Typee

Running Head : HERMAN MELVILLE 'S TYPEE

Herman Melville 's Typee

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Written in 1846 , Typee : A Peep at Polynesian Life ' is a book partly based on the actual experiences of the author Herman Melville as a captive on Nuku Hiva or Nukuheva in the South Pacific Marquesas Islands Typee ' is derived from the name of a valley in the place called Tai Pi Vai . In the story , after a long arduous trek through the mountains of Nuku Hiva , Tom (a

character based on Melville ) and his companion , a fellow sailor named Toby , reached the secluded valley of the Typees . The two sailors are practically adopted by the villagers at once and treated as visitors . The novel is considered one of the most intelligent contemporary account cultural interaction between HYPERLINK "http /www .medbib .com /Western_culture " \o "Western culture " Western and HYPERLINK "http /www .medbib .com /Polynesian_culture " \o "Polynesian

culture " Polynesian cultures in the nineteenth century Pacific which centers to themes and images symbolizing the Pacific 's natural plenty and beauty , simplicity of life , desires and motives as well as cannibalism , cultural absorption , HYPERLINK "http /www .medbib .com /Colonialism " \o "Colonialism " colonialism exoticism , and eroticism

In Typee , Melville has effectively emphasized his point that incompetent people in authority can abuse customs and usages , such in the case of Captain Vang . Because of his incompetence and lack of concern with his crew , the sailors aboard the Dolly suffer , not to...