Week 10: Chapters 102 to 114

[Sarah]

Posting this just in case there is someone out there who is still following! I finished with great relief a week ago.

[Carol]

I am still following, I finished a while ago. I am glad I read it, I learned so much from the discussion.

[Bill]

I took a break. I've been reading slowly. I'm up to Chapter 116 -- and I booked a room in New Bedford next weekend to finish the book there. (I'm also having dinner with friends nearby and going to Boston -- but hey...) :-)

[Sue]

I'm still following too. At chapter 119 I believe and trying to read at least 2 or 3 chapters a day. I want to know the ending! I'm glad that I joined this reading group too. I know I never, ever would have read this book without it.

[Bill]

I want to be able to finish in New Bedford -- or I could reread the New Bedford chapters there.

[LauraT]

He is trying to defeat the devil – or God, as you want to see it – with its own weapon: Unbaptizing the harpoon in blood; the blood of pagan souls. Naïve …

[Bill]

I don't know madness is "naive." Of course, it's not rational, but Ahab is mad and barely keeps his communications with the officers on the Pequod normal. Th scene where he thinks about Starbucks advice and then takes it is indicative of a mind close to gone -- but not entirely

[LauraT]

What I ment was that in his madness he thought that to fight someone so above himself - God or Devil or whatever - blood of people outside christianity was enough, or at least enough to help him...

[Bill]

And mine is Ishamel in his many voices.

[Sarah]

I also thought after browsing the chapters early on that I'd have to deal with Queequeg's lonely death. It was a relief that didn't happen...

[Sue]

Agreed re Queequeg. I was happy when he started decorating the coffin and didn't need it. I also was struck by how much esteem for Queequeg the crew seemed to have.

[Debbie]

I finished before Christmas....loved it, but have moved on......

[Carol]

Eventually the coffin saved Ismael's life. I found that serendipity.

[Bill]

I found that very careful structuring.

[Sue]

Bill wrote: "I found that very careful structuring."

Amazing what a good author can do.