Category Archives: Week 9: Chapters 37-57

Chapter 46: Is Man a Tool?

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I believe this is one of the first chapters that addresses the idea of Ahab being aware of his tyrannical tendencies and near insane quest to solely focus on Moby Dick. Ishmael himself observes that Captain Ahab hasn’t entirely lost his mind, but it doesn’t change the fact that he has to ensure that the crew remain all for his idea, lest the boredom of the sea change their minds. There’s a clear fear of a mutiny, but the line that centralized Ahab’s command over the Pequod out of the entire chapter were the lines connecting the pages.

“Starbuck’s body and Strabuck’s coerced will were Ahab’s, so long as Ahab kept his magnet at Starbuck’s brain; still he knew that for all this the chief mate, in his soul, abhorred his captain’s quest, and could he, would joyfully disintegrate himself from it, or even frustrate it.” (230-231)

Ishmael mentions that Ahab “must use tools” (230) in order to complete his quest for vengeance, but Ishmael himself points out that Men are most prone to breaking the order on the ship. I think what primarily makes me ponder this specific line though is the idea that even if Starbuck opposes Ahab so greatly, he’s still under his command. Even if there is clear defiance, who in their right mind (with how early we are within the novel) would defy such a maniacal yet clear-sighted man? He might not be clear-sighted in a means of rational thought, but he is clear sided in what he wants, in this quest to hunt down the very whale that took his leg. Another thing to mention is the way Ishmael observes “coerced.” Starbuck here is clearly forced to do Ahab’s bidding. Whether by force or a threat, Ahab himself is a man of loaded language and even greater force, he’s full of charisma, and is able to continue using the crew as tools, no matter the position. While we have discussed in class that the Pequod is like a nation, I’m starting to see them as a toolbox. Ahab can pick what he needs to use for whatever purpose it is, and as diverse as the sailors may be, the hysteria (or potential languor) all melds them together into one hive-mind of a crew to be used under Ahab.

Peril and Perspective

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In Chapter 49, “The Hyena,” Ishmael observes: “There is nothing like the perils of whaling to breed this free and easy sort of genial, desperado philosophy; and with it I now regarded this whole voyage of the Pequod, and the great White Whale its object” (Melville 247). This line is a perfect window into how danger shapes our perspective. Ishmael recognizes that life at sea, with all its risk and unpredictability, cultivates a kind of philosophy that is both relaxed and daring, a mindset able to face the unknown with humor and courage.

The phrase “genial, desperado philosophy” was particularly striking to me when I read it. It suggests a blend of lightheartedness as well as recklessness, implying that those who risk everything in whaling develop a worldliness that is fearless but still very aware of their mortality. Melville emphasizes that danger doesn’t simply terrify us; it actually transforms us. The “perils of whaling” are not just physical threats; they are existential challenges that force the crew to confront the fragility of life and the immensity of the sea, as well as how and why those two things go together. In that confrontation, Ishmael discovers a philosophy that allows him to continue and do well aboard the Pequod: a balance between courage, reflection, and acceptance.

The second part of the sentence, “and with it I now regarded this whole voyage of the Pequod, and the great White Whale its object,” shows how this mindset reshapes Ishmael’s understanding of the Pequod’s mission. The whale, often interpreted as a symbol of obsession or fate, is no longer just a terrifying goal but a lens through which to view the larger adventure at sea. Danger has cultivated perspective: the risks of the sea give him insight, allowing him to see the voyage and the whale philosophically rather than purely emotionally, more so like Ahab. Life’s perils, Melville seemingly suggests in this chapter, are inseparable from the growth they provoke.

This reflection also resonates with the novel’s broader theme of confronting the unknown. The “genial, desperado philosophy” is not just useful for whaling; it is a metaphor for human life, where risks, failures, and uncertainties are what cultivate resilience and insight. Melville presents whaling as a microcosm of existence, where courage and humor are necessary tools for navigating the unpredictable currents of the world. In Ishmael’s words, the philosophy of the Pequod’s crew becomes a guide for enduring the chaos of life itself.

