Riassunto
Trama e riassunto di Giacca bianca, ovvero Il mondo su una nave da guerra
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About 9 h 30 min to read.A chi è rivolto
For readers who love Moby-Dick, daily detail aboard a navy ship, and stories of life under authority. Humor, sea lore and questions of power and equality make this a voyage for curious readers.
Che cos’è questo libro
Imagine sewing your own coat, only to find it makes you easy to single out on a warship. That is where Herman Melville's White-Jacket begins. Published in 1850, it is told by a young sailor named for his odd white coat. Melville drew it from his own service in the United States Navy, which ended in 1844. The ship is called the Neversink, and the narrator is one hand among about five hundred. This is no hunt for a whale or a lost island. It looks at one ship as if it were a whole nation, with its ranks, its comforts for a few and its punishments for many. Melville writes with anger and humor alike.
In questo riassunto
- 1A homemade coat marks the narrator outFree
- 2The ship is a world of ranks
- 3Jack Chase shows what a good sailor is
- 4Daily life below deck is crowded and rough
- 5The lash falls on men who cannot answer
- 6Surgeon Cuticle puts science above feeling
- 7Storms, the Horn and the dangers aloft
- 8What the book says about power and equality
- 9How Melville tells it: voice, jacket and digression
Punto chiave 1 di 9
A homemade coat marks the narrator out
While the Neversink lies at Callao, in Peru, the narrator finds himself without an overcoat. The ship is bound for home around Cape Horn. He needs a coat, so he makes one from a white shirt. It is a loose white jacket with pockets for clothes, books and other supplies.
The garment is bulky and baggy. Sailors laugh at the coat that gives him his name. In rain the coat becomes a heavy, cold sponge. He cannot get paint to darken it, so it stays white.
The jacket is also a sign. On a ship of uniforms, a man who stands out is a mark for every officer's eye. A man cannot choose how a crowd sees him, and that idea follows him into every scene.
That’s 1 of 9 key points.
The rest of the summary, written and spoken, and the whole book: free to start.
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Go deeper: the whole of Giacca bianca, ovvero Il mondo su una nave da guerra
About 9 h 30 min to read.Questions about Giacca bianca, ovvero Il mondo su una nave da guerra
What is White-Jacket by Herman Melville about?
It follows a young sailor aboard the navy frigate Neversink on a long voyage home from Peru. Through daily scenes, portraits of crewmates and sharp argument, it shows life under naval discipline and the harm of flogging.
Is White-Jacket based on a true story?
Largely, yes. Melville served in the US Navy in 1843 and 1844 aboard the frigate United States, and he built the book from that experience.
Why is he called White-Jacket?
The narrator makes a loose white coat from old shirts and cloth because he has no overcoat. Shipmates tease him about it, and the nickname sticks, which is why the coat becomes the book's central symbol.
Who is Jack Chase in White-Jacket?
Jack Chase is the captain of the main top, a skilled, dignified and well-liked sailor. The narrator admires him, and he shows that a man can earn respect through character rather than rank.
Is White-Jacket hard to read compared with Moby-Dick?
It is easier in structure and mood. The narrator is clear, and the scenes are lively and often funny.