Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, Chapter 80 - The Nut quiz

Questions and answers

1. 1

   Question 1. What does Ishmael compare the sperm whale to physiognomically at the start of Chapter 80?

   • A Greek god whose beauty conceals a ruthless inner nature beneath its sculpted exterior
   • Correct answer: A Sphinx whose inscrutable face defies all attempts at interpretation or understanding
   • A Roman emperor whose stern visage commands obedience from all who dare approach
   • A medieval gargoyle whose grotesque features are designed to frighten away evil spirits

   Ishmael opens by stating, "If the Sperm Whale be physiognomically a Sphinx" — comparing its face to the inscrutable Sphinx that defies interpretation.

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2. 2

   Question 2. How large is the sperm whale's actual brain cavity according to Ishmael?

   • Roughly three feet in length and two feet in depth, filling the front portion of the skull
   • Correct answer: Seldom exceeding ten inches in length and as many in depth, a tiny fraction of the skull
   • Approximately five feet long and three feet deep, occupying the center of the massive skull
   • Nearly as large as the skull itself, with the brain stretching from front to back throughout

   Ishmael writes that in "another cavity seldom exceeding ten inches in length and as many in depth reposes the mere handful of this monster's brain."

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3. 3

   Question 3. To what military structure does Ishmael compare the whale's hidden brain?

   • The Tower of London, surrounded by moats and guarded by centuries of royal authority
   • Correct answer: The innermost citadel within the amplified fortifications of Quebec, deeply concealed
   • The walls of Constantinople, layered with defense upon defense against all invaders
   • The underground bunkers beneath the fortress of Gibraltar, carved into solid mountain rock

   Ishmael writes the brain "is hidden away behind its vast outworks, like the innermost citadel within the amplified fortifications of Quebec."

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4. 4

   Question 4. What do some whalemen believe is the true seat of the sperm whale's intelligence?

   • The massive jaw muscles that allow the whale to crush boats with tremendous biting force
   • Correct answer: The cubic yards of spermaceti in the whale's magazine, rather than the small actual brain
   • The whale's eyes, which are positioned far apart to give an extraordinarily wide field of vision
   • The blowhole and nasal passages, which contain dense networks of highly sensitive nerve endings

   Ishmael reports that some whalemen "peremptorily deny that the Sperm Whale has any other brain than that palpable semblance of one formed by the cubic-yards of his sperm magazine."

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5. 5

   Question 5. What does Ishmael mean when he says "the whale, like all things that are mighty, wears a false brow to the common world"?

   • The whale's skin changes color depending on water temperature, making it appear different from day to day
   • Correct answer: The whale's exterior skull shape is misleading, and true power always conceals itself behind deceptive appearances
   • The whale intentionally hides from whalers by diving deep and swimming away from approaching ships
   • The whale's forehead is covered in scars that disguise its true age and make it look more formidable

   Ishmael declares phrenology useless on the whale because the junk and sperm create a false exterior. The aphorism extends to all mighty things — their true nature is always hidden.

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6. 6

   Question 6. What happens when the whale's skull, stripped of spermaceti, is viewed from the rear?

   • It reveals a complex system of air chambers that allow the whale to regulate its buoyancy underwater
   • Correct answer: It bears a striking resemblance to a human skull and could be confused with one if scaled down
   • It shows the enormous optic nerves that give the whale its legendary ability to see in deep darkness
   • It displays a network of blood vessels that help cool the whale's brain during deep ocean dives

   Ishmael notes that viewed from the rear and scaled to human size, the whale's skull placed "among a plate of men's skulls" would be involuntarily confounded with them.

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7. 7

   Question 7. What phrenological traits does a phrenologist find lacking in the whale's skull?

   • Intellect and creativity, suggesting the whale operates purely on primal hunting instincts
   • Correct answer: Self-esteem and veneration, which Ishmael interprets as revealing the nature of exalted potency
   • Caution and benevolence, indicating the whale is both reckless and devoid of compassion
   • Memory and reasoning, implying the whale cannot learn from past encounters with whalers

   Ishmael says a phrenologist would observe "This man had no self-esteem, and no veneration" — and these negations, combined with the whale's power, reveal "what the most exalted potency is."