This passage shows how Melville blends adventure with reflection. The dangers of whaling don’t simply create fear in his characters; instead, they create wisdom. Through Ishmael, readers are invited to consider how peril shapes perception, transforms experience, and cultivates the kind of free and daring philosophy necessary to face the vast, unknowable forces of the sea and of life itself.

I enjoy learning about the White Sperm Whale.

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This novel has been putting me in a chokehold for quite some time because of how slowly it progresses throughout the chapters. There are some chapters where I was like: “What the hell is going on?” and there are chapters where I yelp with excitement, especially the one chapter called Moby Dick, which is chapter 45. The reason why this chapter excites me is that we all get to learn about the White Sperm Whale, and its dangerous intentions while lurking under the sea. There is this one passage where Ishmael states, “The Sperm Whale is in some cases sufficiently powerful, knowing, and judiciously malicious, as with direct aforethought to stave in, utterly destroy, and sink a large ship; and what is more, the Sperm Whale has done it.” (224). What is really interesting about this chapter is that it prompts readers to think about how dangerous the whale is. However, there are more details than just that. Melville purposefully uses Ishmael’s and other whalemen’s perspectives to show the danger that this Sperm Whale causes to humans, while he never points out the danger that humans pose to the Sperm Whale. In my mind, I believe that humans were the ones who inflicted damage on the Sperm Whales first, then, from the Sperm Whales’ perspective, they believe that humans pose to them as threats, which is why they attack large ships, chase after these ships, and destroy them to prevent future disaster for their species. I believe that, just like dolphins, whales are actually really smart beings. It remembers faces and is aware that ships that sailed are meant to attack them, which prompts me with a question: Are Sperm Whales considered to be as malicious as Ishmael claims it to be? Or it was the humans that caused this, and the whales are just simply protecting themselves. For humans, hunting a whale is literally a huge achievement because they get recognized for killing one. It’s the whalemen’s dream to be able to hunt a whale, and that ambitious desire turns them into heartless human beings because they are slaying tons of whales just for that purpose alone. I love learning about Sperm Whales, and the human perspectives are trying to convince readers to bear that same hatred towards these whales because of their maliciousness. But I want to look at it from a different perspective, and it’s really amazing to be able to look at things from different sides.

Chapter 44: The Chart

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In chapter 44, Ishmael explains on how obsessed Captain Ahab has become on planning his hunt for Moby Dick. Melville writes,” God help thee, old man, thy thoughts have created a creature in thee; and whose intense thinking thus makes him a Prometheus; a vulture feeds upon that heart for ever; that vulture the very creature he creates”,(220), in this passage Melville explores how obsession can transform the human mind into its own tormentor and how easy it is to loose yourself to madness when the thoughts come to deeply to torment the human mind. He transforms Ahab has a victim and the creator of his own madness. The phrase,” God help thee” is recognizing that Ahab is suffering and no one can save him, but Him. When he says the “creature” it represents the madness being born inside of him from his obsession with Moby Dick, while comparing him to Prometheus due to both being defiant and both being punished for not fulfilling their duties. Melville uses imagery to to warn us, the audience, about the conception of madness of the human mind, becoming to much of a delusion of something we can’t let go.

I recently read Terry Eagleton’s, “Literary Theory: An Introduction,” in one of his chapter, psychoanalysis, Eagleton discusses that psychoanalysis views that humans are driven by unconscious desires and compulsions that they don’t comprehend, which comes as a clear example: Ahab’s obsession with Moby Dick.

