American Literature books summary

The next day, the Pequod is caught in a typhoon. The weird weather makes white ames appear at the top of the three masts and Ahab refuses to let the crew put up lightning rods to draw away the danger. While Ahab marvels at the ship's three masts lit up like three spermaceti candles, hailing them as good omens and signs of his own power, Starbuck sees them as a warning against continuing the journey. When Starbuck sees Ahab's harpoon also ickering with fire, he says that this is a sign that God is against Ahab. Ahab, however, grasps the harpoon, and says, in front of a frightened crew, there is nothing to fear in the enterprise that binds them all together. He blows out the ame to "blow out the last fear. "In the next chapter, Starbuck questions Ahab's judgment again{this time saying that they should pull down the main-top-sail yard. Ahab says that they should just lash it tighter, complaining that his first mate must think him incompetent. On the bulwarks of the forecastle, Stubb and Flask are having their own conversation about the storm and Ahab's behavior. Stubb basically dominates the conversation and says that this journey is no more dangerous than any other is even though it seems as if Ahab is putting them in extreme danger. Suspended above them all on the main-top-sail yard, Tashtego says to himself that sailors don't care that much about the storm, just rum. When the storm finally dies down, Starbuck goes below to report to Ahab. On the way to Ahab's cabin, he sees a row of muskets, including the very one that Ahab had leveled at him earlier. Angry about Ahab's reckless and selfish behavior, he talks to himself about whether he ought to kill his captain. He decides he cannot kill Ahab in his sleep and goes up.

When Ahab is on deck the next day, he realizes that the storm has thrown off the compasses. Ahab then pronounces himself "lord over the level loadstone yet" and makes his own needle. Here Ishmael comments, "In this fiery eyes of scorn and triumph, you then saw Ahab in all his fatal pride." With all the other orienteering devices out of order, Ahab decides to pull out the seldom-used log and line. Because of heat and moisture, the line breaks and Ahab realizes that he now has none of his original orienteering devices. He calls for Pip to help him and Pip answers with nonsense. Ahab, touched by Pip's crazy speeches, says that his cabin will now be Pip's because they boy "touchest [his] inmost center."

Chapters 126-132

Sailors are very superstitious. As the Pequod approaches the Equatorial fishing ground, the sailors think that they hear ghosts wailing. The Manxman (man from the Isle of Man) says that these are the voices of the newly drowned men in the sea. Ahab says nonsense. When the Pequod's life-buoy falls overboard and sinks, the sailors think it is a fulfillment of evil that was foretold. The offcers decide to replace the life-buoy with Queequeg's coffn.

Though the carpenter grumbles about having to transform the object, Ahab, who is aware of the irony of the substitution, nevertheless calls the carpenter "unprincipled as the gods" for going through with the substitution.

The Pequod encounters the ship Rachel while it is looking for Moby Dick in these waters. Captain Gardiner of the , after afirming that he has indeed seen Moby Dick, climbs aboard Ahab's ship and begs Ahab to help him find his son, whose whaleboat was lost in the chase after the white whale. Ahab refuses. Now that Ahab knows that the white whale is near, he spends a lot of time walking the decks. As Ahab goes up one time, Pip wants to follow him. Ahab tells him to stay in the captain's cabin, lest Pip's insanity start to cure his own just when he's getting close to the whale and needs to be a little crazy.

And so Ahab, shadowed everywhere by Fedallah, remains on deck, ever watchful. This continuous watch sharpens Ahab's obsession and he decides that he must be the first to sight the whale. He asks Starbuck to help him get up the main-mast head and watch his rope. When he is there, a black hawk steals his hat; Ishmael this considers a bad omen. The Pequod then runs into the miserably misnamed ship Delight. The Delight has indeed encountered Moby Dick, but the result was a gutted whaleboat and dead men. As the Pequod goes by, the Delight drops a corpse in the water and sprinkles the Pequod's hull with a "ghostly baptism."

In the chapter called The Symphony, disparage parts come together for a crescendo. The pressure finally gets to Ahab and he seems human here, dropping a tear into the sea. He and Starbuck have a bonding moment as Ahab sadly talks about his continual, tiring whaling. He calls himself a fool and thinks himself pathetic. Starbuck suggests giving up the chase, but Ahab wonders if he can stop because he feels pushed on by Fate. But as Ahab is asking these grand questions, Starbuck steals away. When Ahab goes to the other side of the deck to gaze into the water, Fedallah, too, is looking over the rail.

Chapters 133-Epilogue

Summary

Ahab can sense by smell that Moby Dick is near. Climbing up to the main royal-mast head, Ahab spots Moby Dick and earns himself the doubloon. All the boats set off in chase of the whale. When Moby Dick finally surfaces, he stoves Ahab's boat. The whale is swimming too fast away from them and they all return to the ship.

