Quotations and Literature Forum

I couldn't help noting your interest in putting Moby Dick on your list, "next in line" for reading. I read the book a long time ago and still remember it - not for its plot and ending (everyone knows that), but for its literary construction, and for the buzz it made at the time it was published. Novels were not accepted in polite society at the time, and were described as "lies", "untruths", and "corrupt literature", since they were fictitious by design, despite any truths they may contain about the human condition or mankind in general. The literary construction, perhaps in order to make it seem more realistic, can be quite bothersome if you're a "linear reader".

Melville uses his characters to tell their own tales within the overarchnig tale of Moby Dick, and within the tales told by the characters within, some of their own characters, within the inner tales, might well launch off into their own anecdotal reminiscences, or relate details of a person or of a sea voyage, or of an old sailing vessel from their own experience. Obviously, this can be frustrating, as you must follow through each of the inner stories, and wait for the resolution of each one, as they eventually button thmselves back up and allow you to move on towards the cataclysmic conclusion that awaits.

If you are a connoisseur of literary form, Melville's epic novel is a must-read, to be sure. Just be prepared for the post-Medieval-yet-not-quite-modern syntax, and for the onion-like quality of the novel overall. It's not a quick read by any means (which is probably why so many people get to page 27 and put it back on the shelf), but it is indeed a rewarding book that contains many quotable quotes, notwithstanding their obscurity.

Enjoy!

Moby Dick has been on my list of "The-next-Book-I-read" for I don't know how long. I guess it's about time.