Here's a little quote from chapter 61 for consideration:
"And now abating in his flurry, the whale once more rolled out into view; surging from side to side; spasmodically dilating and contracting his spout-hole, with sharp, cracking, agonized respirations. At last, gush after gush of clotted red gore, as if it had been the purple lees of red wine, shot into the frightened air; and falling back again, ran dripping down his motionless flanks into the sea. His heart had burst!"
Regardless of who bit off who's leg or how profitable whaling is as a business, there is nothing admirable about putting an animal through an agonizing death like that. NOTHING. I pity Ahab, but I'm rooting for Moby one hundred percent.
I am the total opposite. I am rooting for Ahab to defeat Moby. I feel that if something bit off my leg and I had to writhe in pain for months, I would be a little vengeful too. I understand completely where Ahab is coming from. Even though Moby is just being a whale, it is these men's jobs to hunt whales; it is what they're doing for a living, so yeah, I'm team Ahab.
I have to agree with Essex Haunt, there is no need to put the whale through an a death like that. Though, I have a feeling that Ahab is going to come out on top, I am still going to be rooting for Moby. I pity Ahab, and I know he went through a lot. Whatever he saw, the "light" or whatever youwant to call it, resulted with madness. He is single minded to the point of recklessness. As monomanical as he is, killing the whale will put him at rest, but gor how long? Whatever he saw in his glimpse of death, it will still be in his head whether Moby is dead or not. There is no true reason to punish the whale, especially not in the the brutal way on an obsessed captain.
Personally I am rooting for Moby. Although Ahab is justified in his search I feel that he has gone a little overboard with his monomaniacal search for Moby. He has left his family for three years while putting his entire crew in danger. Therefore, I am in favor of Moby. Yes, he has injured or killed many people, but he is only a whale. I cannot blame him for his actions considering that they were only self - defense. He has every right to defend himself from a slow and painful death. ~Shamu~
I am rooting for Moby, completely agreeing with Captain Boomer's stance. He sees that the whale was simply being a whale, as it's been put, and realizes that Moby was not out to get him, only putting up a fair fight. Boomer respects and almost fears Moby saying the he already lost an arm, he's not risking another limb. Ahab needs to realize that he is the reason Moby attacked him, not because he is hungry for human flesh. I sympathize with Moby because he is developing a bad reputation from the sailors as all evil combined; however, he could possibly represent God...lucky him.
I know many people, such as Spock, feel Ahab's madness is justified by the pain and horror of his injury. However, as Henry pointed out, Captain Boomer's pain caused him to fear the whale. He doesn't blame the whale, because he recognizes that the whale is just acting like a whale. Not being able to digest human flesh, whales don't generally set out to eat humans, so Moby was most likely provoked. A whale will do whatever he/she can in order to survive, attacks on humans are out of defense. Just because he puts up a great fight, doesn't give reason to the monomania of Ahab or the reputation Moby acquired among all sailors.
I personally am rooting for Moby. Moby is a whale who was being a whale in his basic survival instinct. I don't understand why Ahab is so revenged based to him. Ahab was trying to kill him and he was just defendng himself.
Rooting for Moby? He is just an animal. Man was put on Earth by God partly to rule over the animals of the world. He is superior to these souless creatures in his ability to think, reason, and have fellowship with others. On the subject of Ahab vs. Moby Dick, I am indifferent. Moby Dick bit off Captain Ahab's leg and he had to suffer this pain for months. He is therefore naturally inclined to seeking revenge on the whale. After all, the whale will lose eventually, why not Ahab be the one who kills it? If Ahab chooses to live his life in misery to hunt down a single whale, than it is both punishment and reward. Moby Dick is but flesh and bones and will eventually return to the earth, so his life is less precious than that of Ahab's. The "cruelty" to this creature would be short-lived compared to the physical and emotional trauma that Ahab has dealt with since his accident. So, if Ahab wants to spend his life tracking down a beast to slaughter, I let him do it.
