Chapter 18 - His Mark Practice Quiz — Moby-Dick; or, The Whale
by Herman Melville — tap or click to flip
Practice Quiz: Chapter 18 - His Mark
What does Captain Peleg initially say about allowing Queequeg on board?
He says he lets no cannibals on board unless they previously produced their papers.
What does Captain Bildad demand Queequeg prove?
That he has converted to Christianity and is in communion with a Christian church.
Which church does Ishmael initially claim Queequeg belongs to?
The First Congregational Church.
What is Ishmael's argument about the "First Congregation"?
That all human beings belong to one great, universal First Congregation of the whole worshipping world, regardless of specific creeds.
What does Peleg say Ishmael should ship for instead of a fore-mast hand?
A missionary, because he was so impressed by Ishmael's speech about universal brotherhood.
How does Queequeg demonstrate his skill with the harpoon?
He leaps into a whale-boat, spots a tiny drop of tar on the water, and hurls his harpoon across the ship's deck to strike it perfectly.
What lay is Queequeg offered on the Pequod?
The ninetieth lay, which Peleg says is more than any harpooneer out of Nantucket has ever received.
What does Queequeg use as his signature on the ship's papers?
He copies a queer round figure from a tattoo on his arm instead of writing his name.
What names does Peleg mistakenly call Queequeg?
Quohog and Hedgehog.
What is the title of the religious tract Bildad gives Queequeg?
"The Latter Day Coming; or No Time to Lose."
What does Bildad call Queequeg?
"Son of darkness."
What is a "lay" in the context of whaling?
A fractional share of the voyage's total profits, used instead of wages to compensate crew members.
Who was Nat Swaine, according to Peleg?
Once the bravest boat-header out of Nantucket and the Vineyard, who lost his nerve after joining a church because he became worried about his soul.
What story does Bildad use to challenge Peleg's views on piety?
He reminds Peleg of the time the Pequod lost her three masts in a typhoon off Japan when Peleg served as mate under Captain Ahab.
How does Peleg respond to Bildad's question about thinking of Death during the typhoon?
He says there was no time to think about death—he and Captain Ahab were thinking only of life, saving all hands, rigging jury-masts, and reaching the nearest port.
What double meaning does the chapter title "His Mark" carry?
It refers both to Queequeg's tattooed signature on the ship's papers and to his impressive "mark" as a skilled harpooneer.
What theme does the conflict over Queequeg's religion illustrate?
Religious universalism vs. exclusivity, and the tension between institutional Christianity and a more expansive vision of human spiritual community.
What does Peleg claim piety does to harpooneers?
It "takes the shark out of 'em"—meaning it makes them lose their aggressive edge and courage.
What information about Captain Ahab is revealed in this chapter?
That he once captained the Pequod through a deadly typhoon off Japan, losing all three masts, and that Peleg served as his mate during that voyage.
What does Bildad do at the very end of the chapter?
He stalks on deck and quietly watches sailmakers mending a top-sail, stooping occasionally to save scraps of material—revealing his characteristic frugality.