Moby-Dick Big Read - Chat discussion

Moby-Dick Big Read
Chapter 32 - Read by Martin Atrill
Artist: Chris Jordan
http://www.mobydickbigread.com/chapte...
Blog: http://ahistoryofnewyork.com/2012/10/...
It's all about whales today!

http://www.plymouth.ac.uk/staff/mattrill

The reader must be this man, the director of The marine institute at Plymouth University. Now if my menfolk would get a move on, and get out of the house I would be able to listen.

http://www.powermobydick.com/Moby032....

As a biologist I found this chapter fascinating. The link above is very helpful and has links to all the names mentioned and to the many kinds of whales mentioned.

ETA: I will put in a few:

William Scoresby: One of his books can be downloaded from Gutenberg: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/35183

Thomas Beale, who wrote The Natural History of the Sperm Whale. to Which Is Added, a Sketch of a South-Sea Whaling Voyage

It was very interesting and I learned a lot. A whale that I don't think was mentioned is the Southern Right Whale, which is the kind we see most around here. Must go and check ....

Just checked. Apparently very similar to the North Atlantic and North Pacific right whales.

Also, have you seen today's Google doodle?

Yes I have! Very appropriate. Racing out the door, as fast as my weak ankle can take me... back later.

Wow, was I surprised at how much I enjoyed this chapter. It was delightful! It is a real trick to be able to produce this much information in a chapter and not bore a reader. There were moments when I thought I was hearing a grand Song of the Whale. Times when the ode lifted me from the page into a momentary shared vision. And slowly, ever so slowely, it had me wondering what whales we were to encounter on this journey with Ishmael.

I loved the image of the people on the ocean liner deck seeing the "distant jet" of a nearby whale. And Melville brought to life so many whale distinctions by the image-loaded characteristics he shared: "the lovely tail, and sentimental Indian eyes of hazel hue;" "makes him look as if had just escaped from a felonious visit to a meal-bag;" "the lads that always live before the wind;" "hangs there like a leech;" and, of course "carries a Mephistophelean grin on his face."

I have to say I never thought much about a porpoise having a spout. That chapter brought back memories of my birthday celebration where my friend and I swam with the porpoises in Honduras. I remember their touch and how different it felt than I had ever imagined.

I also wonder at the line "By some fishermen his approach is regarded as premonitory of the advance of the great sperm whale" and wonder if it's a foreshadowing of future events.

So many little treasures contained within this chest. By far this now ranks among my favorite chapters. And the narrator was terrific.

On other thing I thought of as I read the chapter that have more to do with today's society and culture than the text itself. The chapter is obviously the culmination of a lot of thinking and meditating upon the subject of whales. Clearly, Melville had plenty of time to think about his great leviathans as he sailed the ships. He had way fewer distractions than we have today. No TV for him. No movies to supplant his meditations and redirect his thinking. This chapter is the result of deep thought. I wonder how many of us are able to plunge deeply into a contemplative meditation on any particular subject let alone whales?

When I first started listening to this chapter I thought I would fall asleep because of the subject matter. I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed it. I even went online after hearing the chapter to do some more research. I was surprised I enjoyed it!

As a science person, my first reading of this chapter was charming, one which I inherently understood. Trying to read it as a literary person and with the accompanying Big Read reader, I truly fell in love. Well done reader! Upon first reading, I was learned and enjoyed being so. Upon reading with the Big Read reader, I was following the literature. (What a welcomed and obvious departure from my cerebral nature!) I've enjoyed this chapter so much more than the first time I read it, like scientific paper. And absolute kudos to the reader: you truly made this chapter literary rather than scientific, a difficult task!