Not claustrophobic

Named for the brave Pequot, The Pequod, packed with harpooners and sailing expertise and an all-consuming mission, moves slowly through the waters. Herman Melville’s Moby Dick does not rush. The thickness of the Biblical language hints at ancient odysseys and constructs a plank. A mix of genres, asides, and exclamation marks brings texture. The whiteness of the whale described as pale and ghostly yet pure takes up a full poetry-like chapter. Scientific and textbookish details we learn on the varieties of whales, their size, value. A boisterous scene between the harpooners and the kitchen staff enlarges the stage. A short episode where only the captain mutters. And throughout, a growing character sketch of that whale that matters.