The crotch alluded to on a previous page deserves independent mention. It is a notched stick of a peculiar form, some two feet in length, which is perpendicularly inserted into the starboard gunwale near the bow, for the purpose of furnishing a rest for the wooden extremity of the harpoons, whose other naked, barbed end sloping projects from the prow. Thereby the weapon is instantly at hand to its hurler, who snatches it up as readily from its rest as a backwoodsman swings his rifle from the wall. It is customary to have two harpoons reposing in the crotch, respectively called the first and second irons.
But these two harpoons, each by its own cord, are both connected with the line; the object being this: to dart them both, if possible, one instantly after the other into the same whale; so that if, in the coming drag, one should draw out, the other may still retain a hold. It is a doubling of the chances. But it very often happens that owing to the instantaneous, violent, convulsive running of the whale upon receiving the first iron, it becomes impossible for the harpooneer, however lightning-like in his movements, to pitch the second iron into him. Nevertheless, as the second iron is already connected with the line, and the line is running, hence that weapon must, at all events, be anticipatingly tossed out of the boat, somehow and somewhere; else the most terrible jeopardy would involve all hands. Tumbled into the water, it accordingly is in such cases; the spare coils of box line (mentioned in a preceding chapter) making this feat, in most instances, prudently practicable. But this critical act is not always unattended with the saddest and most fatal casualties.
Furthermore: you must know that when the second iron is thrown overboard, it thenceforth becomes a dangling, sharp-edged terror, skittishly curvetting about both boat and whale, entangling the lines, or cutting them, and making a prodigious sensation in all directions. Nor, in general, is it possible to secure it again until the whale is fairly captured and a corpse.
Consider, now, how it must be in the case of four boats all engaging one unusually strong, active, and knowing whale; when owing to these qualities in him, as well as to the thousand concurring accidents of such an audacious enterprise, eight or ten loose second irons may be simultaneously dangling about him. For, of course, each boat is supplied with several harpoons to bend on to the line should the first one be ineffectually darted without recovery. All these particulars are faithfully narrated here, as they will not fail to elucidate several most important however intricate passages, in scenes hereafter to be painted.
The title of this chapter is "The Crotch." I mention this fact because it is kind of impossible to miss the sexual imagery in these paragraphs. The barbed harpoons resting in the crotch, waiting to be plunged into the flesh of the unsuspecting whale. I'm hoping that I don't have to go much further with my explication. If I do, this blog may have to be listed as having adult content. Of course, Melville is writing a book about whaling. There aren't a whole lot of women in it. Plus, nineteenth-century America wasn't a particularly enlightened time when it comes to gender issues. Patriarchy, patriarchy, patriarchy.
This morning, I heard a report on National Public Radio about the students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School going on a bus tour of the United States to mobilize young voters for the 2018 midterm elections. Of course, the focus of these students is gun legislation. During the report, an "expert" on elections was interviewed. He (of course) was skeptical about these young people making that much of an impact on the outcome this November. I believe one of his final statements was, "It's still five months away. It's hard to sustain any kind of momentum that long." It was almost like he was patting these kids on the head, saying, "Nice try. Now, go back to Snapping on your cell phones."
It was more than a little dismissive. Sadly, the government of my country has been dominated for so long by gun-toting, harpoon-wielding men that this guy's prediction may be accurate. If I may use an analogy, it takes a lot of effort to turn the Titanic away from the iceberg. And right now, it feels like I'm living on the Titanic and all the people in Washington, D. C., are trying to rearrange the deck chairs instead of steering the ship. All those white guys are protecting their bank accounts and prescriptions for Viagra instead of keeping our kids safe.
You know that I try to stay away from too much political discussion on this blog, but that news report really bothered me. Plus, I'm getting tired of politicians who call themselves Christians cutting social programs for the underprivileged and uninsured, proclaiming that they're doing what's right for the country. Last time I checked, the job of the leaders of this country was to look out for everyone living here, not just those with bank accounts that rival the GDP of third world countries.
Christians don't witness a school shooting and think that the way to solve problem is with more guns. Christians don't take refugee children away from their parents and lock them up in warehouses. Christians don't take food assistance away from the poor and elderly. Christians don't let sick people die because they don't have health insurance. Christians don't complain about all the homeless people ruining their communities. Christianity is NOT about zero tolerance. Christianity is ALL about tolerance.
If you call yourself a Christian and disagree with me about any of the statements I made in the previous paragraph, then you are NOT a real Christian. You are just a person who goes to church one day a week. That's it.
My intent here is not to upset anyone. It's to call out hypocrites. I'm a Christian. I'm a white male. I don't want to be part of the problem. So I speak my mind. Raise money for homeless shelters. Donate to can drives. Refuse to vote for candidates who take money from gun lobbies (Republican or Democrat). Support public education and teachers, universal health care, and free college tuition. Care about refugees and immigrants. That doesn't make me a liberal or bleeding heart. That's makes me a REAL follower of Jesus.
Saint Marty is thankful today for all the REAL followers out there.
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