and the colors. The Line, chapter 60 was well put. I liked how before Melville got into the whaling scene. He explained with great detail about the  special rope which is coated in special tar for a good smooth grip. He mentions how important the storage of the rope is. It has to be easily accessible so that in seconds it can be let lose and attached to the whale.

Then finally a REALLY exciting chapter came up in Stubb Catches a Whale. It’s what we’ve been waiting for Whale action.  I thought that chapter was a little too graphic with the blood coming out of the whale. It grossed me out, and i felt bad for the whales. I’m still not sure where i stand on the whaling issue, so right now i think the rest of the book may be hard for me to read. After Stubb catches the whale the next two chapters started to explain the little things and terms on the whaling trip that one would need to know. I really like how some details are really explained well. I feel like i could get on a whaling ship and be able to point everything out and be helpful around the ship. I am now excited to read more. I was bored for a little bit, and now i was able to turn through all the pages.

After reading this section i was pretty excited. I really liked chapter 48 because there was a lot of action. It was interesting to see how the four boats raced after the whales. The different tactics they chose and the way they navigated. One thing that did stick out a lot to me was how much Ahab spoke. I mean if i was out there i would want to toss his overboard. I found Ahab very obnixous and unesscary. Almost as if he was talking just to be talking. Or he enjoyed listening to himself yell at other mates. I have a feeling that very soon shipmates may get annoying of Moby dick and the little stunts he pulls. Like the revenge he strives for against Moby Dick, or the five mysterious phantoms he had on board the whole time.

A second connection that i made was in chapter 52- The Albatross. As i mentioned in previous blogs my family used to travel to cape cod annually. One of our rainy day activities would be to go deep sea fishing on a boat called, the Albatross. I can remember these trips being a lot of fun, and really exciting. The fish that we would try to catch were flounder.  Of course though when you put a fishing line in the water anything on the end of the line can latch on. I can remember this one trip exactly. I threw my line in the water and just waiting for a while for something to bite… When i did finally feel a tug i go excited and started to reel in my line. then it got really hard, too hard to be a flounder. I had to have the crew come over and help me. Although it will never be for sure known, the man suggested that i had actually caught a shark. We had to cut my line no one was going to be able to pull this one up. The boat ride is also one of the best parts of the day. The wind rushes in your face. Everything is wet, and everyone is having a good time. My experiences on the Albatross boat remind me of some of the adventures in Moby Dick. Mine was much less dangerous, but the thrill of being out on the sea was still present.

    I thought that this section was pretty borning to read. In chapter 43- Hark two shipmates have a conversation and one says that he can hear human noises in the cargo area. The other says he hears nothing. I think that this is defeintley some foreshawdowing. In The Chart, i thought that Ahab seemed crazy at first, however following eating patterns does make sense. In The Affidavit, the main thing i took out of that chapter was that Ishmael wants people to read his book with “human reasoning” rather than reading it as a “hideous and intolerable agnoy” I find that in a way ironic because at some points during the reading i feel like the book is hideous and intolerable. It’s almost as if he knows his book at some points can be tedious, but you have to find the real message in each chapter. Also it makes me think that sometimes all of the random chapters are so that you can feel like you’re on the ship, and they also lead up to bigger, better, exciting chapters. In Surmises, Ahab realizes that he needs to treat his men well, and keep their motovation up via money. He also discovers that although his only goal is to get revenge on Moby Dick, the other shipmates want to catch as many spermwhales possible to earn money. In chapter 47-the most exciting of the night was finally Tashteego spots a whale. And just as everyone starts to get busy, “5 dusky phantoms” emerge around Ahab. I wonder if these five phantoms are shipmates who want to make it clear to Ahab about their goal or whether they are pirates? I’m not even sure if they had pirates back then.

Leaving off at chapter 47 i’m hoping there is a real whale. Or maybe Tashteego just called out whale in order to destract Ahab…

Finally we learned the story of Moby Dick. Ishmael decided in chapter 41 that Ahab is as mad as he is because after his attack from Moby Dick he underwent agonizing pain because of the lack of medical support of the boats. In chapter 42 I was really interested in the color of white.