Saying that persistent pursuit of one whale has historically happened before, Ishmael comments that Ahab still desperately wants to chase Moby Dick though he has lost one boat. They do sight Moby Dick again and the crewmen, growing increasingly in awe of Ahab and caught up in the thrill of the chase, lower three boats. Starbuck stays to mind the Pequod. Ahab tries to attack Moby Dick head on this time, but again, Moby Dick is triumphant.

He stoves Ahab's ship and breaks his false leg. When they return to the Pequod, Ahab finds out that Fedallah is gone, dragged down by Ahab's own line. Starbuck tells him to stop, but Ahab, convinced that he is only the "Fate's lieutenant," says he must keep pursuing the whale.

. Still on the look out, the crew spots the white whale for a third time but sees nothing until Ahab realizes, "Aye, he's chasing me now; not I, him{ that's bad." They turn the ship around completely and Ahab mounts the masthead himself. He sights the spout and lowers again. As he gets into his boat and leaves Starbuck in charge, the two men exchange a poignant moment in which Ahab asks to shake hands with his first made and the first mate tries to tell him not to go. Dangerously, sharks bite at the oars as the boats pull away.

Starbuck, in a monologue, laments Ahab's sure doom. On the water, Ahab sees Moby Dick breach. Seeing Fedallah strapped to the whale by turns of rope, Ahab realizes that this is the first hearse that the Parsee had forecasted. The whale goes down again and Ahab rows close to the ship. He tells Tashtego to find another ag and nail it to the main masthead. The boats soon see the white whale again and go after him. But Moby Dick only turns around, and heads for the Pequod at full speed. He smashes the ship.

It goes down without its captain. The ship, Ahab realizes, is the second hearse. Impassioned, Ahab is now determined to strike at Moby Dick with all of his power: "Towards thee I roll, thou all-destroying but unconquering whale; to the last I grapple with thee; from hell's heart I stab at thee; for hate's sake I spit my last breath at thee. Sink all coffns and all hearses to one common pool and since neither can be mine, let me then tow to pieces, while still chasing thee, though tied to thee, thou damned whale! Thus, I give up the spear!" After darting the whale, Ahab is caught around the neck by the ying line. He is dragged under the sea. Tashtego, meanwhile, is still trying to nail the ag to the ship's spar as it goes down. He catches a sky-hawk in mid-hammer and the screaming bird, folded in the ag, goes down with everything else.

In the Epilogue, Ishmael wraps up the story, saying that he is the only one who survives the wreck. All the boats and ship were ruined. Ishmael survives only because Queequeg's coffn bobs up and becomes his life buoy. A day after the wreck, the Rachel, still cruising for her first lost son, saves Ishmael.

The Scarlet Letter

Introduction-Chapter 1

Introduction: The first forty-four pages written by the author tell about his life working at the Custom House in Salem Massachusetts.  During his time of employment there, he discovers some records in the attic and begins to piece together the story of Hester Prynne, an adulterous man in Puritan Salem.  The Scarlet Letter is his account of the story with as many facts as he, the author, was able to gather from the documents he found.   Chapter 1: Hawthorn’s first chapter is short, detailing the set up of colonial Salem.  He talks of the town and how essential prisons and cemeteries are in the organization.  Next to the steps of the Salem prison is a rosebush that has survived centuries and Hawthorn says this bush gives comfort with it’s beauty to the people who enter and leave the establishment.

Chapter 2: A town meeting is taking place and the people of the town, mainly the women, are gathered for the release of the adulteress, Hester Prynne.  She steps out of the prison with the town beadle leading her with his hand on her shoulder.  Hawthorn describes her as beautiful with a very proud stature that does not cower to the crowd of disdain that surrounds her.  On her chest she bears the scarlet letter ‘A’ that is surrounded by shining gold thread upon a gown that scandalizes the women of the town. 

Clutched close to her breast is the child that was produced by her adultery and the apparent reason she was not more harshly punished for her crime.  She stood there under public scrutiny, not with a look of shame but almost bewilderment that her life had panned out as it had. 

Chapter 3: Mistress Prynne is placed upon the pillory for three hours so all can see her shame.  As she is standing there with her babe, she notices a new man in town along with an Indian.  From the moment she sees him, she cannot take her eyes from him.  An angry look quickly flashes across the man’s face at the sight of her and he inquires to the town person next to him why the woman is made to stand upon the pillory.  Both the man and the readers are informed that Mistress Prynne was married to a man who has not yet returned from the Netherlands where they sailed from to New England.

