This is 1000% queerer than I expected and I'm here for it.
My favorite line about Ish and Quee's rapidly moving relationship from this section was the last line of chapter 10. "Thus, then, in our hearts' honeymoon lay In and Queequeg -- a cosy, loving pair."
My favorite line for lyrical imagery reasons was the last line of chapter 14 "With the landless gull, that at sunset folds her wings and is rocked to sleep between billows; so at nightfall, the Nantucketer, out of sight of land, furls his sails, and lays him to his rest, while under his very pillow rush herd of walruses and whales "
Ha! So fun to see some stuff about reading it aloud -- I had no idea, and I'd been reading aloud to myself this whole time.
On some level, I think the oral tradition storytelling structures hearken back to the "found document" from the Etymology & Extracts. I get what you were saying there, that it's such an unnecessary device -- but it's part of the same tradition, where we accept this story as a pre-existing legend. On some level, even "once upon a time" or the whole style of past tense is grounded in this shared delusion that we are somehow re-telling a true story.
Good point about the oral tradition storytelling structure really kicking off with the "found document" from the Etymology & Extracts! I am considering this differently now, when seeing it as a nod to past traditions.
These chapters go to show how much the pace of storytelling has changed, though we still have popular authors today such as Neil Stephenson who would give Melville a run for his money.
I’m enjoying these scenes. The narrator has a fun style, and the relationship between the two harkens back to a time when passionate friendship between straight men was a matter of course.
Excellent synopsis. Can we collect all these and hand them out to high schoolers after the Moby Dick Summer's over? No one can make Moby Dick as fun to read as you can, Kristen.
I'm really enjoying the commentary. It helps re-cement what was read. This is my first time reading Moby Dick.
I'm also cheating, a bit. I have been listening to the Libravox audiobook because I had a long 20 hours drive. Listening to the audiobook has been helpful because I can't get the tone of voice right when I read it myself. But, *after* I listen to it, when I read, I have the imagery much more there.
This is 1000% queerer than I expected and I'm here for it.
My favorite line about Ish and Quee's rapidly moving relationship from this section was the last line of chapter 10. "Thus, then, in our hearts' honeymoon lay In and Queequeg -- a cosy, loving pair."
My favorite line for lyrical imagery reasons was the last line of chapter 14 "With the landless gull, that at sunset folds her wings and is rocked to sleep between billows; so at nightfall, the Nantucketer, out of sight of land, furls his sails, and lays him to his rest, while under his very pillow rush herd of walruses and whales "
oh they’re 100% in love
Ha! So fun to see some stuff about reading it aloud -- I had no idea, and I'd been reading aloud to myself this whole time.
On some level, I think the oral tradition storytelling structures hearken back to the "found document" from the Etymology & Extracts. I get what you were saying there, that it's such an unnecessary device -- but it's part of the same tradition, where we accept this story as a pre-existing legend. On some level, even "once upon a time" or the whole style of past tense is grounded in this shared delusion that we are somehow re-telling a true story.
Good point about the oral tradition storytelling structure really kicking off with the "found document" from the Etymology & Extracts! I am considering this differently now, when seeing it as a nod to past traditions.
These chapters go to show how much the pace of storytelling has changed, though we still have popular authors today such as Neil Stephenson who would give Melville a run for his money.
I’m enjoying these scenes. The narrator has a fun style, and the relationship between the two harkens back to a time when passionate friendship between straight men was a matter of course.
Excellent synopsis. Can we collect all these and hand them out to high schoolers after the Moby Dick Summer's over? No one can make Moby Dick as fun to read as you can, Kristen.
I'm really enjoying the commentary. It helps re-cement what was read. This is my first time reading Moby Dick.
I'm also cheating, a bit. I have been listening to the Libravox audiobook because I had a long 20 hours drive. Listening to the audiobook has been helpful because I can't get the tone of voice right when I read it myself. But, *after* I listen to it, when I read, I have the imagery much more there.
Thanks again for doing this!