A Brief History of Whaling Essay

Long ago, native tribes, from many places in the world, depended largely on whales for protein in their diets. They were also able to use much of the whale for oil, thus began a tradition of whaling. The first documented whaling expedition occurred in South Korea

Published in 1851, the story of Moby-Dick is not just the tale of one mans search for control over nature, but also the story of friendship, alienation, fate and religion that become intertwined amidst the tragedy that occurs upon the doomed Pequod. The crew itself are an amalgamation of cultures, from the cannibal Queequeg, to Starbuck, "a native of Nantucket." The Pequod can thus be seen as a microcosm for immigrants and whaling within America. In Moby-Dick Herman Melville examines both the exploitation of whaling and the reality of being born outside of America.

They used to spear whales and hope that they would wash up on shore (Sontella 22). They used this method until they made a new weapon for hunting whale. This new weapon is a spear attached to a rope (23-24). They now can spear the animal and drag it to shore using the rope. This weapon is similar to a harpoon.

They essentially believe that whale hunting was meant for them to honor the holy relationship of god and the beauty of this large beast. Whaling has always been the pivotal component that created the unique culture of the Makah. It was conducting on ritual and spiritual ceremony. For example, the elders usually found youngsters to be repulsive and disobedience. They basically discipline the children with the aggressive sense of whale hunting, so they can grow as a responsible adult who can surpass every obstacle. Whaling also tremendously boost the Indians’ pride. Archeologist Ruth Kirk found an artifact that was from the Makah whale tradition in 1970. He indicated that the Indians have sustained the culture for over 2,000 years. He found a part of “Chinook” canoe in his expedition which strengthen his report about the past life activities of Makah Indians. Chinook was specifically designed for the Makah to hunt whales at 40 miles off shores. Therefore, quality of the boat will determine fish caught successful rate. One boat should be solidly constructed that can carry approximately 8 people and strong enough to continue a 2-month sea voyage. Chinook “shovel-nose” model was the one with outstanding quality that could handle many possible sea waves. On the voyage, the Indians are well-prepared in weapon which was mussel-shape blade that sharp enough to penetrate the beast’s skin.

In Nantucket, the whaler’s island, every man had to be a whaler. Even if it wasn’t his dream job, just because it was the only way to survive in the island without being dropped out of the community. Philbrick introduces us to this starting point by quoting the words of Thomas Nickerson, the one who had been taught to “idolize the form of a ship” (Philbrick, 1).

Killer whales are one of the most fascinating displays of ocean life. The killer whale has characteristics that are important to its survival in the ocean. It is interesting to know that killer whales have a plentiful diet. It is astounding to see how killer whales behave in the ocean. I plan to tell you about the killer whale, its characteristics, its diet, and its behavior in the ocean as well as the predation of the orca.

Throughout his novel, Moby Dick, Herman Melville will often devote entire chapters to the thoughts and actions of specific characters. Two specific examples of this type of chapter are Chapter 36, The Quarter-Deck, and Chapter 42, The Whiteness of the Whale. The first of these chapters depicts Ahab addressing his crew for the first time in order to convince them to hunt down Moby Dick. The second offers insight to the fear that is brought upon by the mere mention of Moby Dick The significance and effectiveness of each of these chapters are enhanced by Melville’s use of rhetoric and style respectively.

For years the killer whale, also known as Orcinus orca, has been drawing the attention of the public through the entertainment industry. These marine mammals have been bringing in billions of dollars to amusement parks such as Sea World, but at what cost? An idea that these killer whales can live happily and content while in captivity may be going through the minds of the public, but this cannot be further away from the truth. To have such complex creatures in captivity is not morally correct and there are many points against it, such as their level of emotional competence, violence between the killer whales, violence of killer of whales towards trainers, shorter lifespans, physical harm, and their level of intelligence. After taking a look at how these creatures function and the conditions they are put in while in captivity, there is no question about whether or not these mammals should be kept in captivity; an experience such as this affects these marine mammals just about the same as it would affect a human because of their high highly developed emotions and complexity. Since these industries do not have a natural authority over these creatures no matter the cause, the best thing they could do for these killer whales is to stop capturing them and return those who are capable back to the wild.

