Discussion questions:
In chapter 99 (335), when the crew are surrounding the doubloon, Queequeg compares some of the symbols on the coin to the symbols of his tattoos, but walks away without communicating his thoughts to the other sailors. Can we assume that Queequeg was able to make a connection to the designs on the doubloon? What was going through his head at the time? What similarities exist between the three mountain peaks and the zodiac, and Queequeg? Is there anything “cannibalistic” about the design in the coin?
At the end of chapter 99 (335), Pip approaches the doubloon after watching everyone else take a crack at it, and concludes that the doubloon will be the downfall for everyone. He says “here’s the ship’s navel, this doubloon here, and they are all on fire to unscrew it” and implies that, in doing so, they are going to destroy the ship because they are so caught up in the reward of the white whale, that they are blinding themselves to the danger of it. Is Pip right? Is the Moby Dick going to sink the ship before anyone gets a chance to claim it?
At the end of chapter 100 (340), we are reminded again of the absolute hatred that Captain Ahab feel towards Moby Dick, or what some might call insanity, by his impatience with Captain Boomer and his doctor after they tell him about how Captain Boomer lost his arm to Moby Dick. Boomer says “hark ye! he’s best let alone,” a far more appropriate and humane approach to his run-in with the whale. Is this enormous contrast between the mindsets of the two captains an attempt by Melville further emphasize the absolute insanity of Ahab?
No comments:
Post a Comment