Which best explains why melville begins chapter 28 of mobydick with a description of ahab’s physical absence above the ship’s hatches for several days?
a. to show that ahab has no real command over his ship
b. to make ahab’s eventual appearance on deck more dramatic
c. to show that ahab is no longer interested in the whale hunt
d. to make ahab’s eventual appearance on deck predictable
i have two hours to finish the test so take your time : )

the question concerns exactly this part of the speech:

i am not now thinking of the loss of property involved, immense and serious as that is, but only of the wanton and wholesale destruction of the lives of non-combatants, men, women, and children, engaged in pursuits which have always, even in the darkest periods of modern history, been deemed innocent and legitimate. property can be paid for; the lives of the peaceful and innocent people cannot be.

president wilson talks about the lives of people destroyed by german army. but these people are not americans, they are the local people living in europe. the president mentions the barbarity of germans, considering that he is not targeting the nation, instead it is said about german army. the correct answer is the last one.

the correct answer can either be a or b because it could be both but you should probally choose b