Moby Dick Breeding bread

I find the first chapters to be extremely atmospheric and comfy. I remember getting so excited when I was first reading it and hanging on every page. But I think pretty much as soon as they go on the ship a lot of that faded and I got bored. I stopped pretty soon after that. Maybe I'll finish the whole thing this time.

I've been reading it prior to this, just to excited to read it. They just got on the ship and he introduced the personalities of all the mates and Ahab. Got pretty bored...

Im up to where he introduced Stubb. I thought Starbucks chapter was great personally.

would love to join you guys, but I really, really want to finish with the greeks, and I am currently re-reading divine comedy so not enough time to read it in a comfortable pace

I'm going to be reading at least six chapters a night since I'm going away on holiday soon sometime next month and won't be able to participate in some good discussions, looking forward to it though.

I liked Stubb. He seems a good dude.

I'm started reading it couple days ago. I'm at about 120 pages in.

LOOMINGS. Not meaning NOT to reflect on 'the Pale Usher' in the Etymology section, but the Loomings are full of the types of books [we're] rumored to read. Milton, Spenser, Hawthorne, Goldsmith, Pope, Darwin, etc. I think my favorite's from Burke: 'Spain----a great whale stranded on the shores of Europe.' I like how 'whale' is considered in all capacities both figurative and not here. Let the mania begin!
Any one of the Loomings stand out to any other one of /you anons?

Well, damn! That was a major gaff. Meant EXTRACTS, not the first chapter title..

>"The Whale is harpooned to be sure; but bethink you, how you would manage a powerful unbroken colt, with the mere appliance of a rope tied to the root of his tail."
I just like it because it shows how insane it is to try to take down something as big as a whale with it. But it also shows how admirable the action is since it can be done.

>whale with it
>whale with so little
Must have been distracted when I typed that.

what even can be said of the first chapter? it's just amazing. the meditation ON meditation and water, the REAL unrest of being young (and wanting to 'hang it all') written with such levity, such aplomb. the contrast between paid and unpaid seafarers. the reasons for wanting to go to sea..
It's just perfect. What can be said?

Stubb is based

I think some of the points he makes can actually be refuted or countered, but yeah it's mostly the attitude that Ishmael takes towards the see that matters

The tableau of so many dreamy-eyed persons gazing out to sea or on a river or at a pond and Ishmael's impressions- priceless.

>tfw was very excited to do it
>tfw was too immersed re-reading divine comedy saturday and sunday
>tfw 70 pages to read today
lets do this boys, just finished chapter 3

good luck, user. It is worth it!

>and come a stove boat and stove body when they will, for stave my soul, Jove himself cannot.

First time reading, this quote hit me hard and has filled me with positive energy like nothing else before.

Somebody explain this to an ESL

>come at me bro (Zeus). you can't touch my soul.

Oh holy shit that's good

Thanks user, that made it click

hey, I'm back. just finished reading all of the 12 chapters, it is very worth it. simply LOVED 'the sermon' and 'a bosom friend' chapters, both very comfy. I simply love books with biblical themes, I drooled all over the sermon chapter, that hymn...so good. very glad I joined you guys, to be honest I wasn't expecting it to be this good.

>finally been finishing up In Search of Lost Time after 4 months
>70 pages of Moby Dick to read today
wish me luck friends

see

just did it, and it was actually easy. I am used to reading 40~70 pages a day, and at least those first 12 chapters were so good that it didn't feel like it was 70 pages, felt like it was 40. and after that I re-read 20 pages of divine comedy

is it your first time reading it? it is mine, and so far I am loving it

>swtg
shit

>don quixote
also a shit thread

shit

none of them actually finished. they all fizzled out after a few hundred pages.

it was really just one guy doing the reading and then a few stragglers, but it was a good group.

May this reading group rest in peace

Did anybody read the actual book of Jonah? It's pretty hilarious how much shit the Father just made up

oi mate, I'm still going strong

no, haven't read it yet, still on psalms, but I loved 'the sermon' nonetheless

Skip ahead real quick it's only 4 chapters long

>oi mate, I'm still going strong

With little to show for it. Sadface.

