Chapter 45-46 Summary

Ishmael contends this chapter is the most important one in the novel as it touches on the behaviors of whales. First, Ishmael cites three instances in which a whale was wounded by a harpoon, managed to escape, and then was later killed by the same men who first wounded him. Ishmael also asserts land men do not fully comprehend the dangers of whale hunting first because those injured or killed upon these missions are not well publicized, and second, those on land do not realize how big and powerful these creatures actually are.

Next, Ishmael gives examples of times that Sperm Whales have been knowingly and maliciously destructive to men and their ships. These examples give evidence the whale is not simply a dumb creature that acts on the basis of instinct, but instead an intelligent beast that acts on the...