Question 4 • CMS 2026-2027 English III CREDIT RECOVERY
Read the excerpt from Chapter 28 of Moby-Dick . Nor a word he spoke; nor did his officers say aught to him; though by all their minutest gestures and expressions, they plainly showed the uneasy, if not painful, consciousness of being under a troubled master-eye. Which best describes the theme Melville develops in this excerpt?
Answer
A
the effectiveness of a leader who sets himself apart from others
B
the inherent danger of a leader who exhibits signs of distress
C
the importance of obeying a leader under all circumstances
D
the problems associated with inexperienced leaders
Explanation
The officers’ gestures show that they are uneasy under their captain’s “troubled master-eye,” even though he says nothing. This suggests that a leader’s visible distress affects those he commands, supporting the idea of danger in a leader who exhibits signs of distress. The excerpt does not focus on inexperience, isolation, or obedience.
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