In Chapter 36, The Quarter-Deck, it is noticeable to the reader that Ahab is blindly seeking revenge against Moby Dick for the loss of his leg. I use the word “blindly” in a broad manner, not just referring to Ahab’s dismissal of danger and death of himself while seeking out Moby Dick, but also for that of his crew. As Ahad gathers the crew around in a sort of sacrificial toast, the text reads, “…the bloodshot eyes of the prairie wolves meet the eye of their leader, ere he rushes on their head in the trail of this bison; but alas! only to fall into the hidden snare of the Indian” (179)

Thinking realistically, wolves are keen and expert hunters, reflecting Ahab and the crew’s years of experience as whalers and harpooners. However, blinded by the bloodthirsty revenge to kill Moby Dick, Ahab is set to fall into the hands of the very thing he seeks out, or the inhabitants that live alongside them. While the rest of the crew blindly submits to Ahab’s orders to hunt down and kill Moby Dick, Starbuck is the only character who noticeably resists Ahab’s vengeful and problematic proposal. But, like the loyalty of a pack of wolves following their leader in a hunt, Starbuck submits to the will of his captain, allowing for the safety of himself and his crewmates to be jeopardized for the sake of bloodthirsty vengeance.