 Because she was so long away from her husband, it is obvious that he was not the father of her child.  The man asked of her sentence, and of the man who did father the child and the town’s person told him that the father is not known.  The Governor of the town who is standing on a higher platform then appeals to the Reverend Dimmesdale to extract the name of father from Mistress Prynne.  After an emotional plea to Mistress Prynne, she still refuses to state the name of the father of her child, and states that her child has only a heavenly father.

Chapter 4: When Mistress Prynne was returned to the prison, she was in such mental disarray that the jailer, Master Brackett, decided to call in the physician.  Roger Chillingworth, Hester’s real husband, introduces himself as the physician for Mistress Prynne and as soon as he enters the room, she goes perfectly still. Mr. Chillingsworth was the same man who she saw when she was on the pillory.  He began to examine the baby and Hester expresses her concern that he will hurt the child as revenge on her.

 They talk about their failed marriage, and how there was never love between them, and Roger tells her not to reveal to anyone who he really was.  After giving her a draught to calm her, he asks her who the father of the child was.  Again, as she did when asked by the Reverend, she refuses to give the name of the father.  At her refusal, he tells her that he will find out who the man is and that she not breathe a word of his identity to anyone.

Chapter 5: Hester was released from prison and free to go wherever she wished.  Instead of fleeing the town she moved to a little cottage outside of it, and supported herself with her needlework.  She sewed for many different people of the town but kept herself in plain clothing, save the letter upon her bosom.  She took all of the passion of her life and used it to ply her needle.  Much of her work she donated to the poor as penance for her guilt.  Although they all coveted her services, she was still an outcast looked upon with malice and her sin burned deep in her soul.

Chapter 6: Hester named her child Pearl because she was her treasure in life. Pearl was beautiful and intelligent, and had an air of a nymph about her.  Even as a baby, the child was fascinated by the scarlet letter Hester wore upon her breast. This was a constant reminder for Hester of her sin.  Pearl was a happy laughing child who had a fiery passion and temper that made Hester and others wonder if she was a demon with her black eyes.  Everywhere Hester went Pearl went also.  They had only each other.  Hester attempted to raise her daughter with Puritan values but could not discipline her and Pearl held the strings on whether or not she did what she was told.  Chapter 7: Hester and Pearl went to the Governor Bellingham’s house to deliver a pair of gloves she had embroidered for him.  More than the delivery, Hester was there to plead to be able to keep Pearl.  The people of the town thought that because of her sin, Hester was unfit to raise her child.  When she arrived to the house, the governor was with other gentleman in the garden and they waited for a chance to speak with him.  As they were waiting, Pearl was examining a shining suit of armor and saw Hester in it.  She was delighted by the sight, and Hester’s image was lost behind the large shiny red letter that was magnified by the polished armor.

Chapter 8: The Governor, the pastor John Wilson, Reverend Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth exited the garden to find their path blocked by the nymph Pearl.  Struck by the beauty of the scarlet clad child they ask her to whom she belongs.  She answers that she is Pearl, and her mother’s child.  As they enter the hall, they see Mistress Prynne and are happy that she has come so they can discuss what to do with Pearl.  Testing to see whether the child has been properly instructed so far, the dotting John Winston asks young Pearl who made her.  Pearl, though she knew the correct answer was the Heavenly Father answered that she had been plucked by her mother from the rose bush by the prison door. 

The gentlemen were appalled by the child’s answer and decided that Hester should not raise her further.  Hester was angry with this and pleaded Reverend Dimmesdale who knew she was capable of guiding the child spiritually to let her keep Pearl.  She argued that God gave her Pearl, and that they could not take away the only joy that God gave her.  After discussing it further among themselves, with the Reverend giving an impassioned plea for Hester, they decided to let her keep Pearl.  Hester was thankful, and she and Pearl left for home.  Mr. Chillingworth offered to figure out the identity of the father of the child, but his offer was refused.  As she leaves, Hester realizes that she would have sold her soul to the devil if it meant she could keep her child. 

Chapter 9: Since his first appearance in town, the people looked on Roger Chillingworth as a blessing.  They were thankful that such a learned physician was given to them.  As time went on, Mr. Chillingworth and the Reverend Dimmesdale became very close.  Though he was young, the Reverend was growing sicker and sicker by the day and the people of the town implored him to let the physician examine him.  He refused but continued to become closer and closer to the old man.  After a while they even began living together in the home of a respected matron of the town.  As time passed, the people began to look at Mr. Chillingworth differently however.  Instead of seeing a man sent from God to help them, they saw in his old disfigured form, a servant of Satan that was sent to haunt the Reverend.

Chapter 10: Mr. Chillingworth watched the Reverend searching him for the secret sin of his soul.  Searching for Hester’s lover became the secret purpose of his life and it clouded his head and heart.  Slowly he was trying to get the Reverend to confess to the deed, and one afternoon began a discussion with him about unconfessed sin and how it eats away at the soul.  While they are talking, they see Hester and Pearl in the cemetery.  They look up at the men in the window and they wonder if the mischevious nymph like, Pearl, is true evil.  After the woman and the child leave the cemetery, the men continue with their conversation.

