Moby-Dick

Moby-Dick

by

Herman Melville

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Moby-Dick: Chapter 97 Summary & Analysis

Summary
Analysis
Ishmael describes how sailors on other, non-whaling ships often do not have enough oil even to light a very small lamp near their beds—these sailors live lives on the boats of almost “total darkness.” But on a whale-ship, there is so much whale oil that sailors can pick out the finest oil from what comes out of the try-works, and can use it to light themselves as though they used “Aladdin’s lamp.” Ishmael considers this one of the great privileges of sailing on a whale-ship.
Ishmael once again makes an effort to show that whaling, and that shipping on a whaling vessel, is superior to shipping out as a merchant marine, or another kind of sailor. Ishmael clearly delights in reminding himself that whaling is the most noble of man’s occupations on the high seas.
Themes
Fate and Free Will Theme Icon
Nature and Man Theme Icon
Race, Fellowship, and Enslavement Theme Icon