Reference Information
Title: Coming of Age in Samoa
Author: Margaret Mead
Editors: Williams Morrow and Company (1928)
Chapter 1: Introduction (13 Pages)
Title: Coming of Age in Samoa
Author: Margaret Mead
Editors: Williams Morrow and Company (1928)
Chapter 1: Introduction (13 Pages)
Summary
The author provides the basic argument for choosing Samoa as the subject of her Ethnography. She feels that the primitive nature of the civilization allows her to pay greater attention to detail. Mead discusses several techniques she uses to draw conclusions about how each child grows and responds to their surroundings.
Discussion
I find it interesting that Mead chose Samoa, a culture so vastly different from our own. She chose to concentrate on adolescent girls in Samoa, as that would allow her greater intimacy. This was probably a good idea because it would allow her to eliminate a few external variables in her study.
Image: http://www.puretravel.com/Guide/Oceania/Polynesia
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| A Samoan hut, as described by Mead |
I agree, Samoa is pretty out there to choose on a whim. I wonder what other decisions went into consideration before finally choosing Samoa as her destination.
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