“Yea, foolish mortals, Noah’s flood is not yet subsided; two thirds of the fair world it yet covers”

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I can finally talk about Chapter 58 “Brit”. I’ve been thinking about this chapter since I read Moby Dick for the first time two years ago, I feel it encapsulates the whole “nature is inevitable/unconquerable” aspect. I’ll try not to quote the entire chapter:

“however baby man may brag of his science and skill, and however much, in a flattering future, that science and skill may augment; yet for ever and for ever, to the crack of doom, the sea will insult and murder him, and pulverize the stateliest, stiffest frigate he can make…

That same ocean rolls now; that same ocean destroyed the wrecked ships of last year…

But not only is the sea such a foe to man who is an alien to it, but it is also a fiend to its own offspring; worse than the Persian host who murdered his own guests; sparing not the creatures which itself hath spawned…

Consider the subtleness of the sea; how its most dreaded creatures glide under water, unapparent for the most part, and treacherously hidden beneath the loveliest tints of azure. Consider also the devilish brilliance and beauty of many of its most remorseless tribes… Consider, once more, the universal cannibalism of the sea; all whose creatures prey upon each other, carrying on eternal war since the world began…

do you not find a strange analogy to something in yourself? For as this appalling ocean surrounds the verdant land, so in the soul of man there lies one insular Tahiti, full of peace and joy, but encompassed by all the horrors of the half known life. God keep thee! Push not off from that isle, thou canst never return!” (298-299).

Where do I start? baby man may brag of his endless technological advancement, but he will never be able to escape the insulting, murderous, and pulverizing nature of the sea. No matter how hard we try to make the strongest frigate (a type of warship) the sea will always overbear it. We cannot conquer the sea or nature, perhaps even the whale? Ahab can enhance himself with a new leg, a new crew one and all with his goal, a new harpoon, a new whatever, and it will not ever be enough to conquer Moby Dick.

This eternal sea is the same as Noah’s flood, it will never go away and we cannot run away or hide from it forever; we already know we cannot rule it. The ocean is in itself a ferocious yet sublime living thing. It is a fiend to both alien and its own children, it keeps “its most dreaded creatures… treacherously hidden beneath the loveliest tints of azure”. Like the whiteness of the whale, it is both reassuring/good in nature (at least according to our own perceptions) and terror inducing. It transcends a definitive description, it is neither black or white, good or evil, right or wrong; it is life: a chaotic jumble of everything ranging between the dichotomy we humans love to apply to everything.

In the closing passage of this chapter, Melville prompts us to compare these features of the ocean to ourselves. We are surrounded by the “appalling ocean” that is life, and we retreat into our insular Tahiti, holding onto the peace and joy of remaining ignorant and secure in isolation. Though he says “God keep thee! Push not off from that isle, thou canst never return!”, I don’t think its meant to be taken literally; he is not suggesting that we stay isolated on our Tahiti despite the horrors of the half known life because that would go against what he is doing. He has fled from his own insular Tahiti in breaking down the the perception he once had of his now beloved “savage” Queequeg, and he constantly questions the preconceived notions he’s had of Christianity, the whiteness of the whale, the ocean itself. “Thou canst never return!” but would he really want to return to the suicidal ideation of his life on land.

One last note, this final passage reminds me of a quote from Dracula: “I am all in a sea of wonders. I doubt; I fear; I think strange things which I dare not confess to my own soul. God keep me, if only for the sake of those dear to me!” It has the same kind of desire to remain ignorant and hold onto some semblance of happiness when in this sea of wonder. Ultimately, Jonathan Harker would’ve fallen victim had he chosen to remain ignorant of the truth, in the same way Ishmael would’ve likely left this mortal plane if he had not pushed off of his own insular Tahiti.

Flask and Daggoo sitting in a tree…

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At last, we have found whales within the deep! Chapter 48 sees the introduction of a few new characters, such as the individuals acting as Ahab’s contingency plan against mutiny, as well as a first look at what whaling entails for the crew. Nathaniel Philbrick’s comment about how Moby-Dick could allow aliens to understand 1800’s whaling makes sense, at last!

