Book Reading #9: Coming of Age in Samoa

Chapter 3: The Education of a Samoan Child

Margaret Mead

Summary: In this chapter, Mead discusses the education that both, boys and girls receive ever since they are born until they become adults. Most of the early education they receive comes from older siblings, mostly girls, since they are in charge of their younger siblings since they are about five or six months old. Mead explains the distinctions that are observed between the education boys and girls receive, as well as the expectations that their village has from them.

Discussion: Something that really surprised me was the fact that girls did not really want to get married before their late teens. I was of the idea that in the past girls would get married really young, and I just assumed it would be the same. Also, I found really interesting to know that boys or young adults would be discouraged to succeed more than others, how they were limited by being only a little better than the rest. There were so many detailed examples, that I think are important to know about in order to better understand the rest of the book.