Chapter 53 - The Gam Quiz — Moby-Dick; or, The Whale

by Herman Melville

Comprehension Quiz: Chapter 53 - The Gam

What is the definition of a "gam" as Ishmael defines it?

  • A formal inspection of one whaling ship by officers of another vessel
  • A social meeting of two or more whaleships with exchange of crew visits
  • A competitive race between whaling boats to harpoon the same whale
  • A shared hunting expedition where two ships cooperate in a whale chase

Why does Captain Ahab refuse to participate in gams with other ships?

  • He fears that other captains will discover his plan to hunt Moby Dick
  • He believes gams waste valuable time that should be spent hunting whales
  • He only consorts with captains who can provide information about the White Whale
  • He has been banned from socializing by the ship's owners in Nantucket

What ostensible reason is given for Ahab not boarding the other whaler?

  • The other ship was carrying a contagious disease among its crew
  • The wind and sea betokened storms, making the crossing dangerous
  • The other captain had previously insulted Ahab at port in Nantucket
  • The Pequod was in urgent pursuit of a whale pod spotted nearby

To what does Ishmael compare two whalers meeting at sea?

  • Two old friends reuniting at a harbor tavern after many years apart
  • Two strangers meeting in desolate places like the Pine Barrens or Salisbury Plain
  • Two merchants haggling over prices at a busy foreign marketplace
  • Two soldiers meeting on a battlefield during a temporary ceasefire

How does Melville describe merchant ships passing each other at sea?

  • They exchange friendly signals and share news about weather conditions
  • They salute each other with elaborate cannon volleys and flag ceremonies
  • They pass without a word, like a brace of dandies cutting each other in Broadway
  • They race past each other, competing to reach their destination port first

What do pirate ships ask each other when they meet at sea?

  • "What treasure do you carry?" before deciding whether to attack
  • "How many skulls?" — mirroring the whalers' "How many barrels?"
  • "Where is the nearest port?" before quickly separating in distrust
  • "Who is your captain?" to check if they serve the same master

What attitude do English whalers display toward American whalers?

  • Genuine admiration for American techniques and superior whale-killing numbers
  • Hostile rivalry leading to physical confrontations between rival crews
  • A kind of metropolitan superiority, regarding Nantucketers as "sea-peasants"
  • Complete indifference, as English and American ships rarely cross paths

How does Melville counter the English whalers' sense of superiority?

  • By listing the many innovations American whalers brought to the industry
  • By noting Americans kill more whales in one day than the English do in ten years
  • By arguing that Nantucket captains have more centuries of whaling experience
  • By citing official government records showing American dominance at sea

Why must the whaling captain stand upright during the boat ride to a gam?

  • Tradition requires the captain to stand as a display of his rank and authority
  • The whaleboat has no stern seat and no tiller, leaving no place to sit
  • The captain must stand to navigate through the rough seas between the ships
  • Standing allows the captain to be seen by both crews watching from the ships

Why does the standing captain keep his hands in his trouser pockets?

  • To protect his hands from the cold sea spray during the crossing
  • To prevent himself from reflexively grabbing the oars and interfering with rowing
  • As a token of self-command and dignity, with the joke that heavy hands serve as ballast
  • Because whaling tradition considers it bad luck to grip anything during a gam crossing

What desperate action have some captains taken in a sudden squall during a gam?

  • They leap overboard and swim to the nearest ship for safety
  • They order the oarsmen to turn back immediately to their own vessel
  • They seize hold of the nearest oarsman's hair and hold on like grim death
  • They crouch down in the bottom of the boat and abandon all dignity

Which famous lexicographers does Ishmael say failed to include the word "gam"?

  • Shakespeare and Milton, the great English literary authorities
  • Dr. Johnson and Noah Webster, the leading English dictionary makers
  • Emerson and Thoreau, the prominent American intellectual writers
  • Diderot and Voltaire, the renowned French encyclopedia contributors

During a gam, where do the two captains and two chief mates go?

  • Both captains and both mates gather on the larger of the two ships together
  • The captains remain on their own ships while only the mates exchange visits
  • The two captains go on one ship and the two chief mates go on the other
  • All officers meet in a neutral whaleboat positioned between the two vessels

What word does Melville use to describe the whaler's character in contrast to other ships?

  • "Fierce, proud, ruthless, and solitary in his obsessive whale-hunting mission"
  • "Godly, honest, unostentatious, hospitable, sociable, free-and-easy"
  • "Rough, uncultured, superstitious, but ultimately brave and noble at heart"
  • "Cunning, resourceful, weathered, and indifferent to social convention at sea"

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