This section was incredibly powerful, in terms of both story and character development; the novel’s many philosophies, themes, and symbolism were masterfully crafted in a timeless literary finale. I was actually worried that the final encounter with the white whale would not be nearly as exciting as all the build-up that preceded it, but it certainly exceeded my expectations. The descriptions of Moby Dick—with its transparent, angel-like tendons knitted together in concentration (530)—together with the struggle of the feeble Pequod—are truly mesmerizing. Ahab’s last words: “To the last, I grapple with thee; From Hell’s heart, I stab at thee; For hate’s sake, I spit my last breath at thee” could not be more fitting and terrifying. (I later discovered that this line is very iconic within literature; it hardly needs to be asked why.) And still, after this scene came the shocking realization that the entire crew (except Ishmael) died! I truly thought that only captain Ahab—and maybe Quequeeg— would be the ones to share a tragic fate. Now that I look back on it, the death of everyone in the Pequod had been foreshadowed all along; from the very initial descriptions on each of the mates, harpooners, etc. we notice that each person possessed subtle characteristics which contributed to that disastrous ending. I had to reread the final three pages of the book because they were so densely complex and shocking, and I spent an even greater amount of time pondering at the sadness and beauty of that conclusion.

One of the most interesting aspects of this section was the development of the relationship between Ahab and Starbuck. The initial chapters demonstrate the familiar rivalry between the two men. When they share a tense conversation revolving around a leaking cask, Ahab nearly kills Starbuck with a musket. However, he suddenly decides to act out of respect for Starbuck (450), and allows him to proceed with the ship’s maintenance. In another instance, Starbuck is the one who has the opportunity to kill Ahab, who is sleeping and defenseless (482). It was a test on one of his most defining characteristics; integrity. His internal conflict is the same as the reader’s (especially when you reread this section and you already know the ending). Another peculiar incident occurred when Ahab appointed Starbuck as his watchman (502), ironically entrusting his life into the hands of his rival. Maybe Ahab did this in order to gain Starbuck’s respect. However, it is also curious that Ahab decided to share so many personal details about his life to none other than Starbuck (506), who responded with empathy. I had completely forgotten the fact that Ahab had a family; both men shared their vulnerabilities, and this was incredibly significant (not enough to change Ahab’s mind about the purpose of the voyage though). Starbuck was still most ardently opposed to Ahab’s cause, and did not fail to warn him numerous times about the certain doom awaiting them. However, there definitely is something gentler in his tone when he pleads “Oh my captain, my captain! Noble soul (…)”.

It is Starbuck who ultimately reveals one of the greatest themes of the novel: “See! Moby Dick seeks thee not. It is thou, thou that madly seekest him (531)!” Throughout the novel, it has been heavily emphasized that Fate has an incontrollable grasp upon the characters and whatever sinister course of events that comes their way. However, Ahab’s speech on page 508 offers a radically different view on this theme. Ahab, one of the characters, is aware of Fate’s role in the story; he ignores all of the bad omens in is path and even complies with Fate’s inescapable destiny. He tells a pleading and desperate Starbuck that he is compelled to fulfill his goal by a much greater volition than himself. However, doesn’t the fact that he goes against every possible supernatural warning already mean that he is the one creating his own fate? If Fate or the gods were the ones responsible for the events at hand, would they not steer Ahab away from his mad strive, due to the overwhelming amount of symbolisms, omens, and events which clearly told everyone on that ship they were headed for disaster? The whale does not inescapably and tirelessly pursue Ahab; it is the other way around. Ahab’s belief in Fate was what led him to seal his own fate. It is significant that the entire crew was so threatened by their old captain that their “fear of Ahab was greater than fear of fate (486)”—because Ahab himself directs their fate—not an indifferent God, or any other unpleasant deities, superstitions, and eerie powers of this world. The complacence of a large and diverse crew to a single old man, and their blatant disregard of warnings or opportunities to end all of that madness—this led to their dire fall.