Shit, didn't realize this was going to start.
>already 10k gorillion pages behind

What edition are you using?

I wrote a paper on it last year in uni. I couldn't stop thinking about it as I read through the sermon.

>Spend two weeks of research and one week of writing
>pretty proud of it
>turn it in and get grade a few weeks later
>C+
>Note attached says "Extremely interesting, but not what was asked for"
I think I was supposed to only focus on Jonah himself somehow instead of analyzing the book, but I was so interested that I wrote on the whole thing.

Everyone has different editions. It won't matter.

Use your edition and read 5% of it per day to keep in sync with the rest.

Moby Dick is among the few American literature I really enjoy. But here I abandon ship. Cherries? I only wish that we were where they grow.

Personally using Penguin. About 150 pages in right now

Welp, wish this had had more warning, I'm actually on chapter 70(ish, I'm on The Doubloon). Anyways in response to people here: The Sermon is definitely the GOAT. Interestingly, I found in this reading, (my 3rd time) chapter 2 really stood out. I never realized the theme of contrast and everything that that carries with it was introduced so early on. Similarly, holy shit is The Try Works amazing.

What do you think about the relationship between Ishmael and Queequeg? Now I am at chapter 16, and reading about their conversations, "shared puffs" and other small episodes like these makes me feel really happy for them, although sometimes I get a slightly disturbing vibe from them.

As for the chapters, so far "The Chapel" was definitely the best for me, "The Sermon" was equally as good.

>to enjoy bodily warmth, some small part of you must be cold

This is the quote I liked the most from the past 2 days of reading. Share some of your favorite quotes anons.

>What do you think about the relationship between Ishmael and Queequeg?
This was a remarkable step in the acceptance of tan people as our civic equals. Truly America is distinguished for depicting these sort of scenes we now take for granted, from a world that had yet to blend so fortuitously as ours.

If I may respond with another question, why do you think there are no standout female characters in Moby Dick?

What do you consider Aunt Charity to be?

It seems like a sort of friendship that plays alot on the idea of faith. The idea of "brother love" is seen as a key concept of Christianity and civility, yet it innate and tribal. It has been around for centuries, and has existed in greater intimacy during the time of the ancients; this sort of intimacy is shown from Queepeug to Ishmael, which is similar to friendships shown in the bible and with Achilles and his friend. The friendship really brings down barries that humans have sent about each other, and though they of different faiths, they are still are able to share the basic emotion of friendship. They mirror each other deeply. It questions the true role of different faiths, and the role of contrast between identities; Ishmeal is just as much as a exotic savage to Queepueg, as Queepueg to him. It is only in Ishmeal's mind where he created the hierarchy between civilised and uncivilised. In this the question is asked, are we but shadows of our own perspective? What is the worth of individuality?

Atleast that is what I got from reading up to pg.100

It can't really be helped that there were no women on board. But a lack of feminine presence at the various pit stops? Melville was an autist in the male-centric sense.

>with Achilles and his friend.
You mean when Achilles and his lover slipped each others schlongs in each others bungholes?

>They mirror each other deeply.
Deep like the schlongs in their ass?

Go away Proust, don't you have a novel to finish?.....oh wait

>It seems like a sort of friendship that plays alot on the idea of faith. The idea of "brother love" is seen as a key concept of Christianity and civility, yet it innate and tribal.
Faith and Christianity are not inherent to friendship, and Melville actually negates the conception of christendom in the values that make a decent human being. "Better a sober savage than a drunken christian".

>>swtg
>shit
the op was actually really good tbf, but nobody was active

calm down friend, I have made few posts and am contributing as I can.

you are not that far behind. it started saturday, I read saturday, sunday and monday chapters yesterday, about 60~70 pages depending on the edition, and it was not hard. you can certainly keep up if you dedicate yourself a bit more.

and the edition does not matter, we are following the schedule on OP's pic, so any edition can be used. pic related is mine, paid 2 dolars brand new

there were lots of warnings, several threads were created since last month about it.