The color white can be associated with many different things. From people, to paint, to nature. In regards to our essay of the all American Character, I was reminded of Jim- the runaway slave in Huckleberry Finn. I am not sure exactly how i made this connection, but i do feel strongly about it. When some people think of the color right their first instinct may be racial superiority. That is just the way some people are, some grew up that way. It was natural for them. Other people grew up in the time where African Americans started to fight for their rights. What i have always wanted to know is why did white people feel they were so much better than African Americans? Where did someone get the idea what just beacuse they had a different color they were better then someone else? I just have never really understood that And i dont think its an answerable question. Going back to the character-Often times in American liturature an Afrian American is displayed as a slave, or displayed through abuse. Like Jim. Jim however ends up running away from his slave owner beacuse in his mind he knew it was not fair the way he was treated.

Tying back into Moby Dick…In a very abstract way I feel like Ishmael is like the runaway slave Jim. Jim escapes from Miss Watson and ends up traveling with Huck down the Mississippi River. Ishmael leaves or “runs away” from his teaching Manhattan life to sail around the oceans in a boat for years to capture whales. It seems like a general plot of American Literature is that a character always seems to be running away from something. Whether it be slavery, or a depressing life.

     During this reading I thought that I was really able to tell who Ahab was and what his main goal is: which is to catch and kill Moby Dick, the distinctive white whale that took off his leg and left him hobbling. All Ahab really wants to accomplish in this voyage is killing Moby Dick. He calls for a meeting and gives the sailors an incentive, who ever can bring him a dead Moby Dick will receive gold.

    I really felt that these chapters also had a great deal of foreshadowing. Two big examples that i picked up on were: In chapter 36, when Ahab says, “Death hunt us all, if we do not hunt Moby Dick to his death” I just felt like this quote really showed the point of the sailing trip and the journey will not end until Moby is dead…even if it takes sacrifcing sailors or people dying. Ahab wants revenege.  The second quote that i picked up on was, “take some one of your own size. Don’t pommel me” To me, this quote shouted a huge whale is going to be coming up soon and the meeting of the boat and whale are not going to be good. I just feel like that quote focuses more on the size of the whale. The quote is mentioned when bullies beat up little kids, and it can work vise versa…smaller people shouldnt go after huge people. A small wooden boat shouldnt go after the largest mammal around!

Lastly, chapter 37 reminded me a lot of the sunsets in cape cod. Probably at least 10 years my family and i would take vacations to cape cod. Generally we wound rent houses that were in walking or biking distance from a beach. After eating dinner my siblings and i would race to the beaches and watch the sun set. These sunsets were some of the most beautiful sights i’ve ever seen. When youre sitting there just watching the sunset a lot can go through your mind. Or nothing at all can go through your mind. It is a great feeling to me of relaxation and calmness. Knowing that no matter how bad my day could have been or could be in the future i know that i can look out my window, or if i’m lucky sit on a beach and slowly watch the sunset. i can relax and take in every second of it. I know that tomorrow there’s going to be another sunset, and the next day, and the next day. There will always be a sunset that i can look forward to.

     After reading chapters 10-15 I am excited to read on because I feel like the “good stuff” will soon be coming up. I’ll have to admit that in chapters ten and eleven I was getting nervous about Queequeg and Ishmael’s relationship. It almost seemed a little too close for comfort. After all, they’ve only just met. I also think that it’s nice the way the two hit it off. I’m sure Queequeg has never had a really good friend, that is not a cannibal. Even when the two are walking down the streets Ishmael received looks from normal folk. In a way questioning him and his status with a cannibal.

     I liked how Ishmael started to describe Queequeg he said he had, “a simple honest heart” (52)  and really that his fierce tattoos and rigid looks are decieveing, hes like a gentle giant. The two really start to get along well, so well Queequeg decides on marriage, or what  his native village calls bosom friends. In Queequegs island that means you would die for that person. At the end of chapter ten Ishmael describes them as “a cosy loving pair” (54)

Throught the rest of the section Melville’s randomness is shown. I actually don’t mind his randomness, although sometimes it takes me off into different thoughts as well. Queequeg talks about his island, Kokovoko and his family, and even how he ended up being a whaler. By chapter 12 Queequeg and Ishmael have decided to embark on the ship together. And by chapter 13 they are on a schooner to Nantucket. As requested by the Spoutner-Inn owner they go to  hotel known as the Hosea Hussey of the Try Pots, which also is the known place to get a great bowl of clam chowder.  And by the end of chapter 15 we are left at the bottom of the stairs with Mrs. Hussey the hotel owners wife demanding Queequags harpoon to ensure safety throughout the night.