Death, of course, is another apparent theme. The blacksmith’s tale (458) reveals the untimeliness of death. Instead of taking the old blacksmith from this world, it chose instead a brother on whom the family completely depended on. Why was Ishmael the one chosen to pass on the story of the Pequod crew? In the final end sequence of the story, the 1st person perspective is completely ignored, and we are only reminded of Ishmael’s existence when he shares his brief, yet tragic conclusion on the Epilogue. Perhaps the author wanted to leave the thoughts and feelings of this character (which must have been completely indescribable amidst the present horror) to our own imagination. It is ironic that Ishmael embarked on the voyage in order to escape the gloom and the dreariness of land, but returned with the much grimmer image of Death upon his soul. The gods are oblivious to the suffering of men (489)…every description of the superb enchantment and the loveliness of the ocean view was followed by a vile and grotesque whale hunt. Perhaps every empathetic interaction between Ishmael and Queequeg, every hilarious remark by Stubb, every noble decision of Starbuck, or every daring catch of the harpooners, served to remind the reader that the sweetness of camaraderie and adventure could only be followed by such a bitter end.

Ana Luiza Bueno

July 24	27 pages
July 25	27 pages
July 26	27 pages
July 27	27 pages

Reflection #5

A lot of useless information is included serving no purpose. This thought was the exact one that crossed my mind more often than I would like to admit, but with more contemplation, I was convinced otherwise. I was a believer that every information presented in a book served a clear purpose, such as simple story-telling, foreshadowing, or clarification. I was missing a very important feature of literature, however. Symbolism, despite being very implicit in the text, plays a major role in the greatest sories. So it is with Moby-Dick. This literary device is one that, several times, especially after the author has passed, is regarded as mere speculation ignorantly mad ep by its readers. I do think a proper mindfulness should be expected when dealing with this subject, but it gives the story more depth and I beive it to be an important aspect of literature. I only came to recall the existence of symbols, unfortunately, when speaking of Queequeg’s near-death experience. “Why would this situation be icluded if it served absolutely no purpose but take up space?” thought I, ignorantly. Although it was, in fact, a good “scare” to be included in the novel, there was much more depth to it. This story, found the for the first time in chapter 110, was a big and profound symbol. The coffin, at first, represented nothing more than death; it was obvious that a beloved character was to pass right in the coffin. subsequently, the coffin became a stronger symbolism for life! not only did Queequeg not take his last breath in that coffin, but it also was the only way Ishmael was able to survive the Pequod’s shipwreck found in the epilogue! I have kept an open eye for future symbols and I have already figure some out, but the coffin was the one that personally most stood out. It is a new aspect of the novel that makes it more enjoyable by adding more brainstorming into the experience.

Taking advantage of the fact that this is the last section, I would like to present a question I had and constantly thought about when reading; In what point of view is the novel written? When reading the first sentence of the book, the first thing that crossed my mind was, the book is written in first person! This thought became more uncertain the more I read. As referred to previously, there are certain parts that are written in play style, as a script. This, however, culd be easily explained by claiming it is still Ishmael speaking, but citing dialogue as accurately as possible. Nonetheless, the chapters I simply cannot wrap my mind around are those in which Ishmael is not in. One illustration of this is found in chapter 123, the Musket, in which Starbuck is alone in Ahab’s cabin while he sleeps. One could say that Ishmael is secretly watching the situation. This could be true, but is easily refutable considering the fact that Starbuck’s thoughts are explicitly included in that chapter. This is a constant pattern throughout the book. Honestly, I would say that this confuses me and makes the novel inconsistent, although some would say that it adds to the experience. Another point I would like to refer to is the sometimes imperceptible difference between Ishmael and Melville. Some chapters that clarify terms have no allusion to the story and could easily be the author writing, as himself, and not as a character in the story. This makes the difference between character and author indistinguishable at times. I do not mind that there are some things I will simply not know, but it is interesting to wonder.

Finally, I feel like the unexpected turn of events should be alluded to in this final paragraph. First and foremost, I would like to mention once more Queequeg’s near-death incident. I sincerely expected nothing more than his death by the end of the chapter, but it simply did not happen! Not only that, but it didn’t happen because he solely decided not die because he didn’t fee l like it. Additionally, I would not have expected Ahab to be murdered by Starbuck. However, Melville made me believe that it was going to happen, even making me anticipate the murder! Lo and behold, nothing happened and Ahab only passed on the last couple pages. Starbuck walked out of the room and Starbuck was not the one to cause Captain Ahab’s death. The book is so long that surprising events have almost no other choice but to turn up eventually. Many more situations like this have been found throughout the book. They are undoubtedly one of my favorite aspects of both books and movies, being one of the many things I look forward to when beginning a new story.

