I started reading this book last week while I was sitting on the beach. I have found looking up at the water, while reading, to be an amazing experience. I recommend everyone try this.
There are so many poetic passages that just make you want to grab your harpoon and head out to sea. The title of this post is my favorite passage, it is how I feel about doing things in life, but put into the perfect sentence. My second favorite is from the first chapter as well...
But here is an artist. He desires to paint you the dreamiest, shadiest, quietest, most enchanting bit of romantic landscape in all the valley of the Saco. What is the chief element he employs? There stand his trees, each with a hollow trunk, as if a hermit and a crucifix were within; and here sleeps his meadow, and there sleep his cattle; and up from yonder cottage goes a sleepy smoke. Deep into distant woodlands winds a mazy way, reaching to overlapping spurs of mountains bathed in their hill-side blue. But though the picture lies thus tranced, and though this pine-tree shakes down its sighs like leaves upon this shepherd's head, yet all were vain, unless the shepherd's eye were fixed upon the magic stream before him. (Chapter 1, Loomings)
I agree with the Turd on everything from his post below. And I think Shark you may need to change the title of this blog, because there sure is a lot of man-love going on. I seriously believe that Ishmael may have a slight crush on Queequeg, for example,
"I had felt such a strong repugnance to his smoking in the bed the night before, yet see how elastic our stiff prejudices grow when love once comes to bend them." (Chapter 6 Nightgown)
Ishmael talks in great deal about his growing respect for Queequeg and their blossoming friendship, but by the way he recounts staring at him from a afar without him noticing or by all the references to trouble sleeping and rolling around in bed, I seriously think something else is going on. It is not uncommon for men in some cultures to hold hands while walking down the street, especially if they are friends. This may seem weird to us but it is part of their culture, but I think Melville may have gone a little far showing how close they are getting to each other.
What do you guys think?
That analogy in chapter 13 was fantastic! I especially liked the whole story about him saving the ship and that one sailor. The theme of how prejudice can just be forgotten when someone does something extraordinary.
and on that note I leave you with a proverb that I used yesterday when a drunk, not so attractive, girl approached me at a bar...
"Better sleep with a sober cannibal then a drunken Christian"
(Chapter 3 Spouter-Inn)
Yeah it went over her head, but I got a good laugh!
2 comments:
I like how Queequeg decides he wants to leave his island and just hops onto a passing ship. Pretty telling re: the remote lives of islanders a long time ago. There was just, you know, few ways to get off the island. Also, I think that story might illuminate why Ishmael takes such a liking to Queequeg: they are both recklessly drawn to the sea.
You know I never thought about that, but your right and that makes a lot of sense...
It also probably helps that they both may like Men? JK
In all seriousness, I was thinking it might be the way that Ishmael feeling all alone in this new place, can identify with Queequeg, who also seems to be alone. Lonliness is definitly something they seem to have in common.
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