From Loomings: "The act of paying is perhaps the most uncomfortable infliction that the two orchard thieves entailed upon us. But being paid,—what will compare with it? "
The Study: With all the talk about Trump being linked to Ahab, I thought a study into the leadership theme in Moby-Dick was warranted.
Moby-Dick begins by making a big deal about the difference being people who are paid and people who pay. Ishmael is paid. He is a worker-bee. This seems very important for us to get right from the start of the book. The two sinners who died alongside Jesus are the two folks we have been paying for since the dawn of time. And paying - having the money - the power - apparently has consequences. While Ishmael has not yet said that leaders are the ones who pay, he begins laying that argument down from the start of the book.