A month and a half ago starring down the 442-page monster known as Moby Dick, I never would have imagined finishing, much less enjoying, this classic work of American literature. I must admit that Moby Dick is not a monster, but a friend. In reflecting over this fifth and final section of Moby Dick, this thought keeps coming to mind, “Boy! Were those first 108 chapters necessary!” The foreshadowing, suspense, and tragedy that define the final section and climax of Moby Dick can only exist in the context and character development of the first four sections.

            Looking at character development, the interactions between Ahab and his mates, Starbuck and Stubb, are key to this final section of Moby Dick but can only be understood in the context of the previous four sections, or more specifically, chapters 38 and 39. In chapters 38 and 39 Starbuck and Stubb both react to Ahab’s pronouncement to hunt the White Whale. Starbuck sees the dismal fate of captain and crew but vows to oppose Ahab, while Stubb sees the same dismal end and vows to go down laughing (“Dusk”, “First Night-Watch”). In the context of these chapters, Starbuck and Stubb’s actions in this final section can be understood as either playing out or failing in their vows.

            Throughout this final section of Moby Dick, Starbuck has several chances to oppose Ahab but fails in carrying out his vow to thwart fate. Starbuck faces an ultimatum in chapter 123 “The Musket” when he must decide between murder or acquiescence. In a long soliloquy on page 395, which features broken sentences, aporia, and hypophora, Starbuck attempts to justify the murder of Ahab but stops short when he faces the question, “And would I be a murderer, then, if…”. Similarly, Stubb also fails in his vow to go down laughing as the reality of Ahab’s hunt sets in. In chapter 130 “The Hat” a brief paragraph uses parallelism in stating that, “Stubb no more strove to raise a smile; Starbuck no more strove to check one.” This same paragraph also states the reason for both Starbuck and Stubb’s failure to fulfill their vows – Ahab’s iron soul. This descriptor is a reference to an analogy between iron rails and Ahab’s set path made earlier in the novel in chapter 37.

            If I had to choose one lesson that I have learned in reading Moby Dick, it would be that looking back over 442 pages is very different from looking down 442 pages. Your opinion of a book can not be formed until you can reflect on a complete work. If I had stopped reading Moby Dick after 30 or so chapters, my opinion of the book would have been that it was wordy, belabored, and scattered. However, after finishing Moby Dick I have realized that Herman Melville’s every chapter and word were written and chosen with a purpose and that purpose cannot be fully appreciated until the very last word of the Epilogue.

On Chapter 108, it is again written in a style of a play. Captain Ahab and the carpenter are having a conversation regarding the captain’s leg. I believe the author’s intention for this sudden change of the style of writing is to help the reader comprehend how each character reacts to a certain situation. In this situation, Captain Ahab is abusing the carpenter and makes a long dialogue about his suffering of having a “ghost” leg. As soon as the captain leaves and he alone is resuming his work, the carpenter reacts to what the captain said. He reflects on the captain’s queerness through a soliloquy.

            The author uses many references to make comparisons. We see an example on page 481 on the first paragraph, when he is describing the Asiatic lands. “(…) but yesterday planted by the recentest race of men and lave the faded but still gorgeous skirts of Asiatic lands, older than Abraham; while all between float milky-ways of coral isles, and low-lying, endless, unknown Archipelagoes, and impenetrable Japans. Abraham is a character from the Bible, and he was very old. To make a comparison like that, the beautiful Asiatic lands had to be very old.

            I thought it was interesting how the author describes death on Chapter 112. First, he capitalized the letter “d” in Death. The author then starts describing Death`s actions as if it were an actual person. “Death seems the only desirable sequel for a career like this (…); therefore, to the death-longing eyes of such men, who still have left in them some interior compunctions against suicide (…).”  (Melville, 483) This description of death captures the reader`s attention, helping them to be engaged with the plot.

The author includes many metaphors as he is explaining what is going on in the story. We see an example on page 356, as he is describing the sinking of the whale. “This puts me in mind of fastening to an elephant in a tilbury on a plain-makes the wheel-spokes fly, boys, when you fasten to him that way; and there`s danger of being pitched out too, when you strike a hill.” Elephants are big animals and are being trapped in tight spaces like a tilbury. The author is comparing that to the sinking of a whale, “the utmost monster of the sea”. The whale couldn`t escape and was desperate.

