Response Journal Week 8 - Mayumi

This week’s Melville reading began with a chapter rich in themes, especially in those identified by Mathiesson. Melville begins by claiming that Pip, the black ship-keeper, is the physical counterpart to the white Dough-Boy. This, in it of itself, is very socially progressive: Melville is comparing, even equating, a white man to a black man. Then Melville shows further examples of his forward thinking when he writes that Pip had a much greater intellect than the Dough-Boy, who by nature was very “dull and torpid” (319). However, despite Pip’s superior intellect, he is still a savage as he is part of a tribe and loves life so much that his passion overpowers his brilliancy and ultimately is the cause of his downfall. As Mathiesson points out, Melville treats many savage characters in this way: he brings to light a human aspect of theirs, but ultimately this human aspect is overpowered by their defining savage characteristic. Emerson as quoted by Mathiesson describes this situation of simultaneous savagery and humanity very well: “In history the great moment is when the savage is just ceasing to be savage…that moment of transition, - the foam hangs but a moment on the wave…” (373).
Pip continues to lose his humanity in the rest of the chapter, showing childlike qualities in his nervous decisions of jumping off the boat twice. The chapter is also written around the character Pip. What I mean by this is, for the descriptive writer we are well aware that Melville is, he hardly spends a word elaborating on Pip’s thoughts or reasons for his actions. Pip does not even speak a word of dialogue; Stubb has the only dialogue in the entire chapter. Pip becomes one dimensional and is used as the vehicle for Melville’s philosophical and theological reflections. Pip’s life at the end of the chapter is not even worth much. Melville even gives Stubb a disclaimer and augments the situation in his favor: “do not blame Stubb too hardly. The thing is common in that fishery; and in the sequel of the narrative, it will then be seen what like abandonment befell myself.” (322). Melville even puts a nice spin on Pip’s death, describing it as the infinite drowning of his soul instead of his finite body (321). Pip, in his infinite drowning, is allowed to see the fantastic, Godly shapes and images at the bottom of the sea.
Then I began to wonder if the freedom of Pip’s soul was worth the sacrifice of his life. Pip, once in a role of servitude, now has access to the amazing natural wonders of God. In this later life he transcends social hierarchy and does not have to answer to anyone but himself, a man filled with intellect, as Melville first claimed. What remains problematic, though, is that Pip was left in the ocean once he jumped from fear. Pip, as far as I know, never chose to drown in the open sea. Despite Melville’s slightly blasé last comment towards the end, I think that Stubb is most certainly at fault here, even if he did think that another boat might save Pip.