 Mr. Chillingworth accuses the Reverend that he cannot cure him until he knows the pain upon his soul because that sin is part of his bodily ailment.  In a moment of passion, the Reverend blows up at him telling him that he will reveal nothing to the earthly man and leaves the room.  This display of passion makes Mr. Chillingworth exceptionally pleased because it brings him closer to finding out that his suspicions of Hester and the Reverend are true.

Chapter 11: As the days went by the Reverend Dimmesdale continued to be haunted more and more by the sin upon his soul. He would look upon his companion the physician with disgust and feel as if the black part of his heart was spilling over into the rest of his life.  The people of the town began to worship him more, saying he was a wonderful and saintly young preacher.  As they looked up to him with greater fervor, he began to hate himself more.  Many a time he stood on his pulpit aching to tell them of his sin, release it from his heart.  However, all he could manage to say was that he was a terrible sinner, which only inspired his congregation more because they saw him as virtually flawless.  He fasted, prayed, and kept vigils in order to purge himself, but the sin upon his soul haunted him without end. 

Chapter 12: It was midnight and Reverend Dimmesdale was so tortured by his sin that he took himself out and stood upon the scaffold that Hester had stood.  He planned to stay there all night suffering from his own shame.  At one point he cried out hoping in his mind to wake the whole town so they could see him standing there, so his sin could finally be revealed and his mind eased.  However, no one in the town was awakened by his cry.  At one point from his perch, he saw the Pastor John Winston walking towards him, but the man was wrapped up tightly in his cloak and did not notice the Reverend on the scaffold. 

His mind wandered to what he would look like in the morning when his body was frozen with cold, and at the image of himself in his mind, he laughed.  His laugh was returned by a sprightly laugh in the darkness that was none other than Pearl’s.  He cried out to her in the night, and to Hester.  They appeared having been out measuring a robe for a man who had died that evening.  At the Reverend’s request, they came to stand upon the scaffold with him and they joined hands in their sin.  Pearl asked the Reverend repeatedly if he would come stand with them on the scaffold the next day at noon, but the Dimmesdale refused.  Out of the darkness, Mr. Chillingworth appeared, and the Reverend spoke his fear and hatred of the man.  He asked who he really was, and because of her oath, Hester kept her silence.  Pearl whispered gibberish to him in revenge for him not standing with them the next day on the scaffold.  The Reverend looked up into the sky and saw a meteor trail that looked like a large red ‘A’ leering at him.  Mr. Chillingworth told him to come home and he left the scaffold with the evilly happy physician.

Chapter 13: Seven years had passed since little Pearl’s birth. The letter on Hester’s chest to the village people had become a symbol of her good deeds.  It set her apart from the general population, but many looked on her as a sister of charity.  When someone was in need she was always the one by his or her side.  Many people in town said the A stood for able.  She had changed.  She was an empty form, void of the passion and love that people were able to see in her before.

 Her luxurious hair was always hidden from the sight of the people.  After the minister’s vigil, Hester found a new cause for sacrifice, a new purpose.  She decided to talk to the old physician, her former husband, and try to save his victim from further mental torture.  After making her decision, she came upon him as he was walking the peninsula.

Chapter 14: Hester instructed Pearl to go run and play and she went to a pool and saw herself there.  Hester accosted Mr. Chillingworth and he began telling her of all the good things the people in the town had said about her.  The leaders in the town at the last council meeting had even thought about admitting Hester to take the letter off her bosom.  Hester told him that if the Lord meant her to take it off her chest that it would have fallen off long ago.  While they began talking, Hester took a good look at him.  In the past seven years he had aged well, but there was a strikingly different look about him.  He wore a guarded look of an eager angry man who was out for revenge.

   They began talking about the minister and Mr. Chillingworth reveals that had it not been for his care, the minister would have died long ago.  Hester asks if he has not had enough revenge since he was able to torture the minister every day by burying into his heart.  He answers no, that it will never be enough.  Hester tells him that she plans on revealing his secret to the minister and he tells her that neither of them are sinful and evil, they just must lead the lives that they were given because of her sin.  They say farewell, and Hester leaves him to gathering herbs.

Chapter 15: Hester watches him for a while from a distance disgusted at the evil she sees in him.  She turns to find little Pearl who was playing with all the different things in nature.  When Pearl goes back to her mother, Hester sees that the child has made a letter A out of seaweed and placed it on her chest.  Hester asks the child if she knows what the letter her mother wears means.  Pearl answers that it is the same reason the minister keeps his hand over his chest. 

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