Caleb Crain

Alexander Chee, a novelist and essayist, joins historians Aaron Sachs and Caleb Crain to explore the surprising intimate bonds in Moby Dick. Chee delves into chapter four's tender male camaraderie, proposing the novel as a queer love letter to Nathaniel Hawthorne. Sachs examines the captivating metaphor of the 'Monkey Rope', highlighting themes of interdependence and societal implications. Crain interprets Queequeg's journey in his coffin through a Platonic lens, enriching the discussion about beauty, mortality, and the complex layers of Melville's work.