The End of Moby-Dick

A weather vane I spotted while I was out walking.

I finally finished LISTENING to the audio edition of Herman Melville's Moby-Dick. What a feat...what an accomplishment...what a treat!

The experience triggered me to borrow the DVD of the 1956 film version version from the library. Although not as compelling as the audio book, it seemed to capture the meat of the story in a much shorter time. However, I'm not sure how much I would have enjoyed the film without having gone through the book first.

 

After the DVD, I browsed around the library and was compelled to read a short volume, "Why Read Moby-Dick?" This turned out to be a nice dessert; a quick review of the book, pointing out highlights. It was an easy read since the chapters did not exceed 4 pages.

One of these days, I would like to actually read the book. However, after listening to it, I think it would be helpful to have annotated version (in print)-I have not yet learned how to read E-books.

Several quotes struck a chord with me:

Hawthorne wrote of Melville: "He will never rest until he gets hold of a definite belief...He can neither believe, nor be comfortable in his unbelief; and he is too honest and courageous not to try to do one or the other." (p.125)

"Life is so short, and so ridiculous and irrational (from a certain point of view) that one knows not what to make of it, unless - well, finish the sentence for yourself."

Ishmael in Ch 49: " There are certain queer times and occasions in this strange mixed affair we call life when a man takes this whole universe for a vast practical joke, though the wit thereof he but dimly discerns, and more than suspects that the joke is at nobody's expense but his own."

Ahab in Ch 132: "Is it I, God, or who, that lifts this arm? But if the great sun move not of himself; but is as an errand-boy in heaven; nor one single star can revolve, but by some invisible power; how then can this one small heart beat; this one small brain think thoughts; unless God does that beating, does that thinking, does that living, and not I."

Links:

http://ricketwrite.blogspot.com/2014/03/moby-dick.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moby-Dick
http://nathanielphilbrick.com/books/why-read-moby-dick/
http://www.rabbitroom.com/2013/10/how-to-read-moby-dick/
http://www.powermobydick.com/

Written Sunday May 4, 2014