When I first read this book, I remember skimming through the “Cetology” chapter, disregarding it as one of Ishmael’s many ramblings because I was bored, annoyed, confused, and didn’t “get it”. Admittedly this chapter, and a large chunk of this book, still maintains those qualities but that’s exactly the reason why I wanted to dissect some of the quotes in chapter 32. Before providing us with this makeshift dictionary on whales, Ishmael says “I promise nothing complete; because any human thing supposed to be complete, must for that very reason infallibly be faulty” (147). Having discussed his willingness to change his mind about Queequeg and witnessed his desire to continue to learn about the world, this seemed like a very Ishmael thing to say. By preceding with this, he shows us that “any human thing” should always remain open to change in order to progress/grow; to claim completion is a disservice to the very nature of being alive, for to live is to change. Our ideals, perspectives, values, our LIVES are not set in stone, we should constantly evolve and learn from past experiences lest we be faulty by denying our incompletion. It’s a very fitting contrast to Ahab whose “infinity of firmest fortitude” and “fixed and fearless, forward dedication” keeps him on this path, uncaring for anything else as his mind is set on nothing but destroying Moby Dick (135).

The chapter ends with Ishmael’s “cetological System standing thus unfinished, even as the great Cathedral of Cologne was left, with the crane still standing upon the top of the uncompleted tower. For small erections may be finished by their first architects; grand ones, true ones, ever leave the copestone to posterity. God keep me from ever completing anything” (157). Again, the value of leaving things unfinished is shown by Ishmael here; it also shows how his meeting with Queequeg changed his whole attitude towards life, in chapter 2 he was saying “it’s too late to make any improvements now. The universe is finished” (12). Ishmael is showing us how vital it is to change our minds and accept the incomplete nature of life. We can’t have a complete dictionary of these whales, and there is no definitive description of how to live. They’re meant to be interpreted in many ways, added upon by each generation and their encounters; any reading with one singular message would simply be propaganda (this last part doesn’t really make sense in this context but I just wanted to add it because I’ve been thinking about this since our professor said it).