- description
- # Narrator's decision to sell his jacket and arrangements for the auction
## Overview
This scene, extracted from the text file `white_jacket.txt`, details the narrator's decision to sell his heavy white jacket and the subsequent arrangements made for its auction. The scene is part of Chapter XLVII, titled "AN AUCTION IN A MAN-OF-WAR."
## Context
The narrator, finding himself in the warm climate of Rio de Janeiro, decides that his heavy jacket is no longer necessary, despite anticipating cooler weather upon their return to America. He reflects on the jacket's history, recalling numerous troubles and even a life-threatening incident associated with it, leading to a "dreadful presentiment" that it would cause further harm. This internal conflict culminates in his firm decision to sell it. He then approaches the Purser's steward, with whom he has a friendly relationship, to arrange for the jacket to be included in an upcoming auction.
## Contents
The scene covers the narrator's internal monologue about the jacket, his reasons for wanting to sell it, and his practical steps to achieve this. It includes his conversation with the Purser's steward, who agrees to include the jacket in the sale. This scene is situated between "The Purser's Auction" and "Commencement of the auction for the white jacket."
- description_generated_at
- 2026-01-30T20:49:49.040Z
- description_model
- gemini-2.5-flash-lite
- description_title
- Narrator's decision to sell his jacket and arrangements for the auction
- end_line
- 7754
- extracted_at
- 2026-01-30T20:48:16.646Z
- extracted_by
- structure-extraction-lambda
- start_line
- 7735
- text
- The weather in Rio was genial and warm, and that I would ever again
need such a thing as a heavy quilted jacket—and such a jacket as the
white one, too—seemed almost impossible. Yet I remembered the American
coast, and that it would probably be Autumn when we should arrive
there. Yes, I thought of all that, to be sure; nevertheless, the
ungovernable whim seized me to sacrifice my jacket and recklessly abide
the consequences. Besides, was it not a horrible jacket? To how many
annoyances had it subjected me? How many scrapes had it dragged me
into? Nay, had it not once jeopardised my very existence? And I had a
dreadful presentiment that, if I persisted in retaining it, it would do
so again. Enough! I will sell it, I muttered; and so muttering, I
thrust my hands further down in my waistband, and walked the main-top
in the stern concentration of an inflexible purpose. Next day, hearing
that another auction was shortly to take place, I repaired to the
office of the Purser’s steward, with whom I was upon rather friendly
terms. After vaguely and delicately hinting at the object of my visit,
I came roundly to the point, and asked him whether he could slip my
jacket into one of the bags of clothes next to be sold, and so dispose
of it by public auction. He kindly acquiesced and the thing was done.
- title
- Narrator's decision to sell his jacket and arrangements for the auction