- description
- # CHAPTER 88. Schools and Schoolmasters.
## Overview
This entity is a section titled "CHAPTER 88. Schools and Schoolmasters." extracted from the plain text file [moby_dick.txt](arke:01KG89J198KE6FY8WPVJQQRCZ6). It spans lines 15240 to 15360 of the source file and was extracted on January 30, 2026.
## Context
This section is part of a larger work, specifically contained within [BOOK III. (_Duodecimo_), CHAPTER III. (_Mealy-mouthed Porpoise_)](arke:01KG8AK83BA227D6NY5BT040FM). It is also part of the broader [Melville Complete Works](arke:01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW) collection. Preceding this section is [CHAPTER 87. The Grand Armada.](arke:01KG8AM9QTW0CQ4W3PGZQ03J0B), and it is followed by [CHAPTER 89. Fast-Fish and Loose-Fish.](arke:01KG8AM9QTPH8BESAGBVSYQN67).
## Contents
"CHAPTER 88. Schools and Schoolmasters." discusses the social structures and behaviors of Sperm Whales, referred to as "schools." It elaborates on two primary types of schools: those composed almost entirely of females, typically attended by a single large male (the "schoolmaster"), and those consisting solely of young, vigorous males, or "forty-barrel-bulls." The text describes the "harem" dynamics of female schools, including the protective and sometimes combative role of the schoolmaster, and the migratory patterns of these groups. It contrasts the timid nature of female whales with the pugnacious character of the young male schools, highlighting their differences in behavior when encountered by whalers. The chapter also touches upon the solitary life of aged Sperm Whales.
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- CHAPTER 88. Schools and Schoolmasters.
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- CHAPTER 88. Schools and Schoolmasters.