ST Alpha - ""Interestingly, Moby Dick was based off of a real whale" (Reading a Post)

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"Interestingly, Moby Dick was based off of a real whale

Posted by prayformojo (aka mayhem) May 23 '21, 07:36

Named after the Chilean island of Mocha where sailors first encountered him, a 70-foot sperm whale called Mocha Dick was notorious for swimming calmly alongside whaling boats until a harpoon was thrown. Upon the first sign of harpoon, Mocha would try to destroy the boat. When Mocha Dick was finally killed in 1839, he had over 19 harpoons lodged in his sides. It's evident that Melville drew from this tale to create his own, yet no one is quite sure why he changed his name."

Responses:

ST confession: I’ve never read it. -- nm - znufrii May 23, 09:52 2
- Same. I think maybe the only Melville I've read is Bartleby, because of Archer. -- nm - Beryllium May 23, 09:54 1
  - Not an easy read -- nm - Roger More May 23, 10:50
But it’s just about a whale, right? No other context or meaning -- nm - spamlet May 23, 08:37

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"Interestingly, Moby Dick was based off of a real whale

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