V.V. 3--McClintic Sphere and Inanimateness

[David Morris]

Thanks Thomas,
A very clear and convincing analysis.

>From: Thomas Eckhardt Now, in a perhaps futile attempt to return to 
>McClintic Sphere and his saxophone: The ivory sax and the sounds Sphere 
>creates with it - music of the invisible spheres that, as Ishmael suspects, 
>were perhaps "formed in fright" - corresponds with the inanimateness of the 
>wind and the rock, which is, unlest we forget, also a womb. Sphere's music 
>is an acknowledgment of the endurance of the natural world, inscrutable to 
>the listeners, but letting those who have ears experience for a moment the 
>majesty of an indifferent universe. But Sphere is not merely a spokesman 
>for nature's indifference to all things human, a function for which the 
>ivory sax serves as an emblem. He is not only cool, he also cares. But read 
>on below.
>- Queequeg is explicitly described as a living paradox more than once in 
>the novel - it is this quality which enables him to repeatedly save other 
>people's lives and in the end bring about Ishmael's rebirth. Likewise, 
>McClintic Sphere is able to care for other people precisely because he is 
>familiar with nature's indifference towards human life and death, an 
>indifference he acknowledges with his beautiful music.
>
>Thomas, hoping all this makes some sense
>

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