Comments on: “I prayed not, but blasphemed”

By: Amateur Reader

Amateur Reader — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 22:53:36 +0000

Oh right, the narrator changes names. Aargh.

Here is how I think of that last conundrum. Mardi is essential for the study of Melville. The reading of Melville is essential. Therefore –

I’m not necessarily happy about the logical conclusion here, but it’s true! I’m very glad I read it. Much light was shed on the subject of Herman Melville.

By: nicole

nicole — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 22:31:36 +0000

Right—I referred to him here as “Taji.”

I found that sorting out the disputants in general was not too hard; they seemed to have sort of surprisingly coherent personalities. Especially helpful since it’s not always explicit who’s talking.

I hope—sort of—I do convince someone to read it. Half of me wants to say, “Everyone should read Mardi!” And then the other half wants to say, “Actually, no one should read Mardi.”

By: Amateur Reader

Amateur Reader — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 16:11:59 +0000

I may be misremembering, but our narrator “Melville” also rejects pure Christianity, right? He continues his pursuit of his beloved, who has been turned into a pearl or something. It’s hard to remember stories that make no sense.

I think I had a similar reaction to you – how is this world less empty than some of the others we’ve visited, besides the assertion that it’s different? But maybe, like you say, that’s some part of the point.

I gave up on really sorting out the disputants. You’ve made a more serious attempt on this book. You might convince someone to read it.