I feel the need to make a point that it is very clear that Ishmael has a type – first his loving descriptions of Queequeg, then the way that he described Daggoo and Flask on the whaling ship:

“But the sight of little Flask mounted upon the gigantic Daggoo was yet more curious; for sustaining himself with a cool, indifferent, easy, unthought of, barbaric majesty, the noble negro to every roll of the sea harmoniously rolled his fine form. On his broad back, the flaxen-haired Flask seemed a snow-flake. The bearer looked nobler than the rider. Though, truly, vivacious, tumultuous, ostentatious little Flask would now and then stamp with impatience; but not one added heave did he thereby give to the negro’s lordly chest. So I have seen Passion and Vanity stamping the living magnanimous earth, but the earth did not alter her tides and her seasons for that.” (241)

While Flask is described as one might describe a princess or a child – impatient, little, ostentatious – Daggoo is described with words synonymous with nobility – indifferent, lordly, majesty, noble. While Flask is the leader of the boat, the one that is urging the men and calling the shots, Daggoo is painted as the reliable, quick thinking, and sturdy man that ensures it continues.

It seems that any moment we meet a new character with darker skin, we find ourselves given an in-depth description of the way that they carry themselves and the continence of their brow. Yet many of the cast that are white or in power remain faceless within the crew of the Pequod, save Ahab. This reinforces the narrative that Melville was presenting us – that whiteness is absence, that the war that was building at the time was senseless, and that slavery exists for little men to feel as though they have power beyond themselves.

Ahab & Prometheus

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As our characters continue to pursue their mission to hunt down Moby Dick, Ahab’s seemingly vengeful quest slowly reveals his obsessive state of mind that gradually affects his leadership.

This charismatic leader is becoming more maddening over time as his quest for his personal revenge stretches on, jeopardizing the mission and the lives of his men. The more time that passes on the Pequod, the more Ahab is driven further into his obsession, leaving him feeling like he is lacking.

“What trances of torment does that man endure who is consumed with one unachieved revengeful desire. He sleeps with clenched hands; and wakes with his own bloody nails in his palms.” (219). 

This uneventfulness to him is described as torment and his lack of achievements are causing his low morale and deteriorating mindset. This feeling is then manifested in a physicality when it describes him inflicting self-harm—a clear sign of his extreme emotional distress. 

To encapsulate this emotional state, Ahab is then compared to the Greek God Prometheus to reflect on how his continued obsession will eventually lead to godly punishment.

 In the story of Prometheus, the Greek God of striving, he is characterized as having a particular reputation for being a trickster with the fallibility of favoring the humans. His obsession of gaining humanity’s favor leads him to steal fire from the Gods and give it to the humans as a gift. As a result of stealing he was punished by Zeus, who forced him to be chained to a rock for all times and ensured that everyday a vulture would eat his liver that continuously grew back. 

Prometheus’ story can be considered a lesson about the risk of overreaching achievements resulting in unintended consequences. In the context of Ahab, it becomes a metaphor for how Ahab’s obsession will become his undoing.

“God help thee, old man, thy thoughts have created a creature in thee; and he whose intense thinking thus makes him a Prometheus; a vulture feeds upon that heart for ever; that vulture the very creature he creates.” (220).

 In the line, “that vulture is the very creature he creates,” the vulture is Ahab’s obsession, a feeling that he has made up as a response to losing his leg and blaming the whale for it. Pointing out that the vulture is of his own making, shows that the way Ahab is feeling is simply a construct he made for himself. He chooses to feel this way and project these emotions onto the whale and the idea of taking revenge. So, when he’s unable to attain that, his obsession becomes self-inflicted punishment of the mind. 

 The story of Prometheus is meant to reflect the direction that Ahab’s obsession with the White Whale will take the narrative. It’s clear from Ahab’s recent actions that he isn’t in the right state of mind despite being the captain of the ship. He is not leading with purpose but by obsession that is border-lining madness. If he continues this pursuit of revenge, there will be Godly retribution, most likely in the form of a whale.  His non-stop chase of the White Whale will make him grow increasingly mad, transforming this previously charismatic leader into a chaotic, unhinged force that will lead the crew with erratic passion rather than a captain’s logic. When facing a Leviathan such as the White Whale, one has to be in a clear state of mind or they will die. If the Pequod maintains their pursuit, Moby Dick will be the God that will bring upon Ahab’s death. 