I read with the Count of Monte Cristo group.

I was just wondering if there would be a summer reading group going on.

Well time to finish the last 100 pages of my current book and catch up to this group. Moby Dick has been in my backlog for too long.

THAT IS MY POINT! IT WAS THE POINT OF MY ENTIRE ARGUMENT!

I said it was "seen as", read more carefully

Speak more carefully. You're a faggot and an illiterate one, to boot.

>yet it innate and tribal.
Not even mentioning the horrendous grammar.

Here, 'it' ambiguously refers to either brother love (and you meant brotherly love, you idiot), or Christianity. Nobody can understand what you mean with vague gibberish like this.

If you want people to take you seriously, speak clearer. Otherwise, fuck off.

Most problems there were typos, like "brother love", and you can easily and logically guess the nature of 'it'

Stop backtracking you insufferable idiot, and admit you're a poor communicator.

Let me guess, you're a B average essayist in school. Shame on you.

Someone is projecting

please stop

Yes I'm statistically projecting that you're a faggoty failure who needs to fuck off.

>Ahab has his humanities!
It's never a good sign when people have to be reminded of your human qualities. Also, anyone else have a certain fondness for the chowder chapter. It's been years since I first read Moby Dick, but eating chowder always reminds me of the chapter.

That's one pissed off whale.

>It's never a good sign when people have to be reminded of your human qualities.
Human qualities, like being good, something that the animals cannot make a conscious decision about?

If I told you that you were a good poster (though you're not), that wouldn't be a good thing?

You're an idiot.

thanks pal.

yes, indeed pissed off, and this is a pissed off poster jesus christ, people here cannot trade 2 words without having to simultaneously throw rocks at each other.

I think the relationship between the two is cool. I read Moby Dick three times, and the one quote from the novel I love the most is;

>No, his great genuis is declared in his doing nothing to particular to prove it.

There are plenty fantastic quotes and passages in Moby Dick, but that one alone spoke to me.

I was just pointing out how unusual it is to say something like that.

The only real information that the reader has been given about Ahab to this point have come from the paragraph that comes with that quote and the one before it. From the one before, we see Ahab is a well-educated, well-traveled man of great strength. He's of a serious nature and commands great respect. Many think of him as an odd man, but he is still a good person. At least to Peleg and, presumably, Bildad.

Earlier in the chapter it mentions Ahab losing his leg to a whale, but it's the second paragraph that reveals it has changed him. That's understandable, as losing a limb is no small matter, but he's become moody, savage, and demonic, the third quality being more evident as the reader gets deeper into the book. Peleg offers up the fact that Ahab has a wife and kid to almost excuse the recent change of behavior, like there must be something redeeming about him if there are others that care about him. The change is so drastic that Peleg feels he has to defend Ahab to people that have yet to meet him.

I just felt like pointing that out. Ahab's madness shouldn't come as a shock to anyone, thanks to pop cultural osmosis, but I still felt like it was a noteworthy quote.

Good points, I hope you keep posting after this goes on. I'm about 50 pages ahead of thread so I'm thinking if I should stop reading for few days or keep reading.

just finished it for the first time about two weeks ago
bretty gud book
enjoy fellas

oh yeah also

WHITE WHALE
HOLY GRAIL

listen to the Leviathan album by Mastodon when reading the last few chapters

You managed to sound less stupid now. Good job.

I've ordered it but it hasn't arrived yet, otherwise I'd be able to smash it in less than a month. I'm on break now and have no friends, you see.

>I've ordered it but it hasn't arrived yet, otherwise I'd be able to smash it in less than a month. I'm on break now and have no friends, you see.
If you have that kind of free time you should be able to do it in about 7 cumulative hours.

I'm trying to do Infinite Jest in a week, but it seems I might extend that to two or three. I'm finding the start quite slow and over-the-place.

Moby Dick is one of a handful of great American novels. Infinite Jest is not, and is a pseud magnet. It's a period piece, as DFW brought nothing truly new to postmodernism, and you might have realized that by reading his unedited, unwarrantedly self indulgent experiments. IJ is merely a repeat of tropes better done by Barth, Kafka, and Pynchon, protracted to a turgid length.