Whaling was very physical and economic business and the primary products were spermaceti, whale bones, sperm, and whale oil. The Native Americans used whaling for tribal purposes. The colonist in NEw ENgland hunted whales for baleen and oil. Whaling also gave them better burning candles. This is how the number of hales began to decrease as time went on.

Did you know that in the last 50 years over two million whales have been killed? The United States views whaling very differently than Japan does. It is a complicated and controversial topic. Many people have opinions about whale hunting. However, everyone should know both sides of the whale hunting issues before they act on the issue. To start out I am going to tell you a little about whaling. The first whale hunters were in the prehistoric times. At first they would just kill and eat beached whales. That became such a habit that they started hunting them. Most whale hunters use harpoons, guns, lances, or bombs that blow up inside the whale. They use catcher boats, or kayaks. In 1925, whalers developed

Harpoons were pointed spearheads made from ivory that were used to hunt. This ivory was collected from the tusks of walruses (Jenness, 430-434 ). Toggling harpoon points have two-part points. They are used to kill the large sea mammals. Non-toggling harpoon points were made for spear fishing along riverbanks and shorelines. Knife blades were used for cutting, skinning, and butchering. The knives were sometimes attached to wood or bone. Soapstone lamps were also very important to the survival of Eskimo families. Because families lived in dwellings that were made of snow and ice, large, uncontrolled, open fires could not heat them. Soapstone lamps were rectangular or oval lamps that were blubber fueled. They produce a small flame and did not produce much smoke. Similarly, kayak and umiak development also helped Eskimo survival and development. These boats were made of wood and skins, and were used to hunt and travel on water. Kayaks were used primarily for hunting sea mammals, and also for hunting caribou while they migrated. Umiaks on the other hand, were predominantly made of driftwood and used for trading voyages and migration. These boats were helpful during the spring and summer periods because the animals being hunted could now move to other areas no longer frozen over. Eskimos had to travel more to follow their

On the island of Nantucket, every infant is raised to become a sailor. Sailing is the pride of Nantucket, and sailors are very well respected. Non-sailors of Nantucket were typically outcast, and more than often were never married during their lifetimes. Nantucket viewed whaling as art and took it very seriously. Whaling, harvesting the resources of whales, was how this small town made its living. The Essex was part of a group of more than seventy whaling ships originating from the town of Nantucket. The role of whaling ships Because the price of whale oil was steadily increasing, there were very high expectations set for the Essex and the remaining ships of the fleet. The town of Nantucket was depending on the ships to be successful on their

Before moratorium of whaling, there was a high demand of whale oil from blubber. In 1946, International

This book really grabbed me right from the beginning of the story. The story begins with the birth of fraternal twins, with the grandfather patiently awaiting the birth of the son. Right away I felt sadness when the mother and one of the twins die. The boy dies and the girl survives. The grandpa seems to not care about the girl who survived . He was longing for his grandson because he is from the Maori tribe and the tribe is waiting for the sign of a new chief to be born . The chief would lead the village and its community to greatness. Many elders have been born but none with the strength to be the next chief. The little girl was named Pai. The grandma of Pai took her home to raise her along with the grandfather. The grandfather showed

Herman Melville, in his renowned novel Moby-Dick, presents the tale of the determined and insanely stubborn Captain Ahab as he leads his crew, the men of the Pequod, in revenge against the white whale. A crew mixed in age and origin, and a young, logical narrator named Ishmael sail with Ahab. Cut off from the rest of society, Ahab attempts to make justice for his personal loss of a leg to Moby Dick on a previous voyage, and fights against the injustice he perceived in the overwhelming forces that surround him. Melville uses a series of gams, social interactions or simple exchanges of information between whaling ships at sea, in order to more clearly present man’s situation as he faces an existence whose meaning he cannot fully grasp.