Chapters 1 and 2

In Chapter 1, you read about life in Nantucket. I found the history fascinating--a town of roof-dwellers, superstitions, the "imprinting of young Nantucketers (whale brain washing), the influence of the Nantucket Wives Club, and the social hierarchy. Chapter 2 provides detail about the beginning of their voyage and the mechanics of the Essex.

In your next blog entries, consider how the established hierarchy on the Essex reflects the social stratification of Nantucket. In other words, are the sailors all on equal footing as believed by the Quaker faith. Think about the exercise we did when we laid out the ship.

Jamie Gates "In the Heart of the Sea"

The preface and the first chapter of In the Heart of the Sea are all about the time period, and about whaling and why it was so important in those times. Whaling made Nantucket one of the most wealthy ports in all of America. The preface also talks about these men who are washed on shore who have been in horrible crash. I also agree with Nicole about the Quakers they were simple people with a simple look at life. They accepted anyone from any religion, and they were strong pacifists. The first chapter was about whale hunting and what whale to hunt. The right whale was the whale to hunt because it was the "right" whale. "The right whale grazed the waters like seagoing cattle." (pg. 5) Whales to them are like" a serpent with black, horselike eyes and a fifty foot body resembling a string of barrels floating on the water." (pg. 4) So What if Nantucket hadn't allowed Whaling? What would the port have become it sure would not be as rich.

-Jamie Gates

11/23/09

What were the Quakers and what did they do with the whales they killed? Quakers were pacifist's to the human race. Quakers had a simple life and limited material possessions. They were against slavery and had rigid self-control. They lead their life with a holy sense of mission. The Quakers were accepting of whaling as a career. "...,Hussey managed to harpoon and kill one of the whales,..." (page 6) I think that whaling was cruel to the whales and almost caused their extinction. "So named because "they were the right whale to kill," right whales grazed the waters off Nantucket much like seagoing cattle," (page 5) It was a necessary job to have, because it provided whale blubber which was turned into oil and the bones were used for woman's corsets. I wish there was a control on how many whales were killed.

Nicole! 11/23/09

In the preface, Nathanial Philbrick, states that the point where Herman Melville's Moby Dick ends--with the sinking of the ship--is merely the starting point for the story of the real-life Esssex tragedy. Much of the guts of Philbrick's research is based upon a firsthand account penned by Thomas Nickerson, a cabin boy who was 14 at the time of the disaster. Nickerson actually stood at the helm when the ship was rammed and survived a harrowing ordeal.
I hope you enjoy this real-life tale of Nantucket whalers, who not only battled the "savage sea," but also their own humanity in order to survive.

In a thoughtful paragraph, please respond to the following:

1. In 1820, Nantucket was a Quaker town. What are the basic tenets of the Quaker faith? What are your opinions about a Quaker community embracing an occupation such as whaling? (please proofread before posting--see rubric for guidelines)