“Listen to me, Starbuck,” continued Ahab, “Everything in the world is just a mask. Behind that mask there is something unknown and reasoning. Man just strike that mask! This mask is like the wall of a prison. If a man wants to escape he must strike through the wall! Behind the actions of Moby Dick is something bad, something evil! I hate that evil thing! I would hit the sun, if the sun insulted me!”
“God help us,” said Starbuck.
Now, however, all of us, except Starbuck, were with Ahab, and we drank the grog to the success of the hunt. Yes, I Ishmael was one of those who drank to the success of the hunt; Captain Ahab had convinced me. Then I tried to find out as much as I could about Moby Dick. It seems that Moby Dick was well known among the whalers, but those who had met him once, never looked for him again – except Ahab. The White Whale travelled alone unlike other sperm whales that always travelled in groups. One rumour said that Moby Dick was ubiquitous; this may be because he was an incredibly fast whale. Another rumour said that Moby Dick was immortal. How else could he have survived so many battles with the whalers? Moby Dick was also much larger than other sperm whales. But most important, it was through that Moby Dick was incredibly intelligent and evil.
