Day Fifty-Five

5/26

The Book: Moby-Dick by Herman Melville

ISBN: 978-1-59308-018-1

Suggested By: Patrick Garcia

Where: Home

When: 6:30-P

Music: Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Airplane over the Sea

Company: The Family

Pages: 629-655 (55)

The Lead In: The hunt ends today and I am saddened at the prospect of finishing this book. The build-up has been so strong within the text, allowing me to catch the fever of the hunt and prepare for the kill, or be killed. I can’t count the number of conversations I have had this week about Moby-Dick. The Whale stirs within the walls of my mind.

The 411 on the 55: Ahab’s whaling boat, while hunting Moby-Dick, is attacked and destroyed. Ahab narrowly avoids death by leaping from the wreck. Only after the Pequod drives Moby-Dick off can they pull Ahab from the water. He tells them to follow the whale and they do, through the night.

That morning, they spot him and all boats are in the water. Moby-Dick is up to the challenge, charging and churning the water, destruction for the whalers in his mind. Each boat is destroyed by the whale. They are left standing on the Pequod’s deck, yet Ahab is not moved.

The next day they lower again. Two whaling boats are crushed, but Ahab’s is untouched. He throws his harpoon into the whale, but it does nothing to slow Moby-Dick. The whale turns on the Pequod and bashes a hole in its side. Again Ahab throws a harpoon, but this time the line runs foul. Ahab stoops to untangle it, but it catches him and out the boat he flies, destined for the whale and the sea. No one survives the hunt but Ishmael, draped over the coffin (turned life-preserver).

The 20/20: Wow, best book of this exercise, easily. Melville’s talent is seen on every page. His combination of poetry, non-fiction, narrative prose, and a great story makes this book fit for just about every reader. The book isn’t dated or difficult to read. It’s a great book.

Line of the Day: This book’s finish was gripping and there were too many to select just one. So embrace the hyperbole.

 “Begone! Ye two are the opposite poles of one thing; Starbuck is Stubb reversed, and Stubb is Starbuck; and ye two are all mankind; and Ahab stands alone among the millions of the peopled earth, nor gods nor men his neighbors!” pg 632

“Aye, breach your last to the sun, Moby Dick!” cried Ahab...” pg 637

“Great God! but for one single instant show thyself,” cried Starbuck; “never never wilt thou capture him, old man.” pg 641

“...but Ahab never thinks; he only feels, feels, feels, that’s tingling enough for mortal man! to think’s audacity. God only has that right and privilege. Thinking is, or ought to be, a coolness and a calmness; and our poor hearts throb, and our poor brains beat too much for that.” pg 643

“Some men die at ebb tide; some at low water; some at the full of the flood; -and I feel now like a billow that’s all one crested comb, Starbuck. I am old;-shake hands with me, man.” pg 646

“Down, men! the first things that but offers to jump from this boat I stand in, that thing I  harpoon. Ye are not other men, but my arms and my legs; and so obey me.” ph 648

“Towards thee I roll, thou all-destroying and unconquering whale; to the last I grapple with thee; from hell’s heart I satb at thee; for hate’s sake I spit my last breath at thee.” pg 652

The Fact on the Fiction: Moby-Dick was made into a movie in 1956 starring Gregory Peck. Interesting to note, the movie adaptation was penned by Ray Bradbury. IMDB