Because we don't see the white whale until the last battle, we have nothing invested in seeing him destroyed. When the chase finally got underway, I just wanted Ahab to hurry up and kill the damn thing - or himself - so the book would end. In fact, had I not been committed to writing this column, I would have quit the novel long before seeing Moby Dick. The only reason I pushed on to the finish is because I wanted to be authoritative in saying that this book is the most overrated story I have ever read.Despite the awkward banter, I am always satisfied with the end of Jaws. The monster (who has certainly earned the name) is blown to smithereens, I feel some emotional loss at the death of Quinn, and it is a fairly happy ending. At the end of Moby Dick, the whale drags Ahab under and I am thrilled that I will never see either of them again. I didn't even touch on Melville's narrative issues, but suffice it to say that old Herman would have been taken to task by my freshman creative writing teacher for changing styles so often.
In the end, I think I feel deceived as a reader. Had this book been presented to me as a non-fiction piece, it would have been easier to swallow the chapters on ambergris (ch. 92) or the mechanics of a whale's breathing (ch. 85). It is never presented as such. Indeed, Moby Dick is talked about as one of America's great novels. I just don't see it. Cut out all the nonsense about the science and business of whaling and you might, I stress might, end up with a good short story. Though I have zero inclination to do so, I would be curious to see how long the book would be if it was stripped down to only the plot-relevant chapters. Regardless,I am of the unequivocal opinion that this book should be shot right out of the canon and cast back into the tepid waters from whence it came.
Article comments
1 - Steve F
Thanks for the article - the paralleles between Moby Dick and Jaws have always fascinated me.
Your frustration with Melville comes through loud and clear, but isn't it unfair to compare a rambling 19 century novel and a modern high-tech film? SUrely the real comparison would be between Spielberg's and Huston's films, where I believe Moby Dick more than holds its own.