- On January 3, 1841, aged 22 Melville sailed from New Bedford, Massachusetts on the whaler Acushnet.
Whaling - In the days before the discovery of petroleum, whale oil supplied the fuel lamps
- In addition, the whale was the source of a bony substance called baleen used various household products.
Whale Ships - Voyages would often last for four years. Life on board a whale ship was hard and killing whales was extremely dangerous.
- Once the harpooners had speared the whale their boats would be dragged along by the whale trying to escape.
- Once the whale was dead, it would be brought on board and its blubber (layer of fat) would be cut off and all the valuable parts preserved.
- A whaling ship would typically kill about 40 whales on a four year voyage.
- If you survived the journey, you could make a lot of money.
Ishmael and Queequeg -
- Ishmael, the narrator of the story travels to Massachusetts and plans to join a whaling ship.
- The inn he stays in is full, so he must share a bed with a cannibal from the South Pacific named Queequeg.
- He is afraid of him at first, but they become very close friends.
The PEQUOD - They both join the crew of the PEQUOD, which is made up of men from many different countries.
- The captain of the Pequod is called Captain Ahab. One of his legs is made out of whale bone, because his real leg was bitten off by a whale named MOBY DICK.
Captain Ahab - Captain Ahab has become obsessed with killing Moby Dick.
- He tells the crew that he will give any man who can kill the the whale a valuable gold coin.
- Ahab’s obsession with finding Moby Dick has made him crazy.
Starbuck - Starbuck is the first mate on the PEQUOD, he is scared by Ahab’s obsession.
- Ultimately they find the whale and every member of the crew – except Ishmael - is killed by the whale.
Starbucks Coffee Shop The white whale - White is traditionally the colour of purity and innocence in western culture.
- Ishmael finds the fact that the apparently evil whale is white more disturbing and unnatural.
Revenge - Ahab’s need for revenge ultimately kills him and all those under his command.
- The Captain of one of the other ships they encounter on their journey has lost an arm to Moby Dick. But he is simply happy to have escaped with his life.
Obsession - Though Ahab’s obsession is dangerous, it is also all that keeps him going.
- Some critics suggest that Melville is trying to tell us that everybody needs this level of obsession about something to give you something to live for.
Contemporary Reviews - When it was first published, people found it very difficult to understand.
- Parts of the book are very poetic, and other parts are very technical descriptions of the anatomy of whales.
- Part of the book was also incorrectly printed, which confused people even more.
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