Our story continues in Chapter 32 titled Cetology.

Here we learn more about our narrator Ishmael's sense of humor and his need to share his world of whaling by thus focusing on the categorization and classification of whales.

We learn about how this is considered a snapshot into the 1850s, a time of much interest in science and growing knowledge.

We also discuss a few whales that were listed under the common name, but modern day has discovered their true names.

What a fun little reprieve in our journey!

Next time, we continue our journey in whaling!

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Sources:

Melville, Herman. Moby Dick or The White Whale. 1851. Ebook ed., Project Gutenberg, Original Release 2001. Most Recent Update 2026. www.gutenberg.org

Philbrick, Nathaniel. Why Read Moby-Dick?. Ebook ed., Penguin Group, 2011.

"Herman Melville - Unappreciated and Almost Forgotten - Biography." YouTube, uploaded by Professor Graeme Yorston, 7 Mar. 2025, www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYG6u7quOSU

"Blue Whale." Marine Mammal Center. marinemammalcenter.org/animal-care/learn-about-marine-mammals/cetaceans/blue-whale Accessed 16 Aug. 2026

"Humpback Whale, Sulphur Bottom Whale." Cool Antarctica. coolantarctica.com/gallery/whales_whaling/0027.php Accessed 16 Aug. 2026

"Blue Whale." Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey. conservewildlifenj.org/?species=balaenoptra-musculus Accessed 16 Aug. 2026

"Fin Whale." International Whaling Commission. iwc.int/about-whales/whale-species/fin-whale Accessed 16 Aug. 2026

"Cetology of Moby Dick." Wikipedia. 16 Jun 2026. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/cetology_of_Moby-Dick Accessed 16 Aug. 2026