Chapter 18 - His Mark Quiz — Moby-Dick; or, The Whale

by Herman Melville

Comprehension Quiz: Chapter 18 - His Mark

Why do Peleg and Bildad initially refuse to let Queequeg board the Pequod?

  • He does not have enough whaling experience
  • He is not a converted Christian
  • He does not own his own harpoon
  • He has already signed on with another ship

Which church does Ishmael first claim Queequeg belongs to?

  • The Society of Friends
  • The First Congregational Church
  • The First Baptist Church
  • The Church of England

What is Ishmael's main argument for why Queequeg should be allowed on the ship?

  • Queequeg has sailed on many previous voyages
  • All people belong to the same universal human congregation
  • Queequeg has already been baptized
  • The ship is desperately short of crew

How does Queequeg demonstrate his harpooning skill?

  • He throws his harpoon through a ring hanging from the mast
  • He strikes a small drop of tar floating on the water from across the ship's deck
  • He harpoons a fish swimming near the dock
  • He throws his harpoon further than any other sailor on the wharf

What lay is Queequeg offered for the voyage?

  • The seventy-fifth lay
  • The ninetieth lay
  • The one hundredth lay
  • The three hundredth lay

How does Queequeg sign the ship's papers?

  • He writes his name in his native language
  • He makes an X mark
  • He copies a tattooed symbol from his arm
  • He has Ishmael sign for him

What incorrect names does Captain Peleg call Queequeg?

  • Quincy and Hedgepig
  • Quohog and Hedgehog
  • Quahog and Porcupine
  • Quebec and Hogback

What does Captain Bildad give Queequeg after the signing?

  • A Bible
  • A religious tract titled "The Latter Day Coming; or No Time to Lose"
  • A set of Christian prayers
  • A letter of introduction to a local minister

According to Peleg, what happens to pious harpooneers?

  • They become the best leaders on the ship
  • They lose their aggressive edge and become poor whalers
  • They are promoted to captain more quickly
  • They refuse to work on Sundays

Who was Nat Swaine?

  • A famous Nantucket preacher
  • A former captain of the Pequod
  • A brave boat-header who lost his nerve after joining a church
  • A harpooneer who died in a typhoon

What event does Bildad recall to challenge Peleg's views on religion?

  • A mutiny aboard a previous ship
  • A typhoon off Japan when the Pequod lost her three masts
  • A whale attack that killed several crew members
  • A fire that nearly destroyed the Pequod in port

What was Peleg's response about thinking of death during the typhoon?

  • He admits he prayed for salvation
  • He says he thought only of saving lives, rigging jury-masts, and reaching port
  • He says he was too young to understand the danger
  • He says Captain Ahab forbade any talk of death

What literary device does Melville primarily use with Peleg's mispronunciation of Queequeg's name?

  • Metaphor
  • Comic irony and social commentary
  • Alliteration
  • Stream of consciousness

What does Bildad do at the very end of the chapter?

  • He continues arguing with Peleg about religion
  • He quietly watches sailmakers and saves scraps of material
  • He goes below deck to pray
  • He returns to reading his Bible in the wigwam

Comprehension Quiz

Question 1 of 0
Score: 0 / 0
Read Chapter
← Previous Next →