As stated in the anonymous second post, "it is these men's jobs to hunt whales", so let them hunt whales. The death that Moby Dick will face will be no different than any other whale. The only independent variable is the particular man who kills the White Whale.
I going to play devil's advocate and say that I'm not rooting for either of them. Ahab needs to understand that there's more in life than the whale, and the whale just seems rather sinister. His descriptions don't cast him in that great of light, but I guess that's because it's from Ahab's point of view. So I suppose that I want them both to die. Then Stubb, Tashtego, and all the other cool ship mates can be rid of Ahab and get credit for eliminating Moby!!!
Snowflake, of course Moby seems sinister! It's Mr. Melodrama himself, Ishmael, describing him! It would be much simpler if they both just died, though... Especially if everyone else survived and Starbuck got to be captain! :D Alas, not so...
I say let the best man or whale win. In a way I can empathize with Ahab. I mean the whale insulted him and put him through tremendous agony. On the other hand, Moby has the right to defend himself from death. All in all, I think the sea and the "whiteness of the whale" might give Moby an upperhand.
Throughout the entire novel I was rooting for Ahab! I felt as if his crazed vengeance he pursued was justified, and I could easily relate to his frustrations. I would not disagree that he wasn't crazy, but at the same time, I believe as human beings we have all been, are, and will be crazy at different points in our lives. I think as Americans we are monomonaic about drugs, sex, and money, although society tricks us into believing that these are things we "should" be striving for, whereas a whale is just weird to be monomanaic about. I don't necessarily agree with this stereotype. Allowing money, for example, to drive us or control us is no better than to allow a whale to consume our thoughts. Pineappleisland
I am rooting for Moby because I believe that he is just an animal and he does not represent all of evil as Ahab thinks. Ahab is delusional and driven by his monomania which causes me to be on Moby's side. Ahab started the battle by pursuing Moby, and Moby was just acting in self defense as any animal can be expected to do. I am definitely team Moby. -llamabrain
15 comments:
Here's a little quote from chapter 61 for consideration:
"And now abating in his flurry, the whale once more rolled out into view; surging from side to side; spasmodically dilating and contracting his spout-hole, with sharp, cracking, agonized respirations. At last, gush after gush of clotted red gore, as if it had been the purple lees of red wine, shot into the frightened air; and falling back again, ran dripping down his motionless flanks into the sea. His heart had burst!"
Regardless of who bit off who's leg or how profitable whaling is as a business, there is nothing admirable about putting an animal through an agonizing death like that. NOTHING. I pity Ahab, but I'm rooting for Moby one hundred percent.
-Essex Haunt
I am the total opposite. I am rooting for Ahab to defeat Moby. I feel that if something bit off my leg and I had to writhe in pain for months, I would be a little vengeful too. I understand completely where Ahab is coming from. Even though Moby is just being a whale, it is these men's jobs to hunt whales; it is what they're doing for a living, so yeah, I'm team Ahab.
I forgot to put my name
Spock
I have to agree with Essex Haunt, there is no need to put the whale through an a death like that. Though, I have a feeling that Ahab is going to come out on top, I am still going to be rooting for Moby. I pity Ahab, and I know he went through a lot. Whatever he saw, the "light" or whatever youwant to call it, resulted with madness. He is single minded to the point of recklessness. As monomanical as he is, killing the whale will put him at rest, but gor how long? Whatever he saw in his glimpse of death, it will still be in his head whether Moby is dead or not. There is no true reason to punish the whale, especially not in the the brutal way on an obsessed captain.
~Queen of Babble
I meant "of an obsessed captain"... sorry
Personally I am rooting for Moby. Although Ahab is justified in his search I feel that he has gone a little overboard with his monomaniacal search for Moby. He has left his family for three years while putting his entire crew in danger. Therefore, I am in favor of Moby. Yes, he has injured or killed many people, but he is only a whale. I cannot blame him for his actions considering that they were only self - defense. He has every right to defend himself from a slow and painful death.
