Lu's Précis Assignment

Lu's Précis Assignment

Kopacz, Paula. "Cultural Sweat: Melville, Labor, And Slavery." Leviathan 13.1 (2011): 74-87. Literary Reference Center. Web. 22 Jan. 2013.

In "Cultural Sweat: Melville, Labor, and Slavery," critic Paula Kopacz argues that in addition to the traditional values most critics have been discussed for years, "Moby Dick" also reflects Melville's deep concerns on manual labors and his oppositions to the slavery. Though examining the similarities and differences between mill workers and whalers, Kopacz asserts that there is a deep sympathy towards working class embeds in Melville's novel. By doing so, Kopacz suggests that Malville is criticizing slavery, for which mill workers, whalers, and slaves all have limited power over their fates under the suppression of the ruling class. Although Kopacz acknowledge critics' studies on the social and political elements of the story, he points out that critics have failed to recognize Melville's metaphorical languages that are closely associated with slavery.


Kopacz first compares the gender difference between mill workers and whalers. He points out a fact that most mill workers are most female and most whalers are mostly males. In other words, there is an absence of gender difference in both environments. Kopacz describes the scene of Stubb throwing Aunt Charity's gift to the sea, suggesting the uselessness of feminine activities in sailings. Kopacz thinks in Melville's understanding, female world is on land, male cite is the sea.

Yet, Kopacz puts more focuses on the similarities between those two groups. Both female mill workers and male whalers share same interests in the pursuit of money Kopacz depicts Ishmael's discussion with captain over the issues of income and Queequeg’s action of selling heads on the street. This description is corresponding to the historical background at that time. Due to the limited economic opportunities, young men are forced to the sea, and young women to the mills for opportunities as the whaling and industries begins to grow dramatically. Young people can not only earn wages but also learn from this experience as Kopacz quoted Ishmael's words "a whale-ship was my Yale College and my Harvard." The sailing experience will provide enough skills and confidences for young men like Ishmael to make a good living in the future. Even some young women can earn a little saving to help their families by working in the mills.

In addition, Kopacz closely explains the purpose of Melville's detailed description on hard labors and the class status on the ship. It shows his sympathy to lower working class, because whalers did not have any opportunities to change their fate, or have a pleasant voyage. Captain Ahab, as the leader of the ship, does nothing but pulling his crew into danger by chasing the Moby Dick, while everyone else does the repetitive, tedious, and unpleasant works. In addition, there is distinct class discrimination on the ship. When men go down to dinner, Captain Ahab treated Flask like a slave.

In Kopacz’s interpretation, Melville connects whalers' condition with mill workers’ and slaves’ condition. All of them are lower working class, live in the absence of personal freedom, earn very little as a result of ruler's suppression, and have no power in changing their destiny.

Kopacz suggests that Melville's descriptions on whalers’ lives show Melville's sympathy towards the lower working class, and his criticism on the irrational reality of slavery. His close reading offers not only a new understanding of Moby Dick but also offers an access that allows readers to connect the historical background with the themes in the book.