The wrinkles of Moby-Dick's brow are first mentioned by Ahab in Chapter 36. But the whole book is wrinkly. There are 31 instances of word "wrinkle" and its variants. (Only two fewer than mentions of cannibals!). Most of these wrinkles are in the brows of Abah and Moby Dick, but we also see wrinkled floorboards, decks, ocean surfaces and charts. Hieroglyphs are likened to wrinkles, and the lines of wrinkles to lines of text, which demand to be read and comprehended. Looking ahead to chapter 79, after musing on the wrinkled, hieroglyphic brow of Moby Dick, Ishmael challenges the reader: "I but put that brow before you. Read if it you can." In The Chart alone, there are 4 instances of the word wrinkle.

PROMPT: Wrinkles are never casual or meaningless in Moby-Dick. They tell us what is important. Find an image that is your text's wrinkle a motif you can repeat and vary throughout the work. Sprinkle it judiciously and meaningfully throughout your text. It will guide your reader to greater understanding.