Moby-Dick Big Read - Chat discussion

Chapter 41: Moby Dick
Read by Blake Morrison
Artist: Judy Chicago (Rainbow Warrior)
http://www.mobydickbigread.com/chapte...
blog: http://ahistoryofnewyork.com/2012/10/...
"Where we ask the question: What color is the white whale, really...." (Patell.org)
Answer: http://patell.org/2012/10/moby-dick-b...

Moby Dick is a chapter ripe with pickings. There is so much contained within these pages. While the focus is much on Moby Dick the chapter culminates in the obsession and passion driving the mad Captain Ahab. There's a definite building in the movement and the surging of this chapter.

Melville begins from a much broader less telescopic look as he examines where rumors start and, in particular, how rumors hold sway in the world of the whaleman. He's laying the groundwork for all that is captured in the great White Whale, that "Sperm Whale of uncommon magnitude and malignity, which whale, after doing great mischief to his aassailants, has completely escaped them...."

From the monsters of the deep, Melville (through the ruinations of Ishmael) gradually moves the reader to Moby-Dick where he spends a great deal of time sharing the history and encounters and reputation of said whale. He then speaks of the whale's physicality and even how that is so much more than an ordinary whale. When he describes how he got his name as the White Whale, he says:

"...a name, indeed, literally justified by his vivid aspect, when seen gliding at high noon through a dark blue sea, leaving a milky-way wake of creamy foam, all spangled with golden gleamings."

I love the contrast of the majestic look of the sea monster with its "malignant intelligence". The beauty of evil, I suppose.

Ishmael bulids up the character and bulk of Moby-Dick in the reader's mind even as he sets the stage for the entrance of the other combatant in this high drama about to unfold. The more he builds up Moby-Dick, the more Captain Ahab must be made to be his equal or more.

After relating the story of Ahab's vicious envounter with Moby-Dick the first time, Ishmael takes us deep into Ahab's madness, his obsessive hunt for revenge. I loved this:

" All that madness and torments; all that stirs up the loss of things; all truth with malice in it; all that cracks the sinews and cakes the brain; all the subtle demonisms of life and thought; all evil, to crazy Ahab, were visibly personified, and made practically assailable in Moby Dick."

I love the repetition of "all" and the rhythm of the sentence.

The chapter continues and Ishmael begins to introduce the whole concept of fatality. He speaks of Ahab's keeping quiet about his true vision for this voyage and the way the crew molded itself to Ahab's pursuit and, perhaps, became mad themselves.

The story of how Ahab's encounter with the Great White Whale turned morphed into its current mad obsession is enhanced with the way he tied it into the voyage and Ahab's return voyage and how "in a strait jacket, he swung to the mad rockings of the gales."

All in all, a grand chapter.

Great summary, Vikk. Was it just me, or was the narrator sitting in the same room as a loudly ticking clock? The background noise drove me nuts.

That clock got on my nerves so much that I couldn't concentrate on the reader, who was otherwise quite fine. I had to take a break. Will go back and finish listening later on.

No, this chapter threw me into the depths of despair. Too much ruminating for my taste, combined with TICK-TOCK was enough to send me over the edge.

Thanks, Kim. I didn't hear the sound at first and I never did get that it was clock. :) Sounded like a bongo drum or something but muffled. I played it on my iPad so maybe the sound was stronger on the PC. It did bother me but I soldiered on.

@Hayes, funny how chapters read differently to us all. I got pretty engrossed in the whole thing about the whale and its character and actions; then, really got pulled in with the recap of Ahab's story and his madness. That whole image of him being tied in his hammock, swinging with the roll of the waves, and mad the entire time really created an imprint.

Hayes, I agree; this was more along the lines of what I expected from the book - Victorian bloviating (I love that word). Though I do like the superstition, "the unearthly conceit that Moby Dick was ubiquitous" - he is becoming more and more of an Enemy rather than simply a whale.

And the ticking was a major distraction. I thought at first it might be a metronome, but it did nothing for the reader's cadences – he almost seemed distracted now and then too.

Tracey wrote: "... Victorian bloviating (I love that word). ..."

A new word! Thank you :-) It is a wonderful one too.