White Jacket; Or, The World on a Man-of-War

«In 1843, after three years of voyaging in the South Seas, Melville signed up as an ordinary seaman on the man of war United States, and headed for home. What he observed on his way home formed the basis of White Jacket. The World in a Man of War's subtitle points to its broad theme: autocratic, male regime aboard the Neversink is perhaps no more than a microcosm of pre-Civil War America. But under his scandalized liberalism, his desire to expose and to reform a barbaric system which reflects badlyon the Declaration of Independence, runs an unspoken connection. The treatment meted out to the white men on the man-of-war is the same as that experienced by black slaves in every state. With hindsight, Melville's novel is double-edged and will be useful for everyone to make an acquaintance. »