I wanted to see if I could post these to make it so that Professor Pressman wouldn’t have to keep emailing people who ask for it – the link is glitched in the Reading/Work Schedule tab.
I saved them into my Google Drive, hope this helps/works!
Herman Melville pulls from many sources of inspiration within his novel Moby Dick, or The Whale, such as Shakespeare, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Edgar Allen Poe. Melville’s tonal shift on page 42 belies a horror element within the story, creating tension and a sense of foreboding. This is both amplified by the context of the scene – Ishmael visiting a chapel and seeing marble placards for lost whalers – and the placement within the story – it is before we are introduced to Ahab, the Pequod, or even Moby Dick. Employing our ineffable narrator Ishmael, Melville asks the reader to critically engage with the concept of complicit faith.
While utilizing techniques such as foreshadowing early within the novel, the tonal shift into horror comes at the end of Chapter 7, The Chapel. When faced with the mortality entailed with the job he sought by way of several marble tablets on display in the church, Ishmael goes into a mental reverie, stating, “How is it that we still refuse to be comforted for those who we nevertheless maintain are dwelling in unspeakable bliss; why all the living so strive to hush all the dead; wherefore but the rumor of a knocking in a tomb will terrify a whole city. All these things are not without their meanings. But Faith, like the jackal, feeds among the tombs, and even these dead doubts she gathers her most vital hope” (42). This passage uses clear and plain language to instill the reader with his message.
Beginning first with the personal response with grief, he comments on how religion itself is meant to be some kind of comfort. Despite this, religion does not truly ease the loss or suffering of those left behind – “we still refuse to be comforted.” He continues with the innate response of the grieving: “why all the living so strive to hush all the dead,” to not hold their words or actions against them and remember them as “the best” of themselves. Yet, or perhaps because of this, people do not want to know the truth beyond the grave. Were someone to come back to tell of their death, it would unsettle rather than bring comfort.
The mystery of death feeds the perceived comfort. The fear of the unknown is what lives at the root of fears such as nyctophobia (fear of the dark) or thalassophobia (fear of deep bodies of water). Humanity can never know for sure what awaits us after death, if anything. They must persist beyond the flood, dreaming of rewards and “unspeakable bliss.” The line with the strongest horror tone, “But Faith, like the jackal, feeds among the tombs, and even these dead doubts she gathers her most vital hope” (42), stands as a paragraph of its own on the page; this emphasizes the importance that Melville places on the line. This is where the built up shift happens.
By capitalizing “Faith,” Melville changes the concept into a character within the novel. This implies that the concept may exhibit human characteristics, such as a duplicitous nature or that it can be any number of things within the text. Further illustrating this point, he compares Faith to a jackal, a wild dog of Africa that feeds on carrion, game, and fruit that is known to hunt in packs. Much like the Raven in Edgar Allen Poe’s The Raven, which acts as a kind of supernatural emissary that has come to crush the narrator’s hopes of ever being reunited with his beloved Lenore in heaven, Faith as a jackal is used to embody the dread that has begun to grow within Ishmael despite his reluctance to pay it mind.
In the final part of that small paragraph, Ishmael circles back to the beginning ideal presented: “even these dead doubts she gathers her most vital hope” (42). Contextually, this is in direct reference to the line “those who we nevertheless maintain are dwelling in unspeakable bliss” (42). Despite Faith being the creature that takes the prayers and feeds among the tombs, Faith is also the reason for the maintained belief that those lost are in a better place. The ineffable nature of belief is that it comforts as much as it confounds. It exists beyond interpretation, beyond explanation. It is the other side of that fear of the unknown.
Noticing moments such as this in the text is imperative to understanding the story being told. To quote Melville, “All these things are not without their meanings.” (42); tonal shifts, perspective changes, and historical information are all integral to comprehending the text as a whole. Being able to recognize when the story shifts into horror, romance, or action, understanding the underlying reason behind these shifts, and applying them to one’s interpretation of the novel teaches the reader how to read Moby Dick. Beyond that, Melville is showing the readers to critically engage with beliefs – by personifying faith itself and providing it with a description rooted in horror, it forces the reader to come to terms with complicit faith and a lack of personal thought. This theme will be strengthened upon Ishmael’s voyage on the Pequod, where the lines of personal identity and fanatical belief become skewed by the terrifying charisma of Captain Ahab. Beginning the novel with moments like this acts as the foundation for our understanding of relationships built later in the novel.
