tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584058713548027639.post3133618148613038835..comments2024-03-29T14:47:57.165+07:00Comments on Fanda Classiclit: Moby Dick Ch. 12-19: On Religions and Some Cultural BackgroundsFanda Classiclithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07642429343958941266noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584058713548027639.post-53442948409632264742019-09-08T09:30:18.564+07:002019-09-08T09:30:18.564+07:00From my reading so far, Deb is correct in saying t...From my reading so far, Deb is correct in saying that Melville grew up in a Christian family, although that's probably not how they thought of themselves. They probably called themselves Protestants or Calvinists; I think calling yourself Christian is only a more recent thing (at least in Australia). I certainly don't remember anyone calling themselves Christian when I was young; people spoke about the type of Church they went to instead - Baptist, Church of England (as it was called when I was a kid), Catholic, Methodist, Presbyterian etc.<br /><br />Anyway, Melville was very well grounded in the Bible and religious thought. At this time, the Bible was still generally considered to be a true, historical document, but this idea was beginning to shift as advances in science challenged this. For people like Melville, who were interested in modern science and thinking, this mismatch between their upbringing and childhood ideas with modern understanding about evolution, carbon dating, archaeology, astronomy was a difficult process to work through. Charles Darwin went through a similar crisis. <br />The bible was the main literature that most families read and reread. It was the common language; its stories a shared experience. It wasn't until Melville started travelling when he was about 19 and saw the missionaries at work in Polynesian and Hawaii in particular that he began to really question the church and organised religion and the people who claimed to doing God's work. <br /><br />Nowadays there are more liberal, humanist interpretations of Christian thought and practice that Melville would have no doubt felt far more comfortable with. He was a man born before his time.<br /><br />As Hawthorne wrote in one his letters, Melville 'can neither believe, nor be comfortable with his unbelief; and he is too honest and courageous not to try to do one or the other.' Bronahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11110584237325026052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584058713548027639.post-25643986855016299162019-08-29T21:03:51.685+07:002019-08-29T21:03:51.685+07:00I wasn't familiar with the concept of chowder ...I wasn't familiar with the concept of chowder as a casserole rather than a soup. Interesting.Deb Nance at Readerbuzzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12128529491888701996noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584058713548027639.post-80370326300246220932019-08-29T21:03:15.542+07:002019-08-29T21:03:15.542+07:00I think Melville grew up grounded in the culture o...I think Melville grew up grounded in the culture of Christianity, and the Bible was the literature of his time. Deb Nance at Readerbuzzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12128529491888701996noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584058713548027639.post-50107402823308586892019-08-29T03:43:34.616+07:002019-08-29T03:43:34.616+07:00That doesn't sound right: "I never have b...That doesn't sound right: "I never have before" or I have never before today..." : DRuth @ with freedom and bookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15531827758868215023noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8584058713548027639.post-77574921874124284672019-08-29T03:42:30.433+07:002019-08-29T03:42:30.433+07:00Fanda,
I'm thinking the same way about Melvil...Fanda,<br />I'm thinking the same way about Melville and his disappointment in Christianity...by adopting his own ideas (humanism/nature), and yes, that does mirror Ishmael's philosophy, which doesn't bog him down by someone else's rules. He follows his own way. Melville makes it look so easy and free.<br /><br />P.S. I'm making my own "Try Pots" clam chowder today. I cannot wait to try it. (I've never have before!)Ruth @ with freedom and bookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15531827758868215023noreply@blogger.com