Herman-melville Quote by David Foster Wallace
““In school I ended up writing three different papers on "The Castaway" section of Moby-Dick, the chapter where the cabin boy Pip falls overboard and is driven mad by the empty immensity of what he finds himself floating in. And when I teach school now I always teach Crane's horrific "The Open Boat," and get all bent out of shape when the kids find the story dull or jaunty-adventurish: I want them to feel the same marrow-level dread of the oceanic I've always felt, the intuition of the sea as primordial nada, bottomless, depths inhabited by cackling tooth-studded things rising toward you at the rate a feather falls.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: Consider the Lobster, 2004
He wants readers to experience the profound, unsettling awe of the ocean's vast, indifferent emptiness, similar to the dread felt by characters in classic sea literature.
In simple terms: Feel the deep, unsettling awe of the sea.
Key Takeaway
Embrace the unsettling awe of vastness.
Themes
literature
existential
nature
education
Mood
thoughtful
intense
Type
reflective
philosophical
When to use this quote
- teaching literature
- discussing marine metaphors
- writing about dread
- exploring existential themes
Key Concepts
phenomenology
cosmic insignificance
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- How does confronting existential dread affect learning?
- Can awe be cultivated without fear?
A Different Perspective
The emotional impact may overwhelm some students, limiting engagement.
