Chapter 10 Summary

Ishmael comes back to the inn to find Queequeg carving an ebony idol. He observes his serene composure and notes that “you cannot hide the soul” under his tattoos and savage demeanor. He thinks of Queequeg as “George Washington cannibalistically developed.” He starts making some friendly overtures thinking that Christian kindness has proved hollow and he would like to have a “pagan friend.” Ishmael and Queequeg share and smoke after which Queequeg tells him that in his custom they are now “married,” meaning they are close friends. He tells Ishmael that he can now willingly die for him and shares half his possessions with him, and the two continue sharing the bed. Later, Ishmael joins him in his prayer of the savage God, telling his Christian readers that he is only obeying the “Golden Rule,” as he would hope the “savage” to join him too in Christian prayers.

Chapter 11 Summary

Queequeg and Ishmael wake up in the middle of the night. It is cold, but the warmth of their bed is comforting. The two friends share a smoke, and Ishmael asks Queequeg how he came to America. Queequeg tells him his life story.

Chapter 12 Summary

This chapter recounts Queequeg’s history. Queequeg tells Ishmael that he is a native of a South Pacific island named Kokovoko, which is “not down on any map; true places never are.” He was the heir to the throne of his kingdom, but he had always yearned for adventures and to learn more about Christianity. When a whaling ship stopped at Kokovoko, he sought passage but was denied a job, after which he stowed away on the ship. When he was discovered, he was accepted into the crew only through his hard work and persistence. He learned to be an excellent harpooner. Though his father is probably dead now, and he can be king, Queequeg can never come back home and be the king as he has spent too much time with Christians, and he would never be accepted by his people. After hearing this story, Ishmael notes that Queequeg has exchanged his king’s scepter for a harpoon. The two friends agree to stay together and find work on a whaling vessel in Nantucket.

Chapter 13 Summary

Ishmael and Queequeg take a wheelbarrow, put all their possessions into it, and take it to the ferry bound for Nantucket. As they walk through New Bedford together, people stare at the odd pair—one white Christian and another black pagan, who appear to be friendly with each other. Queequeg tells his friend a story about the first time he had used a wheelbarrow when he had picked it up instead of pushing it on the ground. Aboard the ferry, a “bumpkin” mocks Queequeg. Queequeg flips the man around in the air to rebuke him, for which he is scolded by the captain of the ferry. A moment later, a rope in the ferry’s rigging breaks, and the bumpkin is swept overboard as the ferry goes out of control. Queequeg takes control of the ropes to secure the ferry and then jumps into the water to save the man who has gone overboard, thus winning everyone’s respect. He modestly smokes his pipe as others compliment him.

Chapter 14 Summary

The rest of the ferry ride is uneventful, and Ishmael digresses from the story to describe Nantucket. He details some of the legends of its origins, praises its people, and notes that a Nantucket owns the seas as this “empire,” covering two-thirds of the globe, is larger than any country.

Chapter 15 Summary

Once they arrive at Nantucket, Queequeg and Ishmael head for Try Pots hotel—which is owned by a cousin of Peter Coffin. At the inn, Ishmael is disturbed to note the old top-mast, which makes up the inn’s sign. It reminds him of the gallows, which he considers as an ill omen, combined with the first omen of Peter “Coffin” in the previous inn. Everything on Nantucket is touched by the sea—the milk tastes of fish, and the innkeeper’s wife wears a necklace of fish vertebrae. The two friends have a hearty meal and head off to their room.

Chapter 16 Summary

Queequeg consults his idol Yojo for advice and is told that Ishmael should go to the harbor alone the next day to find the right whaling vessel. Ishmael is unsure about this as he has no prior experience, and he doesn’t want to decide alone. He thinks that Yojo though appears benevolent, his advice might be incorrect. Nevertheless, the next morning he goes to the harbor and almost immediately chooses the old-fashioned Pequod as the right vessel. He thinks of it as a “noble” but “melancholy” craft. Onboard, he makes a deal with Peleg and Bildad, the ship’s Quaker owners. They are two conniving cheapskates who drive a hard bargain with Ishmael, more so as Ishmael has no experience about whaling. They give him the 300th lay, his portion of the ship’s profits along with room and board. Although Quakers are generally pacifists, these two have dedicated their life to the bloody slaughter of whales. It is from the owners that Ishmael first hears about the mysterious captain of the ship, Ahab, who he learns has lost a leg to a whale, which has made him a bitter man. Peleg and Bildad, however, assure Ishmael that he is a competent captain.

Chapter 17 Summary

Ishmael returns to the inn to find Queequeg fasting and meditating in honor of his weekly Ramadan. Ishmael leaves respectfully to give his friend his privacy. In the evening though, when his friend doesn’t appear, Ishmael is worried and enters the room. Queequeg is still in his meditative pose, which he remains in throughout the night. The next morning when Queequeg emerges, Ishmael tells him that such rigorous religious practices are not good for his health. Queequeg doesn’t seem to find this friendly observation. The two have a hearty breakfast and head to the harbor to join the crew of Pequod.