I want to talk about one my thesis and my overall idea of how im going to read the book, then where it ties into this chapter.
in this chapter “the ship” we see Ishemeal and Queequeg interact with the ship that are choosing to have their adventure on, they get to hear stories about the ship and the captain. these stories are told and Ishmeal gets to make his own idea of the captain, he is reading him and his ties to the ship, he will leave the ship, think about the ship and the captain, then come back to to have a better understanding of both the ship and the captain. this idea of having these thoughts of something you find important and not losing it, come back to the material that made you think these thoughts and re-observe to get a different perspective.
Ishmael claims to be respectful towards different religions, however, his reactions to Queequeg shows his acceptance only goes so far. Melville uses Ishmael to reveal the hypocrisy and the cultural bias within the Christian religion. When referring to his Christianity, Ishmael says “we good Presbyterian Christians…” By Ishmael referring to Christianity as “good”, it shows that he believes the Christian faith is the only correct way and most respectful, even though he claims to be respectful of other faiths. This exposes his religious bias. Ishmael represents Christians of the 19th century and their narrow-mindedness by believing Christianity is the only good and correct religion out there.
When Ishmael comes in contact with Queequeg doing his traditions (his Ramadan, praying, and worshipping), he has a lot to say. A lot of negative things at that. When Ishmael saw Queequeg praying on the floor, he says, “it seemed so downright senseless and insane to be sitting there all day and half the night on his hams in a cold room, holding a piece of wood on his head” (Melville 93). By using the words “senseless” and “insane” shows that Ishmael’s Christian views had shaped his understanding of what “proper” worshipping is. He has a certain notion of how to properly worship God. And anything not seen as Christian is deemed weird.
Ishmael also goes on to criticize the fasting Queequeg does due to his beliefs. He goes on to make points against the fasting, even calling Queequeg’s beliefs “frantic”. Ishmael says that “prolonged ham-squatting in cold, cheerless rooms were stark nonsense; bad for the health; useless for the soul” (Melville 94). Again, while Ishmael claims to be respectful, he shows otherwise- showing his hypocrisy and his bias. He dismisses what he does not understand and tries to make excuses to justify his prejudices.
In Chapter 13, Ishmael finally boards a watercraft, a little ferry (the Moss) that will take him and Queequeg to Nantucket. It’s interesting that this is the first direct contact with the water that he’s had since the story started, given that he’s spent so much time thinking about it. Another example of this novel refusing to begin. The moment finally comes on page 66, when they start sailing down the Acushnet river. Ishmael muses, “Gaining the more open water, the bracing breeze waxed fresh; the little Moss tossed the quick foam from her bows, as a young colt his snortings. How I snuffed that Tartar air!–how I spurned that turnpike earth!–that common highway all over dented with the marks of slavish heels and hoofs; and turned me to admire the magnanimity of the sea which will permit no records” (66). Just as he said at the beginning of the story, the ocean makes him feel better; it’s his way to cope with life. He looks back at land and he compares it to a hell of sorts, a highway pockmarked with “slavish heels and hoofs.” He relishes the openness and the fluidity of the water, “which will permit no records.” He feels free, untethered. But at what cost? Melville juxtaposes the earth with the sea and gives that idea to us through Ishmael’s perspective–a white male in 19th century America. Melville intentionally uses the phrase “slavish heels and hoofs” to refer to the marks Ishmael sees on the side of the river. The word “slavish” could simply refer to the monotonous and restraining lives of most people on land, people who prefer stability over adventure; but further, I see this is a clear reference to the reality that was slavery in America, which was coming to its boiling point at the time, and was something that Ishmael would not have been negatively affected by. In fact, he would have benefitted from it, even if indirectly. For Ishmael, it is easy to scorn the Earth and prefer the ocean over it because he has that luxury. He feels the wind in his hair and mighty freedom surges in his heart as he sails through the water, but the earth does not forget. Ishmael hates to feel tied town and chained to his unfulfilling life, but he fails to recognize there are others who are legally considered subhuman and have no choice but to live in chains. The magnanimous sea “will permit no records,” and for someone like Ishmael it is easier and more convenient to turn away from the marks of injustice that lie upon the earth.
