NCHS AP English Language

#4 Passages and Explanations

1. "'Vengeance on a dumb brute!' cried Starbuck, "that simply smote thee from blindest instinct! Madness! To be enraged with a dumb thing, Captain Ahab, seems blasphemous.'"

Starbuck is yelling at Ahab at how bad an idea he has. Starbuck has a pretty prudent head on his shoulders, and he is trying to persuade Ahab to forget about his horrible idea to seek out one whale in the entire ocean. Starbucks sees it foolish to seek revenge on an animal that probably does not even know what revenge is. Whales are smart creatures, but Starbuck is saying in this case to be the bigger man, or at least the bigger "being." Starbucks thinks Ahab is mad for endangering the crew and only thinking of himself and his wishes.


2. "Talk to me not of blasphemy, man; I'd strike the sun if it insulted me."

This quote is part of Ahab's response to Starbuck's accusation above. Ahab wants to be courageous and persuasive in leading his crew to the white whale. He claims that if even the powerful sun insulted him he'd seek revenge. He is kind of just talking to seem more powerful here, I think. Obviously messing with the sun will result in inevitable loss, pain, suffering, humiliation. The sun parallels Moby Dick in a sense here, because Moby Dick has already gotten away from Ahab once before, so why can't he do it again? Moby Dick should be as powerful to Ahab in his eyes, because he IS a threat, like the sun. Ahab is too ignorant and revengeful to care.


3. "The crew, man, the crew! Are they not one and all with Ahab in the matter of the whale?"

This quote refers to Ahab saying to Starbuck about how everyone else in the crew agrees, so why is Starbucks the only person not satisfied? Ahab is using the "peer pressure" tactic to get Starbuck to go along with his plan. He is also using the Socratic Method by asking a question that assumes a "yes" answer. Starbuck's natural reply would be that, oh my gosh, he is wrong and that seeking out Moby Dick is the only way to proceed. But of course, Starbuck is too smart for that and has the crew's best interests at heart.


4. "'Drink and pass!' he {Ahab} cried, handing the heavy charged flagon to the nearest seaman. ... 'Steward, refill!'"

Ahab's quote and that paragraph ^ is Ahab telling the crew about hunting down Moby Dick, the whale who tore off his leg. The crew probably think this is a good idea, to show that whale who's boss. Of course the crwe stand behind their enigmatic captain's orders, the harpooners getting their iron rods ready, etc. This is Ahab's way of getting hsi crew pumped for this suicide mission, in a sense. He passes around alcohol and has the servant fill it up once it's emtpy; it's a celebration in honor of the destruction of Moby Dick. The crew believes Ahab when he says it's a good idea, but Starbuck, and perhaps Stubb and Flask, know better. They do not say anything, however, because then the crew would not have as much honor for their captain.

Written by Caroline Ward

posted by Caroline Ward @ 10:13 AM