Kevin: Certainly the whale represents the search for God. But that could be limiting. We could say it was the search for the self. Melville could be considered a pre-existentialist.
[Mr. Herkabe moves Kevin from fourth places to third, overtaking Lloyd]
Lloyd: But you can't deny the whale could be the search for truth which has been a theme throughout his whole oeuvre.
[Herkabe swaps them back]
Dabney: But you can't overlook the fact that it is a whale, which was the biggest industry in the 19th century. The oil was used in lamps, soaps and even cosmetics.
[As Herkabe starts moving Dabney's name down the list, Dabney's voice gets more high-pitched]
Dabney: Today... whaling is outlawed but many Aleutian islanders are legally allowed to harvest whales for... ritual purposes. But I digress! [sobs]
Mr. Herkabe: Wow! Nine places. That's gotta be a record. OK, on to new business. This Friday Principal Littledove will be dropping by for an evaluation. I think he'll be very impressed with what he sees. I don't think he'll understand it, but I think his tiny brain will have the dim perception of the progress you can make when students are properly motivated. [Dabney sobs] Now, who would like to sink their teeth into some Bernoulli equations? [all except Malcolm raise their hands]