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

Short Answer Questions

1. How does Queequeg manage to sign on with the Pequod after first being turned down?

2. Why does the captain of a whale ship the Pequod meets at sea not want to board the Pequod?

3. Who is Charity and what is her function regarding the Pequod?

4. What is Ishmael's religious affiliation?

5. What is the major problem while the whale is tied to the side of the ship?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. What does Ahab want from the first whaling ship they meet in the ocean?

3. Describe the behavior of the mates dining in the captain's cabin as they torment the cook who serves their meal.

4. What is the amusing account of Queequeg and the wheelbarrow?

5. At what point does Ishmael go into a discussion about whales in general.

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

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

8. Explain the startling thing that Ishmael learns about his friend, Queequeg.

9. Describe how Ishmael becomes uneasy about Captain Ahab.

10. How does the first day of whaling affect Ishmael?

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 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.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay of at least two typed, double-spaced pages on a character from MOBY DICK you would like to meet. Give specific examples of the behavior of that character and explain why he or she would be someone you would like to know.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay of at least two typed, double-spaced pages on the mystery of the sea. Begin with the mysterious things about the sea that Melville presents in the novel. Move into the present where there are still many things we do not know about the sea. Explain why the sea is so difficult to understand including its size, its atmospheric pressure, and its eco-systems.

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This section contains 740 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample