Reflective And Appreciative Of The Whalemen'S Unique Lifestyle, With A Hint Of Romanticizing Their Connection To The Sea.

This chapter describes the whalemen's use of lamps aboard the Pequod, highlighting their abundant use of light compared to the darkness that normally shrouds sailors on merchant vessels.

Chapter 97 delves into the contrast between the dark life of sailors on merchantmen and the illuminated existence of whalemen aboard the Pequod. The off-duty watch sleep in an environment resembling a shrine of noble figures, lit by the glow of their lamps. These lamps, often crafted from old bottles, are freely replenished with oil-a luxury in comparison to the scarce oil that barely serves merchant sailors. The whaleman, who hunts the creatures of the light-filled upper ocean, similarly lives surrounded by the light of pure, fresh oil, which he burns in his lamp while residing in the ship's black hull.