What happens to the White Whale at the end of Moby Dick ?

I feel a bit of a thicko asking this but I’m honestly confused. I was expecting Ahab and the whale to both perish together but that isn’t at all clear.


Ahab pierces the whale with a harpoon – and there’s no reason to think it will be more successful that all the other ones. The line catches him round the neck and strangles him and pull him out of the boat. The others in the boat look round and see the Pequod sinking rammed by the whale.

Does the whale swim away to live another day?

I thought it was Moby Dick 1 : Pequod 0
I think in the film it was different. Luckily, you don't have to read the entire book to find out.

I think, the fact that you never know what happens to the whale, makes it eternal.

The whale don't go to Hollywood