lover of language

i knew this book was going to be long, and even our professors warned us that most of the action happens at the end of the work. and albeit, nothing truly dramatic happened, i was impressed by melville's use of metaphor, diction and imagery. from what i understand of his life, he was never really successful as an author. he had a relatively normal life, traipsing around eastern america. thus, i was pleased by the lack of cliches and multitude of clever musings.

several of my favorites include:
page 2-"Inlanders all, they come from lanes and alleys, streets and avenues--north, east, south, and west. Yet here they all unite. Tell me, does the magnetic virtue of the needles of thecompasses of all those ships attract them thither?"

what a beautiful thought that humans have this magnetic pull to the compasses on the ships, an ingrained wanderlust. this is especially applicable as ishmael writes his own antidote to depression is to travel the seas.

page 29-"In summer time, the town is sweet to see; full of fine maples--long avenues of green and gold. And in August, high in the air the beautiful and bountiful horse-chestnuts, candleabra-wise, proffer the passer-by their tapering upright cones of congregated blossoms."

i love the metaphor of the trees as chandeliers, "tapering". i think i can read 130 chapters of writing like this!

page 75-"With a prodigious noise the door flew open, and the knob slamming against the wall, sent the plaster to the ceiling; and there, good heavens! there sat Queequeg, altogether cool and self-collected..."

now this little anecdote isn't brimming with literary devices, but it is vivid and creates a perfect image in one's mind of ishmael's panic and queequeg's unperturbed self-meditation. i think it also describes their relationship, as queequeg seems experienced and unbothered whereas ishamel is still nervous and somewhat submissive.