NCHS AP English Language

Chapter 16

Kelly Snyder, Anh Nguyen, Ellen Wagner, Melissa Hampton.

Ishmael doesn't like Queequeg's idea, which is really Yogo's idea, even though Queequeg puts a lot of confidence into it. Ishmael knows that Yogo means well, but he doesn't think that the idea that Yogo has will work and if it does, it won't work out well. Peqoud is the fictional 19th century Nantucket whaling ship commanded by Captain Ahab. This is the ship that Ishmael and Queequeg went on for the whaling trip. The Peqoud is a symbol of doom ( sparknotes.com). It is painted black and covered in bones. It comes from the Indian tribe, the Pequots. Ahab is the tyrannical captain of the Pequod who is driven by a monomaniacal desire to kill Moby Dick, the whale to whom he lost his leg. Ahab believes he is fated to kill Moby Dick and lives for this purpose alone. Ahab's name may be inspired by the bibical King Ahab, who was tempted by his wealthy wife Jezebel to stray from worshipping God alone, just as Ahab was lured by the material world into a quest which ultimately deprived him of his humanity(wikipedia). Peleg is the one of the two sons of Eber. In Moby-Dick, he is one of the captains and owners of the Pequod. Quakers are a religious society of Friends started in 17th century England because they were not satisfied with the sects of Christianity. Dost thou means do you. Bildad is another one of the Quaker captains and another owner of the ship. In the last paragraph, Ishmael figures out that Ahab is actually human and his view on him has changed. He realized what had happened Ahab had really changed him and that he has sympathy for him. Ishmael also has awe for Ahab because of his determination for him. He was ly revealed of the painfulness that Ahab had experienced and with that he could sympathize with Ahab. Ishmael was impatient as to find out more about Captain Ahab, but soon after, the thoughts of Ahab slipped his mind whenever he had moved on from it as his thoughts carried him off into another direction.

posted by Ellen @ 9:41 AM