In Chapter 24, “The Advocate”, Ishmael narrates by defending the honor and dignity of whaling and argues that they deserve more respect from society ideals and see whaling as heroic . When Melville writes, “The dignity of our calling the very heavens attest. Cetus is a constellation of the South!” (122), he uses this imagery for us to see on how the whale and the people who hunt it hold like a cosmic/ divine importance. The whale isn’t just an animal, but as something powerful and important. The whales, in many cultures, often seen as divine, sacred and spiritual beings, and symbolized as creation, wisdom and strength. Melville is indicating that honor can exist in difficult, physical labor, and not just by high societal nobles, but as heroic, ” I account that man more honorable than that great captain of antiquity who boasted of taking as many walled towns,”(122). I believe Melville wants the readers (us) to see manual labor with admiration and respect and not seen as a societal norm. I feel that Melville wants for us to see the concepts on how America wanted to be demonstrated as a country with being defined as class and greatness.
So far this chapter was my favorite. Not going to lie, but the book was making me mad and confused all day after re-reading every sentences with the whole different dialect of old English.
Prior to setting off on his 3 year long voyage, Ishmael is tasked with the important decision of choosing between the three whaling ships docked in Nantucket. His decision to choose the Pequod, is entirely based on his admiration and romanticized notions of the whaling ship which he describes as: “a thing of trophies. A cannibal of a craft, tricking herself forth in the chased bones of her enemies(78).”
After having gotten to know Ishmael in the past 16-19 chapters, it is no surprise that he is inclined to court death, evidenced by the quick friendship he began with the intimidating Queequeg. However, he seems determined to board the ship despite any protest or challenge, even after the prophetic and ominous warnings by Elijah, who equates signing onto the ship as signing away your soul. Elijah seems to know more than anyone is capable of divulging about Captain Ahab, but does not go into depth:
“But nothing about that thing that happened to him off Cape Horn, long ago, when he lay like dead for three days and nights; nothing about that deadly skrimmage with the Spaniard afore the altar in Santa?—heard nothing about that, eh? Nothing about the silver calabash he spat into? And nothing about his losing his leg last voyage, according to the prophecy. Didn’t ye hear a word about them matters and something more, eh?(101)”
His name, based on the biblical reference to the prophet Elijah and King Ahab, is either an attempt to scare Ishmael, or his way of hinting that this prophecy (of biblical scale), which even Captain Peleg seems forbidden to mention in Ahab’s presence, is already on its path of being concluded. It seems even captain peleg is incapable of forming a concrete opinion on Captain Ahab who is both “a grand, ungodly, godlike man(88),” as well as “a good man– not a pious, good man, like Bildad, but a swearing good man–(89).” I wouldn’t say that the chances of this voyage ending on a good note are high for Ishmael and Queequeg, but I would say, based on Elijah’s warnings that they are inevitable or otherwise fated.
There is a certain quality to these chapters, that make everything feel like it’s clicking into place, not in the usual narrative sense, but like seeing a prophecy play out. Ishmael decides almost at once to join the Pequod based on a feeling of rightness, and even Elijah tells him “you are just the man for him– the likes of ye. Morning to ye, shipmates, morning! Oh! When ye get there, tell’em i’ve concluded not to make myself one of ‘em.” I take this to mean that in Elijah’s journey, he has decided, upon meeting Ishmael, to resist the magnetic pull of the Pequod and of the infamous Captain Ahab. It seems, unfortunately, that Elijah has bequeathed this burden of knowing to Ishmael. Only time and the progression of reading this book will tell us if this is true.
Very much like previous chapters, Ishmael continues to point out/ describe Queequegs’ savage like tendencies and/ or features in Chapter 13. Pointing out things like “…he showed his filed and pointed teeth.” (P. 66), “… the brawny savage..”(p.66), and “…seen swimming like a dog…”(p.67) Even the young man who made fun of Queequeg behind his back called him “..the devil..”(p.67) after being picked up and thrown up by the devil himself. Melville continues to write about Queequeg in this manner to keep his savage momentum going, to paint a picture of what this man looks like and what he seems to be as a person, just to reveal the kind of man he ACTUAlLLY is—beyond what is written to describe him.
For example, after had been insulted by that young man and by the captain, Queequeg is quick to save not only the boat but the young man as well after being thrown off the boat. Just after his grand gesture, he is thanked and praised for saving the day and now Queequeg is a hero. When a few minutes ago he was a devil and a cannibal who was threatened to be killed. If he were to be as malicious as he was labeled, wouldn’t he have done absolutely nothing to save that man? Melville uses this moment to guide us into understanding the difference between believing what others might say about someone vs who that person is and the kind of morals they stand for even if it does not equate to the label they carry.
