Book Reading #40: Coming of Age in Samoa

Chapter 14: Education for Choice

Coming of Age in Samoa

Summary: In this chapter, Mead gives a more detailