June 9, 2019 - Chapter Seventeen

With the title of “The Ramadan,” this chapter treats in some detail Queequeg’s religious practice, culminating his observing of something akin to the Jewish fasting ritual of Yom Kippur, except more extreme, since Queequeg must spend the full 24 hours squatting on the floor with his household god Yojo on his yet. After the fast ends, Ishmael tries to convince Queequeg that his religious practice is in vain, but this line of discussion is fruitless. Notably, the chapter opens with Ishmael mentioning that he is from a Presbyterian background. Without saying so, he thus provides a reference to a belief system, i.e., Calvinism, rejected by most other Christians and often ridiculed in its time. Perhaps Melville’s point here is that every person’s religious ritual is ridiculous to someone from outside that faith. We are all atheists with the exception of the god in which we happen to believe.

The chapter also provides some black, albeit brief, humor. When Ishmael fears that Queequeg has died in their room, the landlady Mrs. Hussey assumes he has committed suicide like the previous guest (mentioned elsewhere). She calls for one of her workers to get a sign made, to read “no suicides here, and no smoking in the parlor.” The second one was already needed, she explains.