EPISODE · Jan 20, 2026 · 1H 4M
Moby Dick, part 1: My name is Ishmael and my special interest is whales
from Do You Even Lit? · host cam and benny feat. rich
Starting the year off right by signing on for an epic voyage with Herman Melville's MOBY DICK; OR, THE WHALE, published in 1851, and widely considered to be the great American novel. It's quite the beast so we're dividing it into three parts, with this first convo covering chapters 1-40. Call me Ishmael: Dissecting the iconic opening line, why we love Ishmael as a narrator, on the optimal strategy for getting snuggly in bed, the precise nature of his relationship with (we claim) our fellow New Zealand native Queequeg, and the question of race and class politics onboard a whaling ship. The mysterious Captain Ahab: various ominous warnings, initial thoughts on Ahab's motivations, punching through the pasteboard mask, and a climactic ritual atop the Quarter-deck. Infamous infodumps: Benny's eyes glazed over at times, Cam skimmed the Cetology chapter, but Rich makes the case for soldiering through. Plus we look at some of the interesting formal choices Melville makes, the early seeds of modernism, and can't help but make some comparisons to Blood Meridian and Butcher's Crossing. CHAPTERS: (00:00:00) Ahoy shipmates (00:03:20) Call me Ishmael analysis (00:11:33) NEW ZEALAND MENTIONED!!! (00:17:32) Race politics in international waters (00:23:51) Perilous adventures for young men (00:29:29) The infamous cetology chapter (00:34:44) Jonah and the whale/biblical allusions (00:42:20) We need to talk about Ahab (00:54:48) Infodumps, genre mashups and the roots of modernism (01:01:10) Listener mail: Adam G in NYC WRITE US: We love listener feedback. Send us a note at [email protected] to correct our hot takes, add your own, or ask a question. NEXT ON THE READING LIST: ??
What this episode covers
Starting the year off right by signing on for an epic voyage with Herman Melville's MOBY DICK; OR, THE WHALE, published in 1851, and widely considered to be the great American novel. It's quite the beast so we're dividing it into three parts, with this first convo covering chapters 1-40. Call me Ishmael: Dissecting the iconic opening line, why we love Ishmael as a narrator, on the optimal strategy for getting snuggly in bed, the precise nature of his relationship with (we claim) our fellow New Zealand native Queequeg, and the question of race and class politics onboard a whaling ship. The mysterious Captain Ahab: various ominous warnings, initial thoughts on Ahab's motivations, punching through the pasteboard mask, and a climactic ritual atop the Quarter-deck. Infamous infodumps: Benny's eyes glazed over at times, Cam skimmed the Cetology chapter, but Rich makes the case for soldiering through. Plus we look at some of the interesting formal choices Melville makes, the early seeds of modernism, and can't help but make some comparisons to Blood Meridian and Butcher's Crossing. CHAPTERS: (00:00:00) Ahoy shipmates(00:03:20) Call me Ishmael analysis(00:11:33) NEW ZEALAND MENTIONED!!!(00:17:32) Race politics in international waters(00:23:51) Perilous adventures for young men(00:29:29) The infamous cetology chapter(00:34:44) Jonah and the whale/biblical allusions(00:42:20) We need to talk about Ahab(00:54:48) Infodumps, genre mashups and the roots of modernism(01:01:10) Listener mail: Adam G in NYC WRITE US: We love listener feedback. Send us a note at [email protected] to correct our hot takes, add your own, or ask a question. NEXT ON THE READING LIST: ??
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Moby Dick, part 1: My name is Ishmael and my special interest is whales
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