     The reason she takes away the harpoon is beacuse she does not want a repeat of an earlier event that took place at the hotel. This made me wonder a bit, perhapes this is foreshadowing something in the future. Also, I don’t think we’ve seen Queequeg without his harpoon yet, so maybe he will act differently or the yearn for it.  

     At this point I am ready for the real whaling “stuff” to start. I think Queequeg and Ishmael are good friends now and are also ready for embark upon this adventure.

     I liked reading about the whaling and whalecraft most. I really thought it was interesting how simple, yet complex the whaling boats/ ships are.  Whaling is and has been men in wooden ships and boats verus the worlds largest mammals since it ever began! I just think this is so exciting and unimaginable! .Whaling boats and ships are built stricktly for whaling which makes the most sense. Their akward shape is the most coinvient and offers the best storage for the huge mammals they catch and have to bring back. I just cannot imagine being aboard a whaling ship. It would be so thrillful and exciting and still very gross. Of course, i think that the process of harpooning, stabbing, and the whole cutting stage is pretty distirbing. I still think the rush of the chasing and the spending time on the boat would be awesome. However, four years on a boat would be a little much for me.

     Another thing that I reflected on was during chapter 29 when Ishmael talks about Ahab being older and the simple things start to get harder. This reminded me of my grandfather. As the months go by, he is geting older and older. His health is slowly going, and he gets tired easily. My grandfather, Poppy- loves to golf. He would litterly go to the course everyday and just golf. He would play 18 holes, then do some putting or driving. Now, he only gets up to the golf course a couple times a week. No longer can he play 18 holes, hes down to a few, or maybe putting for a little bit. Poppy’s experience reminds me of the quote, “Among sea-commanders, the old greybeards will oftenest leave their berths to vist the night-cloaked deck. It was so with Ahab; only that now, of late, he seemed so much to live in the open air, that truly speaking his visits were more to the cabin, than from the cabin to the planks.” (112 green book)

My response to chapters 21-28 is a little bit of confusion. I feel like Melville starts to wite down some thoughts and then as soon as he thinks of something else he transitions unexpectly to that thought. Also i think he could sum up his thoughts quicker if he just subtracted a lot of the unnesscary words that i sometimes dont even understand.

Besides the confusion, these chapters introuduced us to some new characters. And other basic information. Melville has a chapter on the bussiness of whaling. The ideas that i got from that chapter were basically that the whaling industry didnt and doesn’t get enough credit where its due. The whalers do have a very important job, especially back then. Whales were much more of a demand, for their oil and food. Also many people perceived whalers and their ships as dirty, “scuzzy” men. However, in chapter 24 they are defended. And it says that a boat is very clean.

Some new interesting characters that are describe are: Starbuck, Stubb, Flask, Tashtego, and Daggoo. All of these characters are very unique people. I think it is going to be neat how they all come together in this book.

In the chapter 28, we finally get to see Ahab. The mysterious captain. Ahab emerges from his cabin after several unseen days. He is described and only has one leg. He didn’t utter any words. Everyday after that he was seen..but still kept quiet.

This section started out with finding the boat for Ishmael and Queequeg’s adventure. When they do find a boat they decide on the Pequod. The boat is decorated in whales parts which i think makes it more fun. It show Ishmael what he is about to get in to. The captain of the ship is Ahab- Ahab, i think is probably the cause of the upcoming adventure. It is Ahab who wants to get revenge on Moby Dick the great white whale who took off Ahabs leg.

Before departing for the sea Queequeg spends a whole day mediatating. I think that this shows the civilized side of this cannibal. Also it may show is culture beacusethey believe in meditation. Ishmael knocks on the door to the room one night and when he recived no response he knocked the door open and found Queequeg in deep meditation undistirbed.

     The next mornig they would set out to the ship…

Once the two arrive to the ship the captain give Queequeg some grieve about boarding the ship. He says he doesnt allow cannibals on his ship unless they have converted. I don’t see what the big deal is. When sterotypicaly sailors are scruffy and dont care much for their surrondings or the background of their shipmates. Or at least that is what i expected. the captain even calls Queequeg Quohog. Queequeg then impresses the captain by hitting a small piece of tar in the water with his harpoon.

A biblical reference that was said in these chapters refers to the prophet Elijah who warns against the two embarking on the boat. He mentioned a bit of Aharbs past..but the two dont listen and continue.

This section leaves us off with no great excitment except the great expectaions we have. and i am ready for this adventure!

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