IJ is shit, and Veeky Forums is catching onto that, as it is falling out of favor. You really shouldn't bother with it, f a m.

DFW on suicide watch, again, in purgatory.

If you don't want to fall too behind, you can always read it from here until it arrives: americanliterature.com/author/herman-melville/book/moby-dick-or-the-whale/etymology

IJ is just falling out of favor because it was #1 on the Veeky Forums list and faggots like you want to hate anything that is deemed popular so you seem cool and edgy.
You're not
Moby Dick is 200 pages of interesting story with 800 pages of faggy essays on making rope and classifying whales
Go cuddle with Queequag you homo

Queequeg's impressively tattooed erect penis has more truth in one hot, sweet, transclucent, viscous, dribbling, shot of semen, than your insignificant dead literary "hero".

I'd pick his homo load of sperm everyday, over the other's pomo load of shit.

you know what? you've convinced me.
im gay for queequeg now
thanks for the help

Bumping to keep alive.

How is your reading going anons? I am at chapter 24 and I have to say, the departure of the Pequod has moved me somehow. The scene of Bildad and Peleg leaving the ship was particularly touching.

What about you, any quotes, thoughts you'd like to share?

started today, at page 101.
am i too late?

Nah

for a moment I was really afraid ishamel was going on pequod alone and would leave queequeg behind, it was a relief when ishmael mentioned him to bildad and peleg, and it was comfy and exciting when queequeg demonstrated his skills with his harpoon.

"'spose him one whale eye, well, den!’"
"' ‘sposee him whale-e eye; why, dad whale dead.’".

I would lie if I said I didn't have a grin in my face when I read this.

the advocate, in my opinion, was great too.

favorite chapter so far is still the sermon.

It's a pretty witty one liner. Does any other work of literature predict so potently the trend of the action movies that would come?

Queequeg is overall a very likeable character so far. I guess it is because he is simple, not to say primitive, and very sincere in everything he does. He is sort of alien in his appearance, but at the same time it is very easy to sympathize with him.

The quote you posted made me realize that Moby Dick has many humorous moments. I mean, I was noticing them, but they were being constantly overshadowed by the atmosphere of uncertainty and some distant, unclear dread. Now that I think of it, Moby Dick evokes many conflicting emotions. Fear and excitement, hope and doubt, happiness and gloom, etc. Absolutely amazing book.

I like the part just before that when Ishmael is bullshitting Bildad and Peleg about the church that Queequeg is part of.
>Young man, you'd better ship for a missionary, instead of a foremast hand; I never heard a better sermon.

Almost every character has a humorous situation happen to them. There are very few exempts though, and that's because humor would only bring them down to a baser level.

>exempts
I meant exemptions.

Is there any meaning behind sailing on the day of Christmas? Also, I completely forgot the meaning of Peqoud but I remember reading about it 50 pages ago, can someone give me a quick rundown here.

Who are your favorite characters on the ship so far and why? (Answer after you read chapter 26 & 27)

>Is there any meaning behind sailing on the day of Christmas?
No clue, sorry. All I can gather is that Ahab will rather have the ship set sail than spend it with his family. It could also show that whaling is an occupation that takes no holidays.

>the meaning of Pequod
From chapter 16, The Ship, near the beginning:
>Pequod you will no doubt remember, was the name of a celebrated tribe of Massachusetts Indians; now extinct as the ancient Medes.
It's interesting to note that the Pequot tribe got absolutely fucked in a war against the colonists. So, not the greatest thing to name a ship when you are hoping for a successful voyage/hunt.

>Who are your favorite characters on the ship so far and why?
For the knights, Flask. I bet seeing a short man take down and kill whales is one hell of a sight. I also like how it seems that just the fact that whales exist seems like an insult to him. As for the squires, definitely Queequeg. Because how can you not love him?

Queequeg best character desu

...

please, lets mantain the discussion on the chapters marked for the current day in the schedule. you posted in the 6th something that only happened on 7th chapters

bump