Reference Information:
Title - Coming of Age in Samoa
Author - Margaret Mead
Editors - Williams Morrow and Company (1928)
Chapter 1
Summary
This was the introductory chapter for Coming of Age in Samoa, in which a researcher chooses a Samoan child to watch and see her grow from an adolescent to a full fledged adult. She begins by discussing several techniques to looking and deciding how each child grows and responds differently depending on settings. This studies include: psychology, anthropology, biology, etc..
Discussion
I find it very interesting that by choosing to look at a child in Samoa, she chose a lifestyle that would be completely different than that of anything seen in America, giving us all a different perspective of life. The author made a very good point that science, through controlled variables, would not give us a justification as to why certain children grow to be how they are because there are simply way too many variable to look at.
Chapter 2
Summary
In this chapter Mead summarizes a typical day in the Samoan village in which she is visiting. She explains that families that will be cooking meals are forced to have a very hard day at work in order to get materials for their meal. She explains that all members of the adult population work for the common good.
Discussion
I found this chapter to be interesting because of the fact that the society must grow and cook their own food. This is very different from the society that we live in. If we are lazy we can always grab a cheeseburger from the fast food restaurant where they absolutely do not have this option
Appendix II
Summary
The author discusses more in depth about her study of the "adolescent girl in Samoa." She explains the different variables that she must look at to get a better perspective of how she grows up. She looks at everything from rank to marital status of every member of the girls' households.
Discussion
The concept of such large error in this study is intriguing to me. Also, I like how the author mentions that in order to look at the girls' adolescence, it is also important to discuss with the mothers' how they grew up.
Appendix V
Summary
In this Appendix the author explains how she split up the children. No sign of puberty, those maturing very soon, and past puberty but not considered adults. This appendix include a lot of data from her studies.
Discussion
I enjoyed reading how Mead decides to split up the kids into their respective categories. It was also really nice to see how she took notes and jotted down data.
Chapter 3
Summary
In this chapter Mead decides to discuss the idea of education in the village. She explains that the young kids in the village are mostly raise and educated by the older children. Eventually these kids are old enough to work for the family and them move on to that lifestyle.
Discussion
I thought this chapter was very interesting to me. The way children got their education from a children only a few years older is very different from American society. Young children are usually taught by their parents, sometimes by older siblings but they are usually off at school. These children do not receive extremely good educations, just enough to get them working for the family, which also a unique perspective.
Chapter 4
Summary
In this chapter Mead goes more in depth about the family structure. She explains that the house leader, matai, is in charge of all decisions. He is also exempt from small daily tasks. There is also a taupo, or princess that is the princess of the group. All children are forced to do tasks appointed to them by their elders.
Discussion
The family structure is very far from the typical American one. I thought it was different to read that children migrate from house to house if they feel uncomfortable or trapped. I also enjoyed reading that they must do anything asked of them by a relative that is older, whether it is a brother or cousin. Also, the fact that different sex siblings have restrictions on activities they are partake is very odd.
Chapter 5
Summary
Margaret Mead began this chapter by lying out the concept of the "gangs" of children. She mentioned that family members were seen as that, not friends by any means. She mostly follows a girl named Luna, who begins the chapter as a child, not part of any gang which is extremely rare
Discussion
This chapter was interesting from the idea of learning about the "gangs" of small children. I thought it was interesting to look at children of these gangs did nothing but play when outside of the house. On the other hand when inside the house, they primarily had to do work. Sometimes they would sneak out during night time or during siesta.
Chapter 6
Summary
In this chapter Mead focuses mainly on the girl's responsibility and roles are in the community. She focuses mainly on the idea that women are treated very differently then women in this society. Aumaga, is the term that describes the young men of the society. Basically, they are responsible for the heavy work done in the village. On the other hand, the Auluma don't do very much physical work.