Chapter Fifty-Two

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In Chapter 52, “The Albatross”, Ishmael writes “But as the strange captain, leaning over the pallid bulwarks, was in the act of putting his trumpet to his mouth, it somehow fell from his hand into the sea…at the first mere mention of the White Whale’s name to another ship, Ahab for a moment paused; it almost seemed as though he would have lowered a boat to board the stranger.” (257-258) This brief moment encapsulates the futility of human communication and the isolating nature of obsession, showing that Ahab’s quest for vengeance isolates him. This simple maritime exchange, which we later learn as “gam”,  becomes a powerful symbol of the disconnect between Ahab and the people around him. The trumpet, a device meant to amplify voices to be heard across the vast ocean, becomes useless when it falls to the ocean floor. This mirrors the emotional state that Ahab is in; despite him being a captain, someone whose voice is above all, he is spiritually and emotionally isolated. The sea swallows the trumpet just as it will swallow Ahab if he continues with his obsessive nature. 

The silence in this moment also makes it significant and demonstrates the novel’s exploration of obsession. The loss of communication between the Pequot and the Albatross reflects Ahab’s loss of connection to humanity. What should have been a shared movement between two ships becomes an instance of absence and miscommunication. His single-minded pursuit of Moby-Dick consumes every part of his life, cutting him off from community, empathy, and even reason. Melville’s use of The Albatross as the name of the ship is no coincidence. An albatross is a bird that often represents a heavy burden or inescapable guilt. The passing of this ship serves as an omen to Ahab, a reminder that his quest will only lead to ruin. Although this chapter is brief, it has great implications. In this chapter, perhaps Melville is suggesting that obsession severs human connection and that the pursuit of vengeance is often met with silence. This scene in “The Albatross” encapsulates the paradox of Ahab’s character — someone who is striving to master the unknown, Moby-Dick, so much that he becomes utterly alone in a world that refuses to give him an answer. 

Chapter 44: A Whale and Vengeance Obsessed Man

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As I was reading through chapter 44, I came across this passage, which perfectly encompasses how much Ahab was truly obsessed with the whale he calls Moby Dick. Ahab describes the whale as if he knew the whale personally, and I thought that this bit shows how he has truly made hunting down this whale his entire personality and part of his life.

“That in the broad boundless ocean, one solitary whale, even if encountered, should be thought capable of individual recognition from his hunter, even as a white-bearded Mufti in the thronged thoroughfares of Constantinople? No. For the peculiar snow-white brow of Moby Dick, and his snow-white hump, could not be unmistakable. And have I not tallied the whale, Ahab would mutter to himself, as after poring over his charts till long after midnight he would throw himself back in reveries-tallied him, and shall he escape?” Chapters 44

Amidst the vast ocean, Ahab was in sight of one whale, which caused him to lose a part of himself, which then caused him to want to take vengeance upon the massive creature for the pain that he went through. That piercing whiteness of the whale, he will never forget, and will be part of how he can identify Moby Dick out traversing the seas. He knows the anatomy of this whale whale so well that it has been haunting him ever since. This causes him to even believe that he can spot the menacing white whale even if he is trying to blend in with other sperm whales that could be traveling nearby.

He details the anatomy of the whale, which he could spot from and knows is his nemesis, in the blink of an eye. The vengeance that is built up in him as he has traveled the oceans seeking out Moby Dick, with the marks he has left on him in the past encounters, to identify the creature to hunt him down to kill him. Ahab, with his charts, knows where this whale has gone, and he can still know this whale apart from the rest, and the image of this large ocean creature has not left his mind since that first sighting.

Ahab has shown us that his dedication to seeking out Moby Dick to kill him has the same mentality as when someone says I put my heart and soul into it. He has dedicated his life to hunting down this whale, and now he has encouraged his crew of the Pequod to help him seek out his ocean nemesis.