NCHS AP English Language

CHAPTER 73 FEDALLLAH AND AHAB BY CAILIN LOYD

Last Paragraph of Chapter 73
"Meantime, Fedallah was calmly eyeing the right whale's head, and ever and anon glancing from the deep wrinkles there to the lines in his own hand. And Ahab chanced so to stand, that the Parsee occupied his shadow; while, if the Parsee's shadow was there at all it seemed only to blend with, and lengthen Ahab's. As the crew toiled on, Laplandish speculations were bandied among them, concerning all these passing things."


Fedallah keeps himself very close to Ahab. He is a harpooner/prophet, he is technically on the boat to harpoon whales, yet he also keeps close to Ahab to prophesize about the future of the Pequod's journey. Fedallah is in the background of the crew, he does not bring unnecessary attention to himself. He remains close physically and intellectually with Ahab, he seems to be present close enough to Ahab to elongate Ahab's shadow. Fedallah has been thought to be the "Devil" presence in the Pequod, and his constant presence in the shadow of Ahab supports the notion that evil is upon Ahab and to the Pequod.

posted by Lisa @ 2:53 PM