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8. 8

   Question 8. What is the "German conceit" that Ishmael references about vertebrae?

   • That the spinal column stores memories separate from the brain, creating a second consciousness
   • Correct answer: That vertebrae are absolutely undeveloped skulls, each bearing rudimental resemblance to the skull proper
   • That the number of vertebrae in an animal determines its lifespan and overall physical vitality
   • That the curve of the spine reflects the moral character of a nation and its cultural development

   Ishmael mentions "a German conceit, that the vertebrae are absolutely undeveloped skulls" — an idea he uses to develop his spinal branch of phrenology.

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9. 9

   Question 9. What does Ishmael say about the relationship between a person's spine and their soul?

   • That the spine is merely a structural support with no connection to a person's inner qualities
   • Correct answer: That a thin joist of a spine never yet upheld a full and noble soul, making the backbone essential
   • That the spine deteriorates as a person ages, mirroring the gradual decline of spiritual strength
   • That only doctors and surgeons can properly interpret what the spine reveals about human character

   Ishmael declares, "A thin joist of a spine never yet upheld a full and noble soul. I rejoice in my spine, as in the firm audacious staff of that flag which I fling half out to the world."

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10. 10

    Question 10. What are the dimensions of the sperm whale's spinal canal at the first neck-vertebra?

    • Six inches across and four inches in height, forming a narrow cylindrical passage
    • Correct answer: Ten inches across and eight inches in height, triangular with the base downwards
    • Fourteen inches across and twelve inches in height, forming a wide oval opening
    • Two inches across and three inches in height, barely large enough for the spinal cord

    Ishmael gives precise measurements: "the bottom of the spinal canal will measure ten inches across, being eight in height, and of a triangular figure with the base downwards."

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11. 11

    Question 11. How does the sperm whale's spinal cord compare to its brain in size?

    • The spinal cord is far thinner than the brain and tapers rapidly to almost nothing
    • Correct answer: For many feet after the brain cavity, the cord remains of undecreasing girth, almost equal to the brain
    • The spinal cord is exactly twice the diameter of the brain throughout its entire length
    • The spinal cord varies wildly in thickness, expanding and contracting at unpredictable intervals

    Ishmael notes that "for many feet after emerging from the brain's cavity, the spinal cord remains of an undecreasing girth, almost equal to that of the brain."

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12. 12

    Question 12. What character trait does Ishmael assign to the sperm whale's hump using his spinal theory?

    • Cunning and deception, since the hump conceals the whale's true strength from onlooking sailors
    • Correct answer: Firmness or indomitableness, since the hump rises over one of the whale's larger vertebrae
    • Patience and endurance, since the hump stores energy reserves for the whale's long ocean migrations
    • Aggression and fury, since the hump tenses visibly whenever the whale prepares to attack a ship

    Ishmael concludes: "I should call this high hump the organ of firmness or indomitableness in the Sperm Whale."

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13. 13

    Question 13. What is the story Ishmael tells about vertebrae being used decoratively?

    • European museums displaying whale vertebrae as artistic curiosities alongside Greek and Roman sculptures
    • Correct answer: A foreign friend who inlaid the vertebrae of a slain foe into the beaked prow of his canoe
    • New England whalemen carving scrimshaw designs into whale vertebrae to sell as souvenirs at port
    • Native islanders stringing whale vertebrae into necklaces worn as symbols of hunting prowess

    Ishmael recalls: "A foreign friend once pointed it out to me, in the skeleton of a foe he had slain, and with the vertebrae of which he was inlaying, in a sort of basso-relieve, the beaked prow of his canoe."

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14. 14

    Question 14. What ominous promise does Ishmael make at the very end of Chapter 80?

    • That the Pequod will soon encounter a storm more powerful than any the crew has ever witnessed
    • Correct answer: That the great monster is indomitable, and the crew will yet have reason to know this firsthand
    • That Captain Ahab will reveal the full extent of his obsession at the next crew gathering
    • That the ocean itself will turn against the whalers when they venture into the Pacific whaling grounds

    The chapter closes: "And that the great monster is indomitable, you will yet have reason to know" — foreshadowing the crew's disastrous encounters with Moby Dick.

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