View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Days into the journey, what makes Ishmael uneasy?

2. What do Ishmael and Stubb discuss about captains and whaling?

3. What does Ahab question the men about?

4. How does Queequeg distinguish himself on the trip to Nantucket?

5. What do the men do for entertainment on board the Pequod?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Ishmael think about paintings and drawings of whales?

2. What is the surprise the men of the Pequod get when they spot their first whale and begin to lower the boats?

3. How does Ishmael happen to share a bed with a tattooed headhunter?

4. Why does Ishmael soon lose his astonishment over Queequeg in New Bedford?

5. Describe how Ishmael becomes uneasy about Captain Ahab.

6. Explain the function of the "monkey" on board a whaling ship.

7. What ominous encounter do Ishmael and Queequeg have after they have signed onto the Pequod?

8. How does Ishmael inform the reader about the process of whale hunting?

9. What potential serious problem does Ahab ignore in order to talk to the captain of another whaling ship?

10. Explain why Ishmael decides to book himself on a whaling ship.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay of at least two typed, double-spaced pages on respect. Use the example of Starbuck who disagrees with Ahab's vendetta against a whale but always follows orders, even when he thinks they are wrong. Define why respect for the captain and the crew is necessary to maintain order on a ship.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay of at least two typed, double-spaced pages on dealing with hardships. Using examples from MOBY DICK, your essay should point out how human beings have the ability to deal with difficult situations. Discuss ways people deal with hardships today.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay of at least two typed, double-spaced pages on Melville as a novelist. Mention the parts of Moby Dick that you found the most interesting. Discuss also some of the drier parts of the novel that tend to interrupt the flow of the story. Give your opinion about his use of language to paint a picture of life on a whaling ship.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 782 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample