Moby Dick

In chapter 124, Ahab asserts his navigational skill:

…He hurried towards the helm, huskily demanding how the ship was heading. “East-sou’east, Sir,” said the frightened steersman. “Thou liest!” smiting him with his clenched fist. Heading East at this hour in the morning, and the sun astern?” Upon this every soul was confounded… the old man [Ahab] with a rigid laugh exclaimed, “I have it! It has happened before. Mr. Starbuck, last night’s thunder turned our compasses- that’s all.”

Here we see one more element of the danger in whaling: not only can the physical power of the sea capsize a boat or wash a man overboard, but the navigational system is vulnerable. Without the astute senses of Ahab, the Pequod could have taken a wrong course for days or weeks, following a broken compass instead of their planned route. This is again an example of man vs. nature, where the natural world has the ability to interfere with that of man, or the ship. The crew relies on technology, and loses its ability to observe one of nature’s most basic facts: the sun rises in the East, and sets in the West. In the continuing struggle between man and nature throughout the novel, it is moments such as these that demonstrate what the crew misses by campaigning in opposition to nature, instead of working cooperatively with it or with respect to it. Ahab is able to discern the problem and the cause, but steadfastly refuses to recognize the solution.

“Men,” said he [Ahab], steadily turning upon the crew, as the mate handed him the things he had demanded, “my men, the thunder turned old Ahab’s needles; but out of this bit of steel Ahab can make one of his own, that will point as true as any.”

Ahab chooses again to forgo the warnings of nature and impose his will on his surroundings. It appears to be a minor issue: a ship has to have a working compass. However, as one of many examples of Ahab’s determination and relentless aggression, it serves to show the extent to which Ahab will go in order to assert his dominance. For this reason, Ishmael notes that “In his fiery eyes of scorn and triumph, you then saw Ahab in all his fatal pride.”

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