Best Friend As Ishmael embarks on this journey aboard the Pequod he meets many different characters and three of them return often throughout his story; Stubb, Flask and Starbuck. All three have the same whaling experience and leadership skills, but are very different in personality and how they deal with everyone else on the boat. As far as who a person should sail with, the best companion to have is Starbuck. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Starbuck is the serious and very religious first officer of the Pequod. He is a Quaker from Nantucket and is very skilled on the ocean. He is very cautious and silent when giving orders. His caution makes his boat very safe while whaling. He doesn't make stupid decisions very often and no one gets hurt. He has a tremendous amount of courage in him, which makes his boat not only safe, but usually successful. “Starbuck was no danger-seeking crusader; in him courage was not a feeling; but something simply useful for him. Even though he hunts whales for a living, he respects them. He won't risk getting killed over a whale that overreacts. He allowed only those who feared whales to meet on the boat because, "not only because the most reliable and useful courage was that which arises from the correct estimate of the danger encountered, but because an absolutely fearless man is a much more dangerous companion than a coward". .” His only flaw is that he is too calm when it comes to Ahab and so the ship continues its hunt for Moby Dick and finds itself in danger. Stubb is the sarcastic and happy-go-lucky second officer of the Pequod. He is usually remembered for his pipe because he smokes it all the time. He seems to laugh in the face of fear. He also says that if the Devil ever comes after him, "he will give him such a pair of black eyes that he will not dare to show his face in the admiral's cabin for a long time..." He is very relaxed, so relaxed that even when hunts a whale smokes a pipe. He simply laughs when faced with difficult tasks. While this may seem like courage, it is a very careless and dangerous way to go about things. “He presided over his whaler as if the deadliest meeting were nothing more than a dinner party and his crew invited all the guests…” When the boat was in danger he laughed and continued to smoke his pipe. This would not be a safe boat to be in. All his companions would be in danger due to his carelessness. Flask is the short, aggressive third mate of the Pequod. Flask is a little too enthusiastic when it comes to attacking whales. “He seemed to think that the great Leviathans had wronged him personally and hereditarily…” He seizes the opportunity and makes quick decisions. "This ignorant and unconscious courage of his made him a little extravagant in matters of whales..." The opposite of what Starbuck does. No caution, just goes without a plan. This is clearly a bad choice for a boatmate because if Flask is not cautious and only has a bloodlust for killing whales, then this can easily kill all of his shipmates. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper now from our expert writers. Get a Custom Essay Between these three men, it is clear that the best shipmate to have is Starbuck. He has compassion and respect for whales. This is simply a job and not some sort of vacation or revenge trip. He has a clear mind on his shoulders and his boat would be the safest to go on a whaling trip.