            On Chapter 82, he makes many references to other people as he explains the “honor and glory of whaling”. On the third paragraph, he makes a reference to Perseus of Greek mythology, who was the founder of Mycenae and of the Perseid dynasty and was also known as the prince of whalemen. On page 363, he references St. George and the dragon, which is believed to be a whale. He also references a passage of the Bible, from Ezequiel: “Thou art as a lion of the waters, and as a dragon of the sea.” He references the story of Hercules, which he believes “derives from the still and more ancient Hebrew story of Jonah and the whale (…)”

            He honors Perseus, St. George, Hercules, Jonah, and Vishnu, the ones that he references in the previous pages. In page 365, he again references Jonah in response to the distrust of some of the Nantucketers. My interpretation for this chapter is to engage the reader to experience the “signal magnification of the general miracle”. Ishmael sees these men with whaling experiences as an inspiration to him as he is seeking his passionate dream.

There are moments in which the author interrupts the story, reinforcing important background information which he believes to be necessary for the comprehension of the reader. We see an example on page 241, of Chapter 53. On page 240, he asks a question, “but what is a gam?”. He then gives a definition which is incorporated into the Lexicon. “GAM.-Noun- A social meeting of two (or more) Whale-ships, generally on a cruising-ground; when, after exchanging hails, they exchange visits by boats` crews: the two captains remaining, for the first time, on board of one ship, and the two chief mates on the other.” (Melville, page 241)

            The author also presents many allusions as he is explaining a situation. On page 264, he presents many allusions. On the beginning of the first paragraph, he presents an allusion to Hinduism belief, as he makes a reference of Vishnu. “The Hindoo whale referred to, occurs in a separate department of the wall, depicting the incarnation of Vishnu in the form of leviathan, learnedly known as the Matse Avatar.” (Melville, page 264) On the same page, he also makes a Biblical reference. “Then, there are the Prodromus whales of old Scotch Sibbald, and Jonas` whale, as depicted in the prints of old Bibles and the cuts of old primers.” (Melville, 264)

            On page 301, towards the end of the chapter, he again presents another allusion. He alludes to Shakespeare. “The head looks a sort of reproachfully at him, with an “Et tu Brute!” (Melville, 301) It`s a famous line from Shakespeare` play, “The Tragedy of Julius Caesar”. The line was said during a scene of betrayal and shock. Likewise, in this scene of the story of Moby Dick shows the saddest sights, betrayal.

In Chapter 28, the author names the title “Ahab”. Ahab is easily perceived as an important character in the story of Ishmael’s journey. Throughout the chapter, the author describes the intimidation of Ahab’s character. “Every time I ascended to the deck from my watches below, I instantly gazed aft to mark if any strange face were visible; for my first vague disquietude touching the unknown captain, now in the seclusion of the sea became almost a perturbation.”  (Melville, pages 119-120) The author uses metaphors to express his emotions and what he encounters in his journey.

            In Chapter 40, the author turns this chapter into a script-style type of writing. He writes who specifically says each line, and what are their actions according to what’s going on in the story. My interpretation for this sudden change of writing style is for the reader to be involved in the other characters’ reactions. The characters were dancing and showing off their different nationalities. Pip says a long important line towards the end of the chapter as he is “shrinking under the windlass”, which shows that he is afraid due to the conflict between the sailors and was asking God to “have mercy on this black boy down here”. (Melville, page 175)

            Melville uses many allusions to explain a situation or a character. For example, as he is describing Captain Ahab, he uses the allusion to Greek mythology. “His whole high, broad form seemed made of solid bronze, and shaped in an unalterable mould, like Cellini’s cast Perseus. (Melville, page 121) Also, we see different examples of allusions in Chapter 32, “Cetology”. There are allusions to whale authors as shown in page 130.

The author introduces the character, Ishmael, in the first few pages. There is not much depth for his character background. He is very poor, with little or no money in his purse (Page 1), but he is anticipative of his dream of exploring the world by sailing through the oceans. The author then interacts with the reader, through Ishmael’s perspective. He refers to the reader when he asks questions. For example, “Why upon your first voyage as a passenger, did you yourself feel such a mystical vibration, when first told that you and your ship were now out of sight of land?” (Melville, page 3)

            Towards the end of chapter 1, in page 6, he describes the pleasure of having a whaling voyage. “By reason of these things, then, the whaling voyage was welcome; the great flood-gates of the wonder-world swung open, and in the wild conceits that swayed me to my purpose, two and two there floated into my inmost soul, endless processions of the whale, and midmost of them all, one grand hooded phantom, like a snow hill in the air.” (Melville, page 6) Within this passage, he uses metaphor and simile to emphasis his perception of the journey. It`s his greatest passion, and he sees it as his purpose in life.

