It is sensational to look at a classic book like Herman Mellville’s Moby DIck and learn that sometimes stuff is hard, so suck it up buttercup. About two years ago I read Herman Mellville’s Moby Dick for the first time. I had managed to get through high school, college and law school without ever picking it up. But, with my e-reader in hand I collected as many classic books as my cloud storage could hold and started working my way through them. I have said it before, and I will say it again, Moby Dick is one of the worst books I have ever read and I have literally read thousands upon thousands of books.
As I read the book, and became an expert in whaling and outfitting a whale ship for travel I was so bored, so sick of Moby, Ahab, boats and even the ocean itself, but I kept reading. I did not want to learn about whaling, but I kept reading. I have no desire to board a whaling ship or share a cabin with sailors, but I kept reading. Page after page was boring, uninteresting and annoying, but I kept reading. Why? I kept reading because I wanted to see what the fuss was all about. I kept reading because I wanted to see why this book was a classic and required reading in so many schools. I kept reading because I wanted to see if the themes I heard were in the book were in fact there. I kept reading because sometimes you have to suck it up and do things you do not want to do.
My husband and children got tired of hearing, what percentage of the book I had reached and how there was no Moby Dick yet. At the same time, my children saw that I kept reading and finished the book even though it was boring and hard to get through. This example was a good one for my children to see. Over the course of their lives, they will have many boring and hard tasks they must complete. There will be many times they will want to quit, to give up, to sit in a corner and cry. Seeing me struggle and work my way through Moby Dick will be a lesson they will remember. I kept at it until I finished that hard task and survived the experience.
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It is sensational to look at a classic book like Herman Mellville’s Moby Dick and learn that sometimes stuff is hard, so suck it up buttercup. So the question for you this sensational day is what hard stuff are you refusing to quit doing?
If you want to read more articles on books and why you should suck it up and move, check out the following.
Books- Spring Into Reading a Classic – Sherlock Holmes
I enjoy reading classic books because I enjoy the rich and varied vocabulary I often find. It is indeed sensational to read an old classic story with new eyes. So the question for you this terrific day is, what classic story from your younger days would you like to check out again as an adult?
Suck it Up and Move: Stop Refusing to Take Action Now
It is magnificent to suck it up and move so that you can stop refusing to take action now. It is a well-known fact that in order to succeed at any venture there comes a point in time where one must spring into action in the face of fear. It is a good thing to set goals, make plans and dream the big dreams. These are activities that we all engage in and should engage in from time to time. However, we must go from planning and dreaming to actually doing. To reach our goals, we must take action now.
Moby Dick or Why Not Every Classic is Good for You
It is not always sensational to read an old classic. Many of the people reading this blog read Herman Melville’s Moby Dick at one point or another during the course of their time at school. There are others like me, who did not read the book in school and then as an adult began reading all the classics they felt they missed along the way. I have a collection of several hundred classic books on my Kindle 3G so I decided to check out Moby Dick.
I honestly have never read it and I think it’s because I myself could not imagine reading about whaling, but I need to give it a try one of these days!
I am definitely one that will put off those unpleasant tasks until I just “have” to do them.
I so need to be better about tackling unpleasant tasks and getting them out of the way.
I am a teacher and I wish more parents would show their children that sometimes you have to push through and do things that you don’t love. The world thinks we have to enjoy and love everything we do….this does not teach children that sometimes we do it because it’s the right thing to do. BTW, I didn’t enjoy that book either!!
I never made it through that book either. I do agree with you about pushing through hard tasks and getting it done! Very necessary.
I remember reading the book but it was not one of my favorites.I like the quote at the beginning at the beginning of your post.
I kind of can’t stand the classics. I know that it would be worthwhile to read, but I never push myself.
I never made it through Moby Dick either. There are a few classics that are very hard to make it through!
Crystal, you are correct. I always remember that after. Maybe if I remembered during, thing wouldn’t be so bad.
MJ I do not know how I never got stuvk with it in school! I do feel better having read it. The experience cured me of FOMO (fear of missing out).
Ha! I never did get through that book! But this quote and logic is true on SOOOO many levels! It’s amazing at how good we feel when we finish those tasks that we really don’t care to do.
I totally agree with “suck it up and do it” however OMG Moby Dick was pure torture! LOL. How Sis you make it through school with such luck. It was on my curriculum list twice! Ugh. I still remember the pain but yeah I sucked it up.
So true. Suck it up and do it! I say that to myself A LOT!
Oh my I read your quote adn smiled. That is me and decluttering the basement! I have got to started this week!
I think I did actually read through this book in school. I don’t really remember the details of the story to well but it wasn’t an easy read.
I have read it and I agree it was one of the hardest ones to finish. I did finish it tho.
I most certainly agree with this. Sometimes, you have to stick to whatever it is that you are struggling with in order to get to the good.
Oh so very true. I never read the book, but it is all about continuing even when you want to quit. Thanks for sharing
Great quote and so true.
I am laughing so hard at the “suck it up, buttercup!” And I will probably never ever read Moby Dick now!
I would love to re read classics from my youth. Maybe I will add some to my kindle and experience them again!
Hmmm. I like this. I would really like to revisit books from when I was young. Harriet the Spy, Tom Sawyer, Little House on the Prairie…
You know I have never read this book before, I do have it on my bookshelf though!
My motivation for tonight is going to be that quote right there at the top. I have a deadline tonight and I’ve simply got to meet it, even though I have zero desire to do so. In the end, I’ll be better for it. 😉
Yes, life can be very tough and how we handle that is what counts.
Can’t remember if i’ve read this book or not. Will have to check it out to see it sounds good.
I haven’t read this book. I am sure your kids were proud of you for completing it!
It is in the mundane tasks that we ain endurance and fortitude. I also realize that character is built. Great observations.
It’s so true. Sometimes life is hard, but I think we have to experience the hard stuff to make the good stuff even sweeter.
Sometimes it is so challenging to complete difficult tasks. I felt the same way about A Tale of Two Cities, but Moby Dick is definitely a hard one.
It is hard to stick with things you don’t love. I am very guilty of procrastinating on such things but I’m working on it!
I love this. I know tasks can be hard but once they are done you get to move on to something easier.
The quote in the image is so true. I’ve never read Moby Dick, but I do know that it’s sometimes the tasks that you want to quit on but keep going that wind up being the most rewarding.