Study Questions
1. What causes Queequeg’s illness?

2. What does he put in his coffin?

3. How does Queequeg explain his recovery?

4. What does he do with his coffin?

5. What caused the deaths of Perth’s wife and children?

6. What does Ahab want Perth to make for him?

7. What are the iron and barbs made of?

8. What seam does Ahab ask Perth to smooth?

9. In what are the barbs of the harpoon tempered?

10. What temporarily soothes even Ahab?

Answers
1. Working in the slimy, damp hold causes Queequeg’s illness.

2. Queequeg puts the iron of his harpoon, biscuits, water, dirt, and Yojo in his coffin.

3. Queequeg recovered to take care of some unfinished business.

4. Queequeg turns the coffin into a sea chest and carves its lid with designs like his tattoos.

5. Because of his alcoholism, Perth could not support his family and they died.

6. Ahab wants Perth to make a harpoon with which he will kill Moby Dick.

7. The iron is made from horseshoe nails and the barbs from razors.

8. Ahab asks Perth if he can smooth the seams of his brow, which are etched to the depth of his skull.

9. The barbs are tempered in blood.

10. The tranquility of the Pacific soothes even Ahab.