            “You shuddered as you gazed and wondered what monstrous cannibal and savage could ever have gone a death-harvesting with such a hacking, horrifying implement.” (Melville, page 11) Ishmael must stay in an inn to spend the night for his journey. Melville uses this phrase to emphasize the horrific experience that Ishmael must go through because he’s poor and wants to go on a whaling journey. He addresses to the reader, using metaphors to describe what are the events that are happening. It addresses the sacrifice Ishmael must take to pursue his greatest passion.

Although the majesty of whales has been an emphatic theme throughout the book, this section truly dives into Ishmael’s highest expression of adoration for the ancient and divine sea creatures. Whales have roamed the earth for “six thousand years–and no one knows how many millions of ages before (355)”, and the fact that a traversing whale from the 19th century can carry within its flesh a harpoon that “might have been darted by some Nor’ West Indian before America was ever discovered (346)” is a wondrous notion. Their longevity and individuality render them eternal creatures in Ishmael’s eyes (438). We can appreciate the descriptions of the gallant whale schoolmaster and his journey through the globe—an Ottoman accompanied by his harem, a great Solomon among concubines (376)—to his finale as an elderly and lonesome giant, who takes Nature as his wife. In Ishmael’s eyes, a mere touch upon the sweet, heavenly spermaceti is enough to solve all of the world’s problems (398). The reader can perfectly envision the incomparable “lines of beauty” and “crescentic borders” of the whale’s flukes (360); however, the mighty thrust of these flukes are also strangely likened to the dreadful image of Satan’s claw emerging from Hell (362). Further analogies delight the reader’s imagination; does an approaching herd of sperm whales better resemble chimneys within a metropolis, a military march, or a grand Siamese coronation (366-367)? The author himself marvels at the immensity of the theme, even stating that despite his own exhaustive research, there would never cease to be information to write on the great Leviathan (432).

This section does recall some of the themes from the last one, such as the chapter, “The Honor and Glory of Whaling”, which reflects on the notable personages throughout history and mythology who have been whalers in their own merit. We once again notice the cruelty of man and the horror of the whale hunt: “there is no folly of the beasts of the earth that is not outdone by the madness of men (369)”. The contrast of the bloody murder of the whale, to the peace and solemnity of the churches which–thanks to its oil–illuminate their sanctuaries (345) is a chilling image to behold. In fact, I was beginning to wonder how whales—who have been so greatly hunted throughout centuries—are not yet extinct, when Ishmael readily provided the justification in Chapter 105. We certainly do feel convinced and relieved that the whale shall not easily “meet its inglorious end (435)”, but also uneasy with the notion that an inconceivable number of these creatures have perished at the hands of men.

Several new characters are introduced as the Pequod runs into other roaming whalers. The ungrateful Dedrick De Deer, captain of the German “Virgin” (338), attempts to hinder the Pequod crew; he is rather unsuccessful in the ensuing whale chase. The encounter with the “Rose-Bud” (384) also proves the Pequod crew is not the only one susceptible to a deception, for they only helped the Frenchmen to get their hands on a precious supply of ambergris. One of the most humorous scenes in this section was the encounter between Stubb and the Rose-Bud captain, and how the Guernsey-man’s translation was a blatant departure from Stubb’s obnoxious remarks. Ahab’s impatient quest for information on the white whale contrasts with the comical British politeness aboard the Samuel Enderby (414). Ahab’s madness is also seen in a new and disturbing light when we learn the captain of the ship has also lost a limb to the white whale, yet is not nearly as vengeful, and even appears indifferent to the fact. Indeed, not even an extremely multifaceted carpenter (442) is able to earn Ahab’s good favor. The good cheer of the Englishmen does not stop them from noticing Ahab’s fervent, anxious pulse (420).

