By
Aaron Cowman
Arizona Daily Wildcat
UA students, faculty read classic 'Moby Dick' in 24-hour marathon
Generally a marathon commences with the bang of a starter's pistol.
Yesterday's marathon began instead with "Call me Ishmael."
In a tent in front of the Arizona State Museum, a group of University of
Arizona students and faculty began reading aloud from Herman Melville's classic, "Moby Dick."
"The main reason we wanted to do this is that community is very important in the English Department," said Mandy Siegel, an English junior.
Including readers and spectators, an estimated several hundred people will join the reading, said Greg Jackson, assistant English professor and organizer of the event.
"It's that legendary novel that everyone knows about but may not have read," he said. "This is their chance."
The group began yesterday afternoon at 2 and plans to read the novel in its entirety - a feat that is expected to take approximately 24 hours, Jackson said.
"When we get to the overnight shift between midnight and 5 a.m., we are going to have to wake people up to read," Siegel said.
Classes from around campus will come to join the marathon and readers will have the opportunity to read 10- to 15-minute portions of the novel.
"I'm not very good at reading publicly," said Melanie Bunger, an English senior, "but I'll do it because it's good for us."
The sheer length of the book may deter many readers from reading it on their own, but the marathon allows them a different opportunity to experience Melville, Siegel said.
"I've tried to start it four times," Bunger said. "I love Melville, but it's kind of daunting."
English professor John Ulreich has led the Milton Marathon for the past three years, a similar marathon during which students read Milton's "Paradise Lost."
He will also be reading during this marathon and is quite aware of the duration of time needed to complete Melville's greatest work.
"'Paradise Lost' only takes 11 to 12 hours to read," Ulreich said. "'Moby Dick' is nearly twice as long."
Bunger said she prefers British Literature, but that there is no denying "Moby Dick's" excellence.
"It's a crucial piece," she said. "It is definitely one of the top five pieces of American Literature there is."
Ulreich said reading great classics in this forum makes it easier to interpret them.
"Many students said that they understood it ('Paradise Lost') much greater in that context," Ulreich said. "I think it's wonderful. It's a great style."
Jackson has participated in similar readings at the University of California at Los Angeles, and has brought his enthusiasm for public readings to the UA.
"Professor Jackson is very passionate about doing this," Bunger said. "And it transfers to us."
Jackson said if all goes well this year, it might become a tradition on campus.
"We'll see how it goes," Jackson said. "We have a lot of people. That's good."
Siegel said she would be willing to participate in it again if given the chance, and that getting through it this year is just the first stepping stone to more marathon readings.
"Now that we have gone through the process, next year shouldn't be too difficult," she said.
Jackson said the college experience would not be the same without these types of events.
"We need more of these collegiate larks," Jackson said. "It's something different for people to experience."
