Bringing order out of chaos here is very difficult still
What 'miscellaneous section' Bucky??? I thought this was an answer that arose from Chapter 18? If it strays off topic a little bit it doesn't matter. Only move things when there are loads of off topic statements. I thought these were all OK.
What 'miscellaneous section' Bucky??? I thought this was an answer that arose from Chapter 18? If it strays off topic a little bit it doesn't matter. Only move things when there are loads of off topic statements. I thought these were all OK.
Laurel wrote:
You'r right. There's no way to post a new message within a string without replying to an old one, and it may have nothing to do with the old one. I've gone back to the first page, which is the last page, many a time to try to bring some logic to the order, but I'm getting tired of that. Maybe I'm too frugal with my time.
leakybucket wrote:
Actually, I thought it might be worthwhile exploring the New England mind set to further understand Moby Dick. However, I thought it more appropriate to put this thread under our miscellaneous section rather than clutter up the actual book discussions. It is under "String Too Short to Use" and temporarily you will find it around page 6.
-------Off Topic but I have to make a statement for the record
Unfortunately, this board design in its present form is getting increasingly difficult to navigate. I think this group has been about as well organized as possible and that the posters have been most diligent in maintaining as much order as possible. But it is already getting bad for those of us in the discussion and will totally frustrate those who come on board next week. And we are just getting started in our discussion! Any further statements I will reserve for the Community Room.
Bucky
Choisya wrote:
Perhaps most country folks did this sort of thing before there was access to cars or regular transport, because they would not be able to get to shops easily? The same reasoning would apply on board a ship on a long voyage. It certainly shows the difference between our throwaway society and Bildads.
pmath wrote:
Why would they keep such lengths?
leakybucket wrote:
Actually, this is part of the New England mind set. I remember once visiting the home of an old-time New Englander in Litchfield, Connecticut. In the kitchen there was a jar labeled "String Too Short to Use."
pmath wrote:
I'm not sure whether Bildad was being frugal or sentimental here: maybe both!
Choisya wrote:
Bringing order out of chaos here is very difficult still What 'miscellaneous section' Bucky??? I thought this was an answer that arose from Chapter 18? If it strays off topic a little bit it doesn't matter. Only move things when there are loads of off topic statements. I thought these were all OK.
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Choisya, you are right it was related to Chapter 18 and Bildad's odd behavior. I probably could have left it here. But then I thought it might be an interesting side topic to develop in its own right and so I decided to set it up as its own thread and add more information to to the subject. I probably cause even more confusion. Sorry. You are right again, trying to create order our of chaos may be an impossible task anyway! I move the discussion on the New England mind set to "Moby Dick: Footnotes, contexts, and obscure references". But it would be fine to continue the thread here as it relates to Chapter 18 (or Chapter 16)
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Actually, I haven't read Chapter 18 yet but I did read Chapter 16 (a related chapter) last night. I think Melville put together an interesting two-and-a half page discussion of the Nantucket Quaker. His opening paragraph is:
"Now, Bildad, like Peleg, and indeed many other Nantucketers, was a Quaker, the island having been originally settled by that sect; and to this day its inhabitants in general retain in an uncommon measure the peculiarities of the Quaker, only variously and anomalously modified by things altogether alien and heterogeneous. For some of these same Quakers are the most sanguinary of all sailors and whale-hunters. They are fighting Quakers; they are Quakers with a vengeance."
In my B&N Classics Edition it begins on page 106.
Some other tidbits on the Nantucket Quaker.
"Shortly after 1700, Quakerism began to take root and, by the end of the eighteenth century, the Society of Friends was the major denomination on the island, a refuge for Quakers being persecuted in other areas of the Bay Colony. The Nantucket Quakers also became extremely influential in business and government matters. The simple, sturdy dwellings have been continuously occupied and stand today in pristine ranks along cobblestone Main Street and other lanes and byways. Later, with the influence generated by the whaling industry, merchants and master mariners built their homes with an eye to impress their neighbors."
http://www.nha.org/library/faq/quakers.html
http://www.yesterdaysisland.com/05_articles/satire
It is interesting to note that Starbuck and Coffin were actual names of Quakers, especially since Ishmael attached such significance to the name Coffin.
Bucky
Bringing order out of chaos here is very difficult still
What 'miscellaneous section' Bucky??? I thought this was an answer that arose from Chapter 18? If it strays off topic a little bit it doesn't matter. Only move things when there are loads of off topic statements. I thought these were all OK.-----------------------------------------------
Choisya, you are right it was related to Chapter 18 and Bildad's odd behavior. I probably could have left it here. But then I thought it might be an interesting side topic to develop in its own right and so I decided to set it up as its own thread and add more information to to the subject. I probably cause even more confusion. Sorry. You are right again, trying to create order our of chaos may be an impossible task anyway! I move the discussion on the New England mind set to "Moby Dick: Footnotes, contexts, and obscure references". But it would be fine to continue the thread here as it relates to Chapter 18 (or Chapter 16)
-----------------
Actually, I haven't read Chapter 18 yet but I did read Chapter 16 (a related chapter) last night. I think Melville put together an interesting two-and-a half page discussion of the Nantucket Quaker. His opening paragraph is:
"Now, Bildad, like Peleg, and indeed many other Nantucketers, was a Quaker, the island having been originally settled by that sect; and to this day its inhabitants in general retain in an uncommon measure the peculiarities of the Quaker, only variously and anomalously modified by things altogether alien and heterogeneous. For some of these same Quakers are the most sanguinary of all sailors and whale-hunters. They are fighting Quakers; they are Quakers with a vengeance."
In my B&N Classics Edition it begins on page 106.
Some other tidbits on the Nantucket Quaker.
"Shortly after 1700, Quakerism began to take root and, by the end of the eighteenth century, the Society of Friends was the major denomination on the island, a refuge for Quakers being persecuted in other areas of the Bay Colony. The Nantucket Quakers also became extremely influential in business and government matters. The simple, sturdy dwellings have been continuously occupied and stand today in pristine ranks along cobblestone Main Street and other lanes and byways. Later, with the influence generated by the whaling industry, merchants and master mariners built their homes with an eye to impress their neighbors."
http://www.nha.org/library/faq/quakers.html
http://www.yesterdaysisland.com/05_articles/satire
It is interesting to note that Starbuck and Coffin were actual names of Quakers, especially since Ishmael attached such significance to the name Coffin.
Bucky
