Skip to content

Southern Fried Science

Over 15 years of ocean science and conservation online

  • Home
  • About SFS
  • Authors
  • Support SFS

Finding Melville’s Whale: Chapter 13 – Wheelbarrow

Posted on September 23, 2010August 5, 2010 By Andrew Thaler 1 Comment on Finding Melville’s Whale: Chapter 13 – Wheelbarrow
Uncategorized

Chapter 13 of the classic Moby Dick by Herman Melville, summarized in verse. Read along with us and discuss this chapter or the book as a whole in the comments.

Wheelbarrow

The morning comes and Ishmael and Queequeg
purchase passage to Nantucket, from where
they will embark on their whale adventure.

Aboard The Moss a bumpkin finds Queequeg’s
appearance unacceptable, Queequeg
tosses him across the deck. The captain

is displeased. That same foolish vagabond
fails in his footing and falls overboard.
It is Queequeg who leaps into the sea,

swims out and down, finds the limp body, pulls
the man to safety. Few doubt that Queequeg
will bring salvation, least of all Ishmael.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Click to share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp
  • Click to share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon

Related

Tags: Moby Dick

Post navigation

❮ Previous Post: 365 days of Darwin: 23 September 2010
Next Post: A global shark conservation challenge from Palau and Micronesia ❯

You may also like

Uncategorized
Finding Melville’s Whale: Chapter 11 – Nightgown
September 19, 2010
Uncategorized
Finding Melville’s Whale: Sunset and Dusk (Chapters 37 and 38)
January 13, 2011
Weekly Salvage
Monday Morning Salvage: January 23, 2017
January 23, 2017
Uncategorized
Finding Melville’s Whale: Chapter 2 – The Carpet Bag
August 29, 2010

One thought on “Finding Melville’s Whale: Chapter 13 – Wheelbarrow”

  1. Southern Fried Scientist says:
    September 23, 2010 at 10:03 am

    In retrospect, this little poem really doesn’t do the chapter justice, at all. Wheelbarrow really drives home the point that not only is Queequeg the toughest SOB in Nantucket, but that he’s a better man than most.

    I think Melville may have developed a massive crush on his own character, or, for all those nerds out there reading, is Queequeg the original Mary Sue character?

Comments are closed.

Recent Popular Posts

David Attenborough's Ocean is on Hulu and Disney+. Let's watch together and discuss it!David Attenborough's Ocean is on Hulu and Disney+. Let's watch together and discuss it!June 16, 2025David Shiffman
Marine Biology Career AdviceMarine Biology Career AdviceMay 30, 2025David Shiffman
The story of the pride flag made from NASA imagery: Bluesky's most-liked imageThe story of the pride flag made from NASA imagery: Bluesky's most-liked imageSeptember 27, 2024David Shiffman
Shark of Darkness: Wrath of Submarine is a fake documentaryShark of Darkness: Wrath of Submarine is a fake documentaryAugust 10, 2014Michelle Jewell
How many nuclear weapons are at the bottom of the sea. An (almost certainly incomplete) census of broken arrows over water.How many nuclear weapons are at the bottom of the sea. An (almost certainly incomplete) census of broken arrows over water.July 26, 2018Andrew Thaler
Here's what I teach my students about finding jobs in marine biology and conservationHere's what I teach my students about finding jobs in marine biology and conservationApril 10, 2024David Shiffman
What is a Sand Shark?What is a Sand Shark?November 12, 2017Chuck Bangley
Our favorite sea monsters – Ningen (#4)Our favorite sea monsters – Ningen (#4)September 7, 2010Andrew Thaler
Megalodon: the New Evidence is a fake documentaryMegalodon: the New Evidence is a fake documentaryAugust 7, 2014David Shiffman
What can the funniest shark memes on the internetz teach us about ocean science and conservation?What can the funniest shark memes on the internetz teach us about ocean science and conservation?November 8, 2013David Shiffman
Subscribe to our RSS Feed for updates whenever new articles are published.

We recommend Feedly for RSS management. It's like Google Reader, except it still exists.

Southern Fried Science

  • Home
  • About SFS
  • Authors
  • Support SFS


If you enjoy Southern Fried Science, consider contributing to our Patreon campaign.

Copyright © 2025 Southern Fried Science.

Theme: Oceanly Premium by ScriptsTown