"White-Jacket; Or, The World on a Man-of-War" by Herman Melville is a story based in the 1800s where we meet White-Jacket, an average sailor aboard a U.S. Navy ship. The narrative shares his journey, filled with dangerous travels and funny moments with his fellow crewmates. White-Jacket lets us peek into the daily life of a sailor, highlighting the friendships and tough situations they faced. It starts with him making a white jacket in Callao, Peru, before sailing towards Cape Horn. He thinks about how silly the jacket is in bad weather, setting a tone that is both funny and critical of life on the ship. He playfully writes about the different groups of sailors, their jobs, and his time with people like Jack Chase, who is a great sailor loved by all. The reader gets to see a lively, messy world full of friendship, pranks, and interesting people.
White Jacket; Or, The World on a Man-of-War
By Herman Melville
A sailor's unusual outerwear becomes a window into the wild and challenging existence aboard a 19th-century naval vessel.
Summary
About the AuthorHerman Melville was an American novelist, short story writer, and poet of the American Renaissance period. Among his best-known works are Moby-Dick (1851); Typee (1846), a romanticized account of his experiences in Polynesia; and Billy Budd, Sailor, a posthumously published novella. At the time of his death Melville was not well known to the public, but 1919, the centennial of his birth, was the starting point of a Melville revival. Moby-Dick eventually would be considered one of the great American novels.
Herman Melville was an American novelist, short story writer, and poet of the American Renaissance period. Among his best-known works are Moby-Dick (1851); Typee (1846), a romanticized account of his experiences in Polynesia; and Billy Budd, Sailor, a posthumously published novella. At the time of his death Melville was not well known to the public, but 1919, the centennial of his birth, was the starting point of a Melville revival. Moby-Dick eventually would be considered one of the great American novels.
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