The Essay
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Summary/Theme:
In the chapter 117 The Whale Watch Ishmael goes into narrative form. Ahab in on deck and he is approached by Parsee; Parsee tells him of his frequent dream or vision of Ahabs death. He tells Ahab that he will see “two hearses must verily be seen by thee on the sea; the first not made by mortal hands; and the visible wood of the last one must be grown in America.” Ahab beliefs that this must mean that he will not die at sea, it is impossible. First of all since the wood must obviously be from America then it must only be in America that this wood exists. Then he goes on to say that he himself (Parsee) must die first and Ahab will see his dead body before he is then killed. Lastly he tells Ahab “Hemp only can kill thee.” Ahab immediately dismisses his warnings with “The gallows, ye mean. – I am immortal then, on land and on sea,” He is sure that he is immortal because only the gallows are made of hemp. Ahab is foolish in his confidence and is surely proven wrong. This chapter teaches the reader to not be too confident in your decisions; take everything into consideration no matter how outrageous.
Alliterations:
The waif-pole was thrust upright into the dead whales spout-hole; and the lantern hanging from its top, cast a troubled flickering glare upon the black, glossy back, and far out upon the midnight waves, which gently chafed the whales broad flank, like soft surf upon a beach.
This alliteration was important because it helped you visualize the look of the dead whale. When the author describes the “glare upon the black, glossy back,” of the whale contrast against the white light you can imagine the smooth slick black of the whale. Following that statement “the midnight waves, which gently chafed the whales broad flank, like soft surf upon