the "Ishmael effect"

[Jonathan Lighter]

I've seen this term used elsewhere recently, but it isn't in OED:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/24/books/review/24GOTTLIE.html

The identification of the phenomenon is sound, but, if the etymological
rationale afforded by the Times is accurate, the terminology is plain stupid
- except for all-important PR purposes:

"Melville's Ishmael in 'Moby-Dick'' quotes Job's 'I only am escaped alone to
tell thee' and then spins a tale of adventure nobody could have survived to
tell."

Of course Ishmael could have survived, though against all odds. He floated
on Queequeg's airtight coffin and was picked up by the _Rachel_.
Furthermore, he's a fictional character, so he can survive anything. If the
general idea of "miraculous escape" is what the term is getting at, it
confuses "supernatural" with "quite unlikely."

Furthermore, Ishmael doesn't quote Job till the end of the story. Did Stove
(catch the pun?) even re-read the book before he named the phenomenon?

I'd have expected better terminology from a contrarian philosopher.

JL

--
"If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."

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