While what he did gained the respect and kindness from the others on the boat, Queequeg did not seem to care for their praise as Ishmael says he, “…only asked for water—fresh water— something to wipe the brine off; that done, he put on dry clothes, lighted his pipe…” (p. 68) Queequegs request followed by his thought that “We cannibals must help these Christians.” (P.68) Concluding that the division between the kind of person you are does not reflect what he is labeled as. For Queequeg, he sees Christians as helpless— needing the support of savages like him regardless if they are aware of it or if they want it whereas Christians most likely see people like Queequeg as dangerous and the opposite of who they would consider as helpful. When in a boat full of people, who may or may not have been Christians, the only person to jump to save the young man was a cannibal.
One of the most interesting aspects of this book is the ever changing relationship between man and the whale. In my last post, I discussed Queequeg as being symbolic of the whale because of how he’s described with animalistic qualities. However, this statement goes both ways, meaning that the whale has humanistic qualities. It’s hard to hate something for simply being, especially if there is an innate relatability, connection, or understanding towards the creature. So far in the narrative, the whale has been depicted as a fearsome foe, a monstrous beast, but in the later chapters, this notion is challenged. Instead of viewing the whale as a malicious beast, the main character calls to question the innocent nature of the animal. This point is emphasis when he is talking to the ship’s captain, who retells the story of how he lost his leg, and in response he says;
“What you say is no doubt true enough sir; but how could I know there was any peculiar ferocity in that particular whale, though indeed I might have inferred as much from the simple fact of the accident” (80).
This vocalized plea of the whale’s innocence shifts the whale’s actions from being the perpetrator of evil to a victim of self-defense against capitalistic ventures. The whale did not attack without provocation, it was being hunted by whalers and responded accordingly to its survival. It’s in all our nature to have self-preservation. By having Ishmeal point this out to the captain shows that he doesn’t share these same opinions about the whale. He is recognizing that this is a living being, much like himself. Ishmeal’s ability to empathize with the whale humanizes the creature. Expanding our precious preconceived notions about the whale. Whereas in the previous chapters he’s a leviathan, in this particular moment, the whale is just an innocent animal trying to survive.
Throughout our readings so far we have witnessed a relationship build between Ishmael and Queequeg. As they grow closer Ishmael accepts Queequeg for who he is and even starts thinking of Christianity through a new lens. However, in chapter 17 Queequeg is participating in Ramadan, he sits in the middle of the room holding Yojo on top of his head all day until sunrise the next morning. Ishmael tries to get him to stand, eat, and sleep but none of those things are important to Queequeg because he is practicing his religion. This is when we see Ishmael take a step back from his accepting behavior and begin to feel as though he must save Queequeg, “I have no objection to any person’s religion…But when a man’s religion becomes really frantic;… then I think it high time to take that individual aside and argue the point with him” (94). The inclusion of this chapter by Melville is extremely important as a way of demonstrating the truth behind the thought process of people during this time. Christianity was not seen only as a religion, but rather as almost a fact and universal truth. The showing of pure hypocrisy during this passage was definitely a smart choice by Melville. The passage starting off with Ishmael saying he does not judge but then he goes straight into judging was possibly a way for Melville to show him as an unreliable narrator at times? To Ishmael, his thought process makes complete sense, but to readers his ideas being completely hypocritical is obvious.
Ishmael even decides he must have a conversation with Queequeg simply because he believed it was, “bad for health;useless for the soul” (94). This again demonstrates how much any religion that was not christianity was seen as completely far fetched and ridiculous. Ishmael feels like he needs to teach Queequeg and explain religion to him, when Queequeg has his own beliefs and has not tried to force them onto Ishmael. Melville is asking readers to have an open mind and realize that just because someone has different beliefs does not mean they are wrong or ridiculous for their way of living.
Another quote from these pages that stuck out to me was, “he no doubt thought he knew a good deal more about the true religion than I did” (95). This part of the passage definitely supports everything that I have noted earlier in this blog. However, it also got me thinking about everything Melville could be using this passage to convey to readers. One thing that came to mind is that he might be showing that change isn’t linear. Ishmael’s ideas about religion are not just his own, the majority of the people during this time thought this way as well. Maybe this is a way for Melville to show that changing those ideas takes time and true effort? This is something I found extremely interesting and I will keep this idea in mind as we read more of the novel.