Discussion
I thought it was interesting to take a look at how men were treated vs the women in the society. I liked reading about the roles they had and how the consequences of their actions were treated very differently
Chapter 7
Summary
soa's in the society. This soa will receive gifts if a marriage results from the ambassadorship. She explains the different types of relationships including formal marriage and also unmarried relationships.
Discussion
I really enjoyed reading this chapter about the relationships. I found it very interesting because their relationship vary a lot from those of the typical American relationships. The concept of the soa was also very strange. I also enjoyed reading about the moetotolo, i found this ritual to be extremely odd and the ending result if the women rejects his sexual advances
Chapter 8
Summary
Unlike with most activities in the village, dancing is done by all, even the children. Children learn how to dance at a very young age in this village. Children use their dancing to increase self-confidence, and also to please the elders of the group.
Discussion
I enjoyed the chapter on dancing in the village. For the most part, it seems that every activity has bounds on which age members or sex members are able to participate. However, when comes to dancing everybody is involved and nobody left behind. It seems like a very good bonding time for the families.
Chapter 9
Summary
This chapter focuses on personality and how the Samoans treat and react to them. Somalians have very similar personalities, according to the author. The largest variance in personality is enthusiasm toward different activities. For the most part, Samoans are expected to act all with small amounts of excitement
Discussion
I found it off that the Samoans look down on those who act with large emotions. For the most part, they are expected to be calm and quieter, which i find odd. Emotion is a personal thing that separates people and I feel we should be allowed to express our emotions.
Chapter 10
Summary
In this chapter, Mead decides to look at the personality and individuality of the common Samoan girl. She also discusses that young girls have to deal with very traumatic events early in life.
Discussion
It seems that Mead is saying that these girls are forced to mature at a very young age. It seems that they discuss death very casually in this society.
Chapter 11
Summary
In this chapter, Mead talks about the girls that were not in any special groups because of their want to be different. Lita, Ana, Sona all wanted to have their own choices but didn't want any conflict. Mala and Lola however, did have some family conflicts. Mala has actually stolen a toy from another child, and was labeled a thief.
Discussion
I really enjoyed this chapter from Mead. It was cool to look at and see how these young women were treated in society. I thought it was also interesting to see that one of these was labeled a thief in society and was probably never treated the same again.
Chapter 12
Summary
The main discussion by Mead in this chapter deals with the older people in society and how their roles change as time goes on. During their early adulthood men gain reputation and title as their advance in society. As they get older they are stripped of these and are given to younger men. Older women do not gain or lose these titles so they remain very cheerful as they grow older and older.
Discussion
I find it very interesting that older men begin losing titles and reputation as time goes on. It seems as a forced "Mid-life crisis" Some American men go through this due to different effects but the Samoan men are stripped of key elements which in turn could cause them to go through these. I also liked the look at relationships between in laws in the society.
Chapter 13
Summary
In this chapter Mead decides to compare the Samoan child to the American. She explains that the American child has way more opportunities.
Discussion
I liked her comparison between both he Somian and American children, it was a good perspective
Chapter 14
Summary
It is pretty obvious by the title of this chapter that Mead talks about education and the children of America. She discusses that children have to make so many important and meaningful decisions at such a young age. People are often overwhelmed by choices in American because of the pursuit of happiness dream that American's have.
Discussion
I really enjoyed reading this chapter of education even though the book is relatively old. It seems as if most of the things she talked about still hold true to this day. It was also interesting to look at the money aspect and how teenagers feel more rebellious once they acquire money on their own
Appendix III
Summary
Mead talks a lot about the environment of this ethnography in this section. Clothing, housing, demographics, and geography are all topic she mentioned here. Also, Mead talked about schooling. She mentioned how European beliefs are integrated here. Mead mentions the topic about Samoan life before white influence.
Discussion
I really enjoyed reading more detail about the Samoan past and their influences. I thought it was real cool that they were able to maintain their own cultures even though integration of other cultures happened.
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