payment page
Only appearing in Chapter 100, Captain Boomer is the captain of the English whaling ship the Samuel Enderby. The Pequod encounters his ship in the later part of its journey, having already met a handful of other whalers during its time at sea. While other ships recount stories of mutinies and prophecies, Ahab is particularly interested in hearing from Captain Boomer when he discovers that he, too, is missing an appendage. Captain Boomer has the bone of a sperm whale attached to him where his arm should be, and given this similarity to his own experience, Ahab seems convinced that he will support his efforts to kill Moby Dick once and for all. Contrary to this belief, Captain Boomer explains that he believes the best course of action is to leave the white whale alone. He very pragmatically values his own life over the glory of hunting Moby Dick, and he explicitly questions Ahab’s sanity when he refuses to adopt a similar perspective.
Including Captain Boomer in the novel offers Melville yet another opportunity to emphasize just how incomparable Ahab is to other ship captains, especially concerning his willingness to downplay risk for the sake of revenge. Even in the aftermath of his brutal encounter with Moby Dick, Captain Boomer is able to maintain a lighthearted attitude and treats those around him with kindness and respect. The loss of his arm does not dampen his enthusiasm for whaling, but he draws the line at pursuing the white whale because of the danger it would bring upon him and his crew. Meanwhile, Ahab is willing to sacrifice the lives of everyone aboard the Pequod if it means that he can avenge the loss of his leg to Moby Dick. The captains also differ in their perceptions of why Moby Dick is such a threatening creature to face. Captain Boomer emphasizes that the whale is just a brutish, undiscerning animal while Ahab believes that it has a particular hatred toward him. Ultimately unsatisfied by Captain Boomer’s outlook, Ahab’s resolve grows even stronger, and his madness becomes even more apparent. Captain Boomer may not make any more appearances in the novel, but the contrast that his presence creates in this moment has a long-lasting impact.
