6 January 2017

Moby Dick Book Club: Week 10




Meagan

Wooooooo we reached the 100 chapter mark... only 35 to go my loves..

I love the introduction of Pip in this chapter and can't help but feel that him and Dough-boy must share a bond similar to mine and Meg's... Dough-boy has a "continuous lip quiver" and Pip is described as a "clumsy or timorous wight". I also love that they have to sacrifice a whale to save Pip and then he just jumps right back overboard... this is exactly what would happen to me except I would never kill myself by jumping overboard I would literally just have Dough-boy (aka Meg) shoot me in the face if I was on that ship. Stubb (who is fast becoming my favourite character because he's just so grumpy) tells Pip a whale is worth more than he is in Alabama... some light slave humour there for us to enjoy...

I thought it was interesting how Ishmael says it's the loneliness that will kill you if you're stranded in the ocean rather than the actual swimming. I am writing this post Dec 21 and remembering how I spent Dec 23 last year in a theatre alone because I HAD to see In the Heart of the Sea. They file into those little rowboats hoping to find a ship after they get stranded and the one guy stays behind and I remember a similar comment being made. I can't frigging imagine being stranded mid-ocean with literally nothing around me but I guess it does sound like the actual loneliest thing in the entire world. Even in The Shallows with Blake Lively, she befriends that seagull on the rock with her. 

I thought the part where they met the British ship was quite cool because the two captains were polar opposites. Captain Boomer talks about how Moby Dick took his arm off and he won't go hunting him because "isn't one arm enough?"... except Ahab feels the exact opposite. I found it comical when they were talking about Moby Dick's 'tricks' and Ahab is like "oh that one I know that old trick"... as though it's a dog they both look after. 

I'm just glad this week was more plot based because there's nothing that I hate more than biology or art chapters...  QUESTION: does anyone believe it's plausible that you could recognize a whale if you saw him again if he didn't have any proper identifiers the way that these Captains identify Moby Dick? I know he has a spear through him now but if he didn't... is this something that could be true?

                                               Meghan

Meg's post was so funny and I don't mean to be a buzzkill but I just still hate reading this book so much. I'm sorry that this is literally all I can say.

I had so much anxiety just imagining being stranded in the gigantic, seemingly endless ocean that I don't even want to talk about it. But I do agree with Meg in that I would be 100 per cent suicidal on this ship. And I would scream at my mates to leave the whale and let it crush me to death. 

Chapter 93 had my favourite passage: "Now, in cam weather, to swim in the open ocean is as easy to the practised swimmer as to ride in a spring-carriage ashore. But the awful lonesomeness is intolerable. The intense concentration of self in the middle of such a heartless immensity, my God! who can tell it?"

It does feel good to be at chapter 100. I honestly cannot believe it. 

Also just gotta say I am sorry for not being that active in the comments ... I feel like by the time I get through 10 chapters and then write this thing like hours before we post it (as if I am writing a university paper and pulling an all-nighter) I just can't wait to be done with Moby Dick for a few days. Hahahah sorry Meg I JUST HATE THIS BOOK. And I can't wait for Becca to pick the next book club!!

2 comments:

  1. 1) I have nothing to say about this section, I just tried to read it fast and didn't take notes. Next week I will focus more, and try and be positive, and have some great ideas to share!
    2) To answer your question Meagan, NO. It's a ridiculous idea, and Ahab is possessed and crazy ( I would be too though If my life was spent whaling).
    3) I'm struggling with the next book choice. I'm going to pose my contenders on the facebook page, and if everyone else suggests one too, i'll pick from that selection - how's that!?

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    1. Okay I thought it was a ridiculous idea but I honestly have a brain of mush about whales right now and I can't tell fact from fiction. I feel like reading this is the equivalent of slowly dehydrating.

      Post your contenders post your contenders!!!

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