~Shamu~
I am rooting for Moby, completely agreeing with Captain Boomer's stance. He sees that the whale was simply being a whale, as it's been put, and realizes that Moby was not out to get him, only putting up a fair fight. Boomer respects and almost fears Moby saying the he already lost an arm, he's not risking another limb. Ahab needs to realize that he is the reason Moby attacked him, not because he is hungry for human flesh. I sympathize with Moby because he is developing a bad reputation from the sailors as all evil combined; however, he could possibly represent God...lucky him.
--Henry
I know many people, such as Spock, feel Ahab's madness is justified by the pain and horror of his injury. However, as Henry pointed out, Captain Boomer's pain caused him to fear the whale. He doesn't blame the whale, because he recognizes that the whale is just acting like a whale. Not being able to digest human flesh, whales don't generally set out to eat humans, so Moby was most likely provoked. A whale will do whatever he/she can in order to survive, attacks on humans are out of defense. Just because he puts up a great fight, doesn't give reason to the monomania of Ahab or the reputation Moby acquired among all sailors.
~Queen of Babble
I personally am rooting for Moby. Moby is a whale who was being a whale in his basic survival instinct. I don't understand why Ahab is so revenged based to him. Ahab was trying to kill him and he was just defendng himself.
maskedexcitement13
Rooting for Moby? He is just an animal. Man was put on Earth by God partly to rule over the animals of the world. He is superior to these souless creatures in his ability to think, reason, and have fellowship with others. On the subject of Ahab vs. Moby Dick, I am indifferent. Moby Dick bit off Captain Ahab's leg and he had to suffer this pain for months. He is therefore naturally inclined to seeking revenge on the whale. After all, the whale will lose eventually, why not Ahab be the one who kills it? If Ahab chooses to live his life in misery to hunt down a single whale, than it is both punishment and reward. Moby Dick is but flesh and bones and will eventually return to the earth, so his life is less precious than that of Ahab's. The "cruelty" to this creature would be short-lived compared to the physical and emotional trauma that Ahab has dealt with since his accident. So, if Ahab wants to spend his life tracking down a beast to slaughter, I let him do it.
As stated in the anonymous second post, "it is these men's jobs to hunt whales", so let them hunt whales. The death that Moby Dick will face will be no different than any other whale. The only independent variable is the particular man who kills the White Whale.
Diane Shao
I going to play devil's advocate and say that I'm not rooting for either of them. Ahab needs to understand that there's more in life than the whale, and the whale just seems rather sinister. His descriptions don't cast him in that great of light, but I guess that's because it's from Ahab's point of view. So I suppose that I want them both to die. Then Stubb, Tashtego, and all the other cool ship mates can be rid of Ahab and get credit for eliminating Moby!!!
~*~*~*~*~*Snowflake*~*~*~*~*~
Snowflake, of course Moby seems sinister! It's Mr. Melodrama himself, Ishmael, describing him! It would be much simpler if they both just died, though... Especially if everyone else survived and Starbuck got to be captain! :D Alas, not so...
-Essex Haunt
I say let the best man or whale win. In a way I can empathize with Ahab. I mean the whale insulted him and put him through tremendous agony. On the other hand, Moby has the right to defend himself from death. All in all, I think the sea and the "whiteness of the whale" might give Moby an upperhand.
Jack Sparrow
Throughout the entire novel I was rooting for Ahab! I felt as if his crazed vengeance he pursued was justified, and I could easily relate to his frustrations. I would not disagree that he wasn't crazy, but at the same time, I believe as human beings we have all been, are, and will be crazy at different points in our lives. I think as Americans we are monomonaic about drugs, sex, and money, although society tricks us into believing that these are things we "should" be striving for, whereas a whale is just weird to be monomanaic about. I don't necessarily agree with this stereotype. Allowing money, for example, to drive us or control us is no better than to allow a whale to consume our thoughts.
Pineappleisland
I am rooting for Moby because I believe that he is just an animal and he does not represent all of evil as Ahab thinks. Ahab is delusional and driven by his monomania which causes me to be on Moby's side. Ahab started the battle by pursuing Moby, and Moby was just acting in self defense as any animal can be expected to do. I am definitely team Moby.
-llamabrain
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