"Moby-Dick; or, The Whale" Herman Melville

“In one word, Queequeg, said I, rather digressively; hell is an idea first born on an undigested apple-dumpling; and since then perpetuated through the hereditary dyspepsias nurtured by Ramadans.” 

― Herman Melville, Moby-Dick; or, The Whale

I never knew...that is, I never knew I would enjoy "Moby-Dick".  I was surprised to find that it wasn't just a long journal-like story.  Melville used different methods for writing each chapter.  One chapter was a sermon delivered by an unconventional minister, and I enjoyed it despite my misgivings of it being about fire-and-brimstone, which it was not.  Another chapter was a natural history of the whale as a genus, how each species differs and why the sperm whale was so valued.  I was delighted by this variety.  I found the hunt exciting, and even though the book is quite long, was disappointed that the final battle with the great white whale was over so soon.

Admittedly I have avoided Melville for a long time, starting my sophomore year of high school and continuing on to the relationships literature course I took two years ago where we were supposed to read some of the Piazza Tales.  I had thought Melville a writer for men, a writer with the stern, dark, bleak sensibilities that I believed were native to New Englanders in the Victorian Era.  I am pleased to find that his writing has color, life and light, and just maybe I was wrong to avoid him.

I can see how the imagery of Melville in this tale can be interpreted in so many ways and why this is studied in academia, but sometimes I just like to let the story surround me without the literary analysis.  To help get the picture of the story, I found some videos of sperm whale hunting; this video from Wikipedia Commons, that includes quotes from "Moby-Dick" brought the images of Melville to life.  I was fascinated by the industry and the culture of sperm whaling, and consider this book an important snapshot of a way of life of mid-nineteenth century U.S.

I was also surprised to feel sympathy toward so many of the characters, including Ahab.  I remember being required to read something from Melville in English class in the 10th grade, maybe an except from Omoo or Billy Budd, but I doubt that I actually read it.  The discussion of it in class, I remember, left me to believe that the characters in Melville's works were ugly creatures.  The clips I had seen of movie versions of "Moby-Dick" had left the same taste in my mouth, and so I was startled to find Ishmael, Queequeg, Starbuck, Stubb, and the rest to be likable men.  The introduction of Queequeg by Ishmael and their experiences in the Spouter Inn were more humorous that I expected.  I also thought Ahab would be more off his rocker than he was, and the scenes between him and the carpenter and black smith were dark but enlightening, and I see Ahab as driven, but not insane as I expected.

I might have to download some of Melville's short stories, available from Project Gutenberg, to see what those are like.  Knowing now that not all of his writing is set on the sea, I'm curious.  As always, too many stories and too little time.