The book In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex by Nathaniel Philbrick, is a thought-provoking story about a Nantucket Essex, who is attacked by an eighty-five ton sperm whale miles in the depth of the ocean. In those days, undertaking any ocean expedition had its precautions. While the main focus was on food, drinking water, medicines, and a method to cure diseases, the most overlooked issue was the ocean creatures. While the men of this ship left the dock as predators, the survivors of the ninety-three day voyage on three small harpoon boats returned as prey. This story offers a great representation of the potential of sperm whales and the devastation they can bring. Although whaling is not as popular today, during this time many men made, or attempted to make, a living in this industry. . Despite the hard work, dangerous standards and general intimidation, shipmates were lured into the industry for the high pay. When they felt protected by a great ship, weapons, and a fearless captain, it was easy to forget the power of what they were hunting. The sperm whale is the largest of all toothed whales, males reaching an average size of fifty-two feet and can sometimes reach sixty-seven feet in length. “It's a twenty foot wide tail pumped up and down.” (Philbrick, 2000, 82) The domain of life to which the sperm whale belongs is the Eukaryote. This is because the sperm whale is an organism made up of cells that contain a nucleus and other structures enclosed by the cell membrane. The kingdom to which it belongs is the Animalia. This is because they are multicellular organisms. These animals contain other distinct characteristics including; “The internal digestion of f...... middle of paper ...... of the whale is still used in some of today's industries. These parts of the whale have numerous applications in biotechnology. Some of which include, but are not limited to; candles, oil lamps, soaps and lubricants. Although their oils have significance in some applications, the sperm whale is considered an endangered species. This is mainly due to the fact that they are overhunted. They are also known to become trapped in fishing nets, subject to pollution, and can also be severely affected by ocean debris. There are many creatures living in the sea. The sperm whale is one of many creatures that has a huge impact on the ocean. They are truly unique creators, which most people tend to forget about. The Sperm Whale has created a huge conflict for Essex, leaving readers wondering what will happen in the end. This book inspired the book Moby Dick.