Ishmael’s (and Melville’s) views on religion also seep through. He does express the historical doubts on the Biblical tale of Jonah (351), and, in what seems like a display of idolatry, encourages the reader to worship a legendary whale skeleton (435). A clever and rhythmic line expresses his belief in a more balanced view of religion: “Doubts of all things earthly, and intuitions of some things heavenly; this combination makes neither believer nor infidel, but makes a man who regards them both with an equal eye (359)”. Ishmael questions whether the rights of man, religious belief, etc. are nothing but loose-fish and fast-fish (381); in other words, do the greatest aspects of our existence amount to an unfair display of conceit and competition? And through Pip’s unfortunate and nearly deadly fall to the sea, we peer into his reflections about a cruel and indifferent God (397). Ishmael’s hallucination in “The Try-Works” shows us nothing but the hopelessness and dread of the world and the evil in others, and he feels completely lost among the gloom (404). Soon enough, however, he breaks free from his vision, and warns the reader not to fall into that same trap of listening to the devils of life. Ishmael does believe there is a certain meaning behind in all things. A doubloon may carry the entire trajectory of the Zodiac, and even Queequeg’s tattoos are not absent of fateful significance. The writer’s constant appeal to the weaving of the gods or fates makes us wonder if the one God is truly the object of his faith.

Ana Luiza Bueno

July 19	24 pages
July 20	24 pages
July 21	24 pages
July 22	24 pages
July 23	24 pages

                                                                     Reflection #4

Moby Dick is reputedly a humorless book; Ishmael’s heavy remarks and generally monotonous tone is a familiar aspect of the novel that builds its essence. Not much humor is found throughout the book, with exception of a few comical features which, due to the complexity of the writing, are hard to be understood by the general public. Several dialogues, which as previously noted in another section, are set apart from the usual vocabulary used by Ishmael. Within these dialogues, lies an abundance of effortless jokes presented by the smart and witty crew. The character who stood out the most in the use of humor in speech is none other than Stubb. Chapter 81 presents an abundance of comical remarks, namely brought forward by Stubb. When referring to the whale’s stomach pain, he cries, “Lord, think of having half an acre of stomach ache!” In being realistic, the humorous aspect of it is still clear! Similarly, found in page 363, during an intense competition between two other ships, one of them being German, Stubb exclaims, “Its against my religion to get mad; but I’d like to eat the villainous Yarman”. “Yarman” means “German”, which gives the statement its comical aspect. Many other jokes are seen coming from other members of the crew, but it is certainly more difficult to find one coming directly from Ishmael. As a matter of fact, directly following these intense and somewhat funny moments, come Ishmael’s informational texts, loaded with facts. This provides the book with a big contrast, which is also another feature of Melville’s writing. I would personally enjoy more humor, but I do prefer quality over quantity, so I still am able to appreciate the book and its characteristics.

Another majorly effective approach to keeping readers engaged and immersed in the story is by getting them to think. What better way is there to make people think than making several rhetorical questions like this one? One may realize that Melville’s use of rhetorical questions can occupy up to half a page! These questions come up consecutively, one after the other. Inquiries are a way of allowing the reader to make their own decisions and think for themselves in a way that they may agree with the author. Additionally, it is a way of following Melville’s train of thought which was used to reach his conclusions. This is seen particularly in chapters loaded with information, not those focused on the voyage. In fact, chapter 89, regarding Fast-Fish and Loose-Fish contains an entire page replete with questions! One example is “What are the Rights of Man and Liberties of the World but Loose-Fish?” Although the ordinary inexperienced reader would not be able to answer this, curiosity would cause them to immediately think ahead and proceed the read. It certainly improves the read and optimizes the “interest rate” of the one reading.

Further, a somewhat distinctive trait found within the book is the unusual length of his sentences. Although most sentences are of normal length, and others are remarkably short, as in “Call me Ishmael”, awfully long sentences are particularly common. The audacious use of commas and semicolons make for an excessively big sentence. I would like to express my greatest amazement regarding the magnitude of some of these stated above. In doing so, I will present and quote an entire sentence (pg. 464) that, I doubt not, could take up most of my paragraph; “According to a careful calculation I have made, and which I partly base upon Captain Scoresby’s estimate, of seventy tons for the largest sized Greenland whale of sixty feet in length; according to my careful calculation, I say, a sperm-whale of the largest magnitude, between eighty-five and ninety feet in length, and something less than forty feet in its fullest circumference, such a whale will weigh at least ninety tons; so that, reckoning thirteen men to a ton, he would considerably outweigh the combined population of a whole village of one thousand one hundred inhabitants.” Above that, even larger and more complex ones are located in the book. These are clearly compact with information that could serve importance to the story but that, due to its overwhelming amount of information between only two punctuations, can be ignored by any readers. Although I find it important to read every page, it is unquestionably a tiring feat.