Chapter 122 Midnight, Aloft

Abridged Text, followed by Abridger Notes, followed by multimedia, followed by Original Text with deletions.

 

Chapter 122 Midnight.—Aloft

 The Main-top-sail yard.—Tashtego passing new lashings around it.

 

“Stop that thunder! Plenty too much thunder up here. What’s the use of thunder? We don’t want thunder; we want rum; give us a glass of rum!”


Link to Chapter 123 The Musket.

Abridger Notes

 

I deleted Tashtigo’s repeated ‘um, um, um’ from this chapter, but was also curious enough about its placement to ask ChatGPT 4o, and it suggested a number of possibilities for its inclusion.

 

  •  Rhythmic and Meditative Quality
  •  Expression of Discontent or Frustration (Psychological Subtext)
  •  Characterization and Cultural Echo
  •  Aural Atmosphere in the Scene
  •  Absurdity and Humor

 

I asked about the possibility of playing to stereotype in speech, and it came back with some thoughts, but it couldn’t give citations to published analyses that might be relevant to 19th stereotypes and biases.

 

“While the "um, um, um" could be rooted in a stereotype (conscious or unconscious) about Native Americans or laborers, its interpretation depends on how we view Melville’s broader intentions. Was he leaning on 19th-century conventions to define Tashtego, or was he trying to humanize him within a world dominated by cultural hierarchies? The answer may vary among readers and critics.” ChatgPT 4o

 

While space wasn’t an issue in this case, the ‘um,um,um’ didn’t contribute to the fun in the passage, in my mind anyways.

 

Multimedia Chapter 122 Midnight.— Aloft

 

Original Chapter 122 Midnight.—Aloft

with Deletions

 

 The Main-top-sail yard.—Tashtego passing new lashings around it.

 

“Um, um, um. Stop that thunder! Plenty too much thunder up here. What’s the use of thunder? Um, um, um. We don’t want thunder; we want rum; give us a glass of rum. Um, um, um!”

 

 


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