Chapter 18 Summary

The next morning Ishmael and Queequeg go aboard the Pequod where they meet Bildad and Peleg. The owners want to confirm whether the cannibal has converted to Christianity and want to see his papers before they can enlist him onboard. Ishmael assures them that he is a Christian. The owners cannot pronounce his pagan name correctly and calls him “Quohog” and “Hedgehog.” Queequeg obtains a position on the ship by impressing the owners with his harpooning skill. Bildad starts extolling the piety of Christianity to which his partner interrupts and says that a pious harpooner is no good as excessive religion can take the “shark” out of them.

Chapter 19 Summary

As Ishmael and Queequeg leave the Pequod, they are met by an odd-looking, old man, who stops them and enquires whether they have taken up an assignment on that ship. When Ishmael confirms that, the man starts rattling off vague, ominous warnings about Captain Ahab. When Ishmael asks, he says his name is Elijah. As his words are not coherent, Ishmael dismisses him as a “humbug.”

Chapter 20 Summary

In the next few days, the Pequod starts preparing for the voyage. Though all crew members have been told to keep their possessions ready, Ishmael and Queequeg resolve to stay on land till the last. There is a lot of activity on board for the next few days, with Captain Bildad’s sister arranging for the needs of the entire crew. A kindhearted, old lady, she is called Aunty Charity who seems resolved that nothing would be found wanting on the ship once it sets sail. Captain Ahab is still not seen, and every time Ishmael inquires, he is informed that the captain is recovering from the loss of his leg. As he admits to himself, Ishmael is uncomfortable setting sail on a ship where he still hasn’t laid eyes on its captain. However, he tells the reader that when you are committed to a matter and even if you suspect something amiss, you tend to push the warning thoughts away, just like he does now with the mysterious captain.

Chapter 21 Summary

As the misty dawn breaks the next day, Ishmael and Queequeg get ready to set sail. They are, however, startled when Elijah interrupts them and asks whether they plan to go aboard and if they saw anyone looking like a man going aboard. Irritated, Ishmael tells Elijah that he is “impertinent” and would prefer not to be detained with this useless conversation. Aboard the Pequod, they find only one sailor who is sleeping. They wake him up, and he tells them that Captain Ahab is already on the ship. The rest of the crew arrives by sunrise.

Chapters 10–21 Analysis

These chapters see the cementing of the friendship between Ishmael and Queequeg, a remarkable example of brotherhood that overcomes religious and cultural differences in the nineteenth century. Ishmael progresses from viewing Queequeg as a “hideously marred” savage to “George Washington cannibalistically developed.” Their friendship is based on mutual respect and privacy, where each refrain from imposing their ideals on the other. When they walk on the streets of New Bedford, they catch the attention of the people on the streets not just for being an odd pair but also because of their visible camaraderie. Quite a few of Ishmael’s comments about Queequeg are meant to shock the nineteenth-century reader. His acceptance and embracing of Queequeg’s idolatry, where he even abides by what Yojo says, is a prime example of Melville’s attempt to provoke a reaction and start a conversation about religious diversity. Though he acknowledges that he is a Presbyterian, Ishmael refrains from insisting on the correctness of his own religion, instead focusing on the unity of religions and the brotherhood of man.

Ishmael continues to comment on existing prejudices, whether racial or religious. When Queequeg is mocked by the man on the ferry, it shows the prevalent prejudice of society. However, when Queequeg jumps to the rescue of the same man, we see forgiveness as an ideal that doesn’t rest alone with Christianity. Similarly, while trying to be listed on the Pequod, Queequeg is again asked about his religious affiliation by the Quaker owners. But Queequeg’s skill with the harpoon is a more appreciated skill required of a crew member than his preferred choice of God. It is Queequeg’s chivalry, talent, and generosity that give him societal acceptance.

These chapters are also haunted by foreshadowing with the frequent appearances of Elijah. A bumbling, incoherent sailor, sharing his name with the Old Testament prophet who foretold the destruction of the biblical Ahab, Elijah tells Ishmael and Queequeg that the Pequod is doomed. He tries to stop them and warns them about the mysterious captain. Named after a tribe of New England Indians who were massacred by white settlers, the ship also is an emblem of death. It is covered with whale bones and teeth and painted in a dark color. Hence, together with Elijah’s warnings, the chapters foreshadow the fate of the ship. Ahab himself, “desperate moody, and savage,” inspires sympathy, pity, and “a strange awe” in Ishmael. Named after the Israelite king who angers God with his worship of idols, Ahab seems an ominous figure. He still hasn’t appeared in person in these chapters and the general mutterings about him portray a man who is desperate, temperamental, and savage, obsessed with a perverse kind of worship—the search for a great whale—a final confrontation with which will determine his fate. The mythic connotations of Ahab continue with the reference to him as “Old Thunder,” which indicates the Norse god of war.

The three-year long journey, the lack of clarity about who his captain is, and the general discomfort that Ishmael feels before the journey makes his view of the voyage unclear. It is this unclarity which makes him a more impartial narrator rather than one with a specific and identifiable agenda.