Surmises
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Introduction |
Ahab thinks it all out. |
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Questions |
Answer one of the following questions. • Wat strength does Starbuck have? Why is the metaphor of magnatism apt? • What is Ahab going to do, in order to prevent mutiny? • How does Ahab show the captain as the servant of his men? |
The Mat-maker
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Introduction |
Action....Thar she blows!!! |
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Questions |
Answer the following questions. 1. What is the mood of the ship at the beginning of the chapter? What are Queegueg and Ishmael doing? What does he think they are doing? How is all this dreaminess reminiscent of the masthead? What does Ishmael say of his free will (when the whale is spotted) How does this reflect on Emerson? 2. Why does ahab call for the time? 3. Who are the sailers with Ahab? |
The First Lowering
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Introduction |
The new crew goes a-whaling. |
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Questions |
Answer one of the following questions. 1. Melville makes pains to describe this new crew as infernal. What words do this? Why would Ahab have a devil crew? Why shouldn’t the captain go in a whale boat? 2. What is the tone Stubb takes with his whalers? Why is that effective? 3. What does Starbuck mean by duty? 4. What makes the sight of Dagoo and Stubb so odd? How might that scene be read in 1850 America? 5. What happens as Queequeg throws the harpoon? What happens to the boat? Queequeg becomes a symbol. What is he a symbol of? |
The Hyena
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Introduction |
This is a short and strangely named chapter. |
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Questions |
Answer one of the following questions. • What is Stubb’s reaction to Ishmael? What does that tell you about our narrator? • What mood hs overtaken Ishmael and buddies? Why? • What does Queequeg and Ishmael do at the end of the chapter? Why is this a little silly for Ishmael? |
Ahab’s Boat and Crew
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Introduction |
We learn more about these strange new crewmen, |
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Questions |
Answer two of the following questions. • What is wrong with the captain going whaling? On the other hand, what is good about it? • How had the crew explained his earlier preparations? • Where does Fedallah come from? Who is impled to be his father? How do these religious passages square with the pursuit of the white whale? |