Study Questions
1. What are the men of the Bachelor celebrating?

2. What does the Bachelor’s captain say about Moby Dick?

3. What is in the vial that Ahab takes from his pocket?

4. What curious thing do dying sperm whales do?

5. What will Ahab see before he dies?

6. What is the only thing that can kill him?

7. Why does Ahab smash his quadrant?

8. Why does Stubb sing during the fury of the storm?

9. What happens to Ahab’s boat?

10. According to Stubb, why did Ahab remain unharmed when he held the chain end of the lightning rod?

Answers
1. The Bachelor is full of oil and homeward bound.

2. The captain says he has heard of Moby Dick, but does not believe in him.

3. The vial contains soil from Nantucket.

4. Dying sperm whales turn their heads to the sun.

5. Ahab will see two hearses, one made of American wood and the other, not made by human hands.

6. Only hemp can kill Ahab.

7. Ahab smashes the quadrant because it tells him only where he is, not where he is going.

8. Stubb sings to bolster his courage.

9. The stern of Ahab’s boat is smashed.

10. Stubb says the mast would have to have been struck by lightning before Ahab could have been harmed.