/lit/ - Literature

>>9683186
Non-meme answer: Tillich.

>>9681623
Taking a class or using resources for self-study? If the latter, what are you using?

>>9676103
>hasn't read the lit King's bios

>>9680084
>>9680090
Top kek, absolutely based. Thank you for digging this up.

>>9680172
This >>9680388
Although I find that annotating is a great way to keep thoughts somewhere. Unfortunately I'm used a library copy but I've been taking noted on my phone.

>>9680108
Dunno if you're memeing but it's actually a valid question. On the one hand, if that was Melville's intention, it's probably safe to say that he couldn't have actually stated such a thing in a popular-access novel, right? At least not very openly. On the other hand, it very well could be just projection. What is gained, as far as the narrative is concerned, if they were "fagging it up"?

Personally, I think Melville's angle is more humanitarian than sexual. In many respects the alliance of Queequeg and Ishmael has to be unthinkable. According to Euro-American social ideals, anyway. Ishmael himself, despite his hubristic elevation of himself over the non-sailing types, is very caught up in the idea of being above sharing a bed with some savage. But in reality (which sailors, as opposed to land-grabbing slavers, politicians, preachers, etc.) that understanding isn't just flawed, it's nonsensical. So my take of it is that Melville puts the two men in the same bed to make in an image the idea that there can't be any real difference between men despite the perceivable differences and their character.

>>9679334
A couple other things before I have to head out:

1) Does anybody have a pretty good idea off the top of their heads what Ishmael's talking about when he mentions Pythagorean theorem?

2) Really loved the brief moment when Ishmael talks about the first hunted whale and first hunters. Imagine what the first whaling expedition must have been like. What on earth would drive someone, especially a very pre-industrial people like the indigenous North-East peoples.

3) Ishmael seems very sophisticated, very well read. Is this important for his character, or is Melville just talking through him, more or less?

Alright a couple things to note right away that are really interesting and I don't think I got first time through (this was years ago though).

Ishamel mentions going out to see as being like Cato taking his sword, very explicitly equating seafaring with suicide. This is such an incredible image to me: obviously it sets up Ahab as a character, but on its own and in the context of Ishmael it's just shocking. Imagine being in this little town, being any land-bound person, and seeing Ishmael and other sailors, would one get the impression that they were looking to go to see as a final act to their lives? Compare this then with his spiel about being paid versus paying. "Who ain't a slave, tell me that?" Awesome. I don't know that Marx or Engels ever read Moby Dick but I can imagine them having a piqued interest in this confluence of economics and psychology with character. Let's also note this with the later scene of Captain Ahab offering a coin to anyone that spots the whale first. Bring to my mind the idea of having coins to carry with you into the afterlife to pay the psychopomp.

>>9677982
You and me both, hang in there anon.

>>9679138
Take lots of photos like a Japanese tourist party, obviously.

>>9675736
>>9675920

Yeah I'm not worried about catching up. Any lurking anons please feel free to jump on board to.

Rereading, I really love his prose. The opening chapter's ruminations perfectly capture the kind of book this will be on the whole. " Meditation and water are wedded forever", fantastic.

It's really easy for most people to put the book down once he gets to the highly technical chapters on whaling and sailing. Just word of advice, don't get disheartened. Try to push through, you'll end up appreciating those chapters later when you're done reading and thinking about the book as a whole.

Making a thread because I don't see one here.

Haven't even started yet desu edition, kek. But I've read it before and hope to get caught up by tonight/early tomorrow.

Anons that aren't giant faggots like OP should be finishing Chapter 33 today.

General question to maybe get discussion going: Moby Dick is obviously famous for being a dense work, and by this point in time we should probably have a good feel of Melville's prose. Are we starting to get a hang for it, or is it still pretty dense for you? Thoughts on Melville's style and approach thus far?

Of course, feel free to discuss plot, character, whatever else strikes your fancy.

>>9650856
Shit, didn't realize this was going to start.
>already 10k gorillion pages behind

What edition are you using?

>>9658629
>the left wing can't argue against the physical, rational nature of the world
The Left is typically characterized specifically by materialism, which the Right is typically characterized as ANTI-Materialist. The Right is defined by religion and metaphysics, the Left is not. If that wasn't enough to expose yourself:

>making everyone equal

Read up.

>>9595357
>http://thatsmathematics.com/mathgen/

So it is fake? WTF I love (((((Hew))))) now.

>>9595347
He's just decent at wiki surfing and mashing up "ideas".

Tell me what ethnic Kierkegaardianism is.

>>9595332
Alright, I honestly know dick about maths (surprise, surprise). Someone tell me this isn't gibberish.

>>9595273
>He visits here sometimes. That's how I came to know his reputation in the first place.

You don't get on the #chan in a while and you miss the best things.

>>9595137
Some authors had a/many bf but really just try harder. Also stop shitposting.

Absolutely lel. Where is the link?

>>9542210
>EVERYTHING IS FINE EVERYTHING IS FINE PLEASE BELIEVE ME DON'T LISTEN TO CRITICISM MY BILLION JILLION GORRILION

I like Yusuf Ali, honestly, but it might not be the BEST translation.

>>9543259
I have yet to read the Road to Mecca, definitely want to read this translation too.

>>9543200
>all those fiction writers in his citation list

>>9543169
What the hell

>>9542984
Saved! Was going to say the same desu.

Let's give a nod to our own Iranman's guy too

>>9542705
Objectively speaking it did, even with US interference (sorry sweetums, but it's true) Venezuela under Chavez has a much higher value of life than it did at any point before hand. But that's talking about the whole spectrum of society, not the ruling class. Even after Chavez and with private companies intentionally sabotaging the markets by selling subsidized goods in foreign black market, the comparison is stark. You wouldn't know this but under food and commodity shortages happened pre-Chavez, part of the actual negligence of the ruling class's government. No news stories about it in American papers. Interesting. Though I'd argue that not seizing the offending companies after all this and either trying to get at them legally or hoping they'll suddenly have a heart is itself incompetent. It necessarily leads to the current wave of violence organized by the opposition's mercenaries, which is curiously un(der)reported in international news media (pro-tip: not a coincidence).

PSUV made three mistakes, common to Left organizations that seize governments: 1) focusing on a single commodity for production and trade (oil), not diversifying and making a fully self-sustaining economy. This is highly overstated though: re shortages, this is a problem in cities, and the success of land-reform and localization has led to a less disastrous experience than previous times; 2) not creating the people's army; 34) legalism. The last two are tempting for international PR/"being the bigger man," "setting an example" but what's the point when the enemy owns the world media and, as has been shown, is willing to openly lie to turn its useful idiots against your cause?

>>9541352
GO
TO
YOUR
LOCAL
PUBLIC
LIBRARY

>>9542716
You don't actually expect these idiots to actually read or know what they're talking about, do you?