The chapter where Ahab talks to a whale head (70)
In this chapter, Ahab leans over and talks to the recently decapitated whale head. To summarize, he talks to the whale about all the things he has seen and witnessed, but has never said anything about it. This whale, who has swam deeper than any diver, has seen murders, but has said nothing about them. This implies that the whale is like a god of the sea. He is omnicient and sees everything that goes on, whether it be way deep down where no diver can swim, or atop it.
Ahab is telling the whale that he has seen all these things and he never told anyone, and now he never can because all he is now is just a head. The head seemed to contain a riddle, such as the sphinx that none have figured out, and now none can because all that is left is the head. Ahab feels pressed to solve the riddle that the whale presents, because if not, he will be killed just like those before him. Ahab ends up dying, because he is never able to solve this riddle of the deep. He is destined never to answer this riddle, and therefore destined to die. Although in truth, he isn't eaten or killed by the sphinx, the fact that he can't figure out the riddle foreshadows the death that is coming for Ahab. The hemp kills him, leaving the sea to swallow him and leave him for the fishes.
Ellen (and) Wagner, Kelly (the) Snyder, Anh (or) Nguyen, Melissa (but) Hamptoon!!! Happy All Hallow's Eve (Halloween)!!!
posted by Ellen @ 9:04 AM
1 Comments:
Your discussion seems ambiguous to me. You could be clearer about your idea of the riddle, for example.
3/5
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