Wednesday, January 16 th

1. Today is Appreciate a Dragon Day! Wednesday, January 16th Get out your work on 94-96 from yesterday. Class discussion. Presentation by Lauren H & Alex Quiz on reading from last night: 106-109, 113 Discussion of last night’s reading.

2. 106— “Ahab’s Leg” • What’s the problem with his ivory leg? • Injury before the Pequod sailed leads to his seclusion • Grief lasts longer than Joy • What is the source of all of his present anguish and suffering?

3. 107– “The Carpenter” • Charged with doing what for Ahab? • What are some of the “odd jobs” he does around the ship? • How is he characterized? • “Indifferent and without respect in all” • “Eternally holds its peace, and ignores you, though you dig foundations for cathedrals” • “In him involved a sort of unintelligence” • “He did not seem to work so much by reason or by instinct . . . But merely by a kind of deaf and dumb, spontaneous literal process.”

4. 108– “Ahab and the Carpenter” • Like a play again! • Manmaker, Prometheus • Ahab’s man: “put a skylight on top of his head to illuminate inwards.” WHY? Why not eyes facing outwards? • Ahab feels his old leg, but cannot see it • “how does thou know that some entire, living, thinking thing may not be invisibly and uninterpenetratingly standing there in thy spite?” • He feels the carpenter is a fool & it annoys him to have to waste his time • “Oh, Life! Here I am, proud as a Greek god, and yet standing debtor to this blockhead for a bone to stand on! Cursed be that mortal inter-debtedness which will not do away with ledgers. I would be free as air; and I’m down in the whole world’s books. I am so rich, I could have given bid for bid with the wealthiest Praetorians at the auction of the Roman empire; and yet I woe for the flesh in the tongue I brag with.”

5. 109– “Ahab and Starbuck in the Cabin” • The casks are leaking so Starbuck wants to “Up Burtons” (raise a kind of tackle) • Ahab, of course, wants nothing to slow them down • “Let it leak! I’m all aleak myself. Aye! Leaks in leaks! Not only full of leaky casks, but those leaky casks are in a leaky ship; and that’s a far worse plight than the Pequod’s, man. Yet I don’t stop to plug my leak; for who can find it in the deep-loaded hull; or how hope to plug it, even if found, in this life’s howling gale?” • Showdown between Ahab and Starbuck: Ahab points a musket at him • But, Starbuck’s statement makes Ahab rethink his position • “Ahab beware of Ahab”

6. 113– “The Forge” • Perth = blacksmith • Ahab has his harpoon forged for Moby Dick • Nail-stubbs from racing horses & his own razors • “Baptism” of the harpoon • Blood of Tash, Queequeg, and Daggoo instead of water • “Ego non baptizote in nomine patris, sed in nomine diaboli!” • I baptize you not in the name of the Father, but in the name of the Devil! • The Three Fates remained inseparable