The Rent Collector

In their next lesson, Sang learns that Sopeap studied in America, and Sopeap gives Sang a condensed version of Herman Melville’s classic tale Moby Dick. They discuss the idea that “[i]n literature, everything means something” (101), as well as literature’s relationship to the story. Sang is enthralled with Moby Dick, which takes them four days to read. Sang notes that while Captain Ahab’s desperate and unrelenting quest for vengeance against Moby Dick symbolizes evil, he is “not completely repugnant” (102). Similarly, Sang thinks that although Moby Dick (the white whale who bit off Ahab’s leg) symbolizes good, “he also kills the captain and his crew (except for the young man telling the story), an act far from benevolent” (102). Sang recognizes that neither side is either entirely good nor entirely evil, even though the story is seemingly about “good prevailing over evil” (102). Moby Dick reminds her of Ki’s desire to stand up to the gangs, and she wonders whether “Ki [is] Ahab or the whale” (102).

Sang asks Sopeap for advice about what to do in the face of evil, and she is surprised at Sopeap’s vehemence, who declares, “If you are certain you are facing evil […] and not ignorance, you must, if you can, destroy it before it destroys you!” (103).