Chapter 120 - The Deck Toward the End of the First Night Watch Practice Quiz — Moby-Dick; or, The Whale
by Herman Melville — tap or click to flip
Practice Quiz: Chapter 120 - The Deck Toward the End of the First Night Watch
Where is Ahab standing when Starbuck approaches him in Chapter 120?
At the helm of the Pequod.
What is wrong with the main-top-sail yard that Starbuck reports?
The band is working loose and the lee lift is half-stranded.
What does Starbuck ask Ahab to do about the main-top-sail yard?
Strike (lower) it for repairs.
What is Ahab's response to Starbuck's request to strike the yard?
"Strike nothing; lash it."
What does Ahab say he would do if he had sky-sail poles?
He would sway them up (raise them) immediately, seeking more sail rather than less.
What additional problem does Starbuck report to Ahab?
The anchors are working (shifting loose in their housings).
What does "strike" mean in nautical terms?
To lower sails, yards, or other rigging.
What does "lash" mean in nautical terms?
To secure or tie down equipment tightly with rope.
What is a "truck" on a sailing ship?
The cap or fitting at the very top of a mast, the highest point on the vessel.
What does Ahab mean by his "brain-truck"?
A metaphor for his mind, comparing it to the highest point on a mast—his thoughts sail at the greatest elevation.
To whom does Ahab unfavorably compare Starbuck?
The hunchbacked skipper of a coasting smack (a small coastal trading vessel).
What literary form does Melville use for Chapter 120?
Dramatic or theatrical form—written as dialogue like a play script, with character names and minimal narration.
What does Ahab say about cowards and brain-trucks?
"None but cowards send down their brain-trucks in tempest time"—meaning only cowards lower their ambitions or thinking during a storm.
How does Ahab dismiss the storm's noise at the chapter's end?
He compares it to colic (a stomachache), telling the wind to "take medicine, take medicine."
What is the "lee lift" that Starbuck says is half-stranded?
A rope on the sheltered (lee) side of the ship that supports the yard—it is half-broken and fraying.
What does "cloud-scud" refer to in Ahab's speech?
Low, fast-moving clouds driven by high winds during a storm.
What does Chapter 120 reveal about Ahab's attitude toward his crew's safety?
He is completely indifferent—he refuses all safety measures and prioritizes his obsessive pursuit over the lives of everyone aboard.
What weather event is occurring during Chapter 120?
The typhoon that began in the preceding chapter (119, "The Candles") is still battering the Pequod.
What does "gluepots" mean when Ahab says "Ho, gluepots!"?
A contemptuous insult directed at Starbuck, calling him sluggish and sticky—slow to act boldly.
What key theme does the command "Strike nothing" embody?
Defiance against nature—Ahab refuses to yield to any force, treating the storm as an obstacle to be ignored rather than respected.