Question

Read the excerpt from chapter 28 of Mobydick

"It had previously come to me that this ivory leg had at sea been fashioned from the polished bone of the sperm whales jaw"
How is the fact that Ahabs leg is made from whale bone significant to the novels theme of man versus nature?
A. it signifies that Ahab has pitted himself against nature in a effort to dominate it
B. it signifies that Ahab lives a life in harmony with the natural world
C. it signifies that Ahab has made a choice to surrender to the power of the whales he hunts
D. it signifies that Ahab sees himself as an equal and dependent part of the greater whole

Answer 1

The correct answer is:

A. It signifies that Ahab has pitted himself against nature in an effort to dominate it.

The fact that Ahab’s leg is made from whale bone is significant to the novel’s theme of man versus nature.

`|Huntrw6|`

Answer 2

The correct answer is A: It signifies that Ahab has pitted himself against nature in an effort to dominate it.

Form the beggining of chapter 28, Ahab is portrayed not just as a captain, but as a supreme lord that dictates the destiny of everyone on the ship. That indicates the force of his will. When Ishmael describes the captain over the deck, he observes no signs of illness or weakness. On the contrary, he compares Ahab with Perseus. Moreover, the narrator recalls that Tashego afirmed that the scar on the face of Ahab was the product of a cosmic battle. After describing how the ivory leg was made, Ishmael recollects another comentary from Tashego. There is a paralelism between Ahab and a ship: if a ship loses its mast, it has to be replaced inmediately whithout the need to return home. Similarly, Ahab replaced his leg in order to cotinuo his fight against nature in his rebelion against it, trying to dominate forces that may seem greater that him -but he doesn't believe so.