# LXIV: Stubb’s Supper explained — Moby-Dick

> Chapter companion for Moby-Dick by Herman Melville.

## What happens

After killing a whale, the crew tows the massive carcass to the Pequod and secures it for the night. Captain Ahab, dissatisfied that the kill is not Moby Dick, retreats. Stubb, excited by the conquest, orders a steak from the whale and has a midnight supper at the capstan. As he eats, thousands of sharks noisily feast on the whale. Stubb calls the old black cook, Fleece, and orders him to preach to the sharks to quiet them. Fleece delivers a comical, cynical sermon on governing one's nature. Stubb then interrogates Fleece about his cooking and age, criticizing his whale-steak preparation before dismissing him.

## Themes in this chapter

### Man vs. Nature

The chapter details the laborious towing of the 'inert, sluggish' whale corpse, a conquered piece of nature, and the violent, chaotic feast of sharks, highlighting the ongoing struggle and consumption within the natural world.

### Interpretation and Perception

Fleece's sermon to the sharks is a layered, ironic performance. He frames sharkish nature as something to be governed, creating a absurd allegory about morality, society, and hypocrisy, all under Stubb's mocking direction.

## Character check-ins

### Stubb

Flushed with conquest after the whale kill; orders and enjoys a whale steak supper at midnight; orchestrates Fleece's sermon to the sharks and critiques the cook's culinary skills.

### Captain Ahab

Appears briefly to oversee securing the dead whale; exhibits vague dissatisfaction and impatience, as the kill reminds him his monomaniacal quest for Moby Dick remains unfulfilled; retreats to his cabin.

### Fleece

The old black cook, roused from sleep; reluctantly preaches to the sharks at Stubb's command, delivering a humorous sermon on self-governance; is criticized by Stubb for his cooking.

### Starbuck

His staid demeanor contrasts with Stubb's excitement; he quietly resigns the management of affairs to Stubb for the time.

### Daggoo

Mentioned as the man Stubb orders overboard to cut a steak from the whale.

## Key lines

> good evidence was hereby furnished of the enormousness of the mass we moved.

The extreme difficulty of towing the whale demonstrated its immense size and weight.

_Emphasizes the physical scale of the whale and the labor involved._

> as if the sight of that dead body reminded him that Moby Dick was yet to be slain

The dead whale only served to remind Ahab that his true target, Moby Dick, was still out there.

_Highlights Ahab's singular obsession and his dissatisfaction with any other kill._

> if you gobern de shark in you, why den you be angel; for all angel is not’ing more dan de shark well goberned.

If you control the predatory shark-like part of your nature, then you become an angel; an angel is just a well-governed shark.

_Fleece's core, cynical theological point from his sermon, reducing morality to the management of innate viciousness._

> Cussed fellow-critters! Kick up de damndest row as ever you can; fill your dam’ bellies ’till dey bust—and den die.

Damned fellow creatures! Make as much noise as you can; eat until your stomachs burst—and then die.

_Fleece's frustrated and ironic 'benediction,' concluding that preaching to innate, insatiable nature is useless._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/moby_dick_se/chapters/lxiv-stubb-s-supper
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/moby_dick_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/moby_dick_se/chapters