scorched and smoldering as it is

[redgiant]

The tail end of my jacket catches on fire and I have to stop to rip it from my
body and stamp out the flames. But I don’t dare leave the jacket, scorched and smoldering as it is, I take the risk of shoving it in my sleeping bag, hoping the lack of air will quell what I haven’t extinguished.

Source: The Hunger Game

Does "scorched and smoldering as it is" mean "despite the jacket scorched and smoldering?" Thanks

 

[Copyright]

It could be rephrased this way: But I don't dare leave the jacket, which is scorched and smoldering ...

 

[perpend]

I agree with Copyright.

Another rephrasing: But I don't dare leave the jacket, it being scorched and (still) smoldering ...

redgiant, The person can't leave the jacket in the wilderness since it is scorched and still smoldering, so the person takes the risk of shoving it ... (which will hopefully not ignite the sleeping bag, if that makes sense.)

It's not a "despite" here, though I can understand the thought, if you are trying to join it with the next phrase.

 

[Copyright]

It's not that he can't leave the jacket despite its being scorched and smoldering -- he can't leave it because it is scorched and smoldering.

Edit: This is not correct -- it is despite. Please see Loob's post #7.

 

[redgiant]

Thanks for your clear explanations, copyright and perpend

 

[JuicyJew]

I actually think more context is needed. It is possible that it means despite, depending on what other risk of leaving the jacket there may be.

Shoving smouldering clothing into a sleeping bag while camping seems a very odd thing to do unless there was a really good reason why he had to immediately clear any trace of himself or something. I certainly would need good motivation to damage and stink up my sleeping bag so unnecesarily.

 

[Loob]

I've found redgiant's source here, and I see that the next sentence after the part quoted in post 1 is

This is all I have, what I carry on my back, and it’s a little enough to survive with.

That being so, I think that scorched and smouldering as it is does, here, have redgiant's suggested meaning of "despite the fact that it is scorched and smouldering". The speaker is participating in some sort of game, and what she is wearing/carrying is all she has, so it's vital that she doesn't leave the jacket behind.

(Redgiant, don't forget that the more context you can give, the better.)

 

[JuicyJew]

Ah, that makes a lot more sense Loob

 

[Copyright]

Thanks, Loob. Despite makes sense with the expanded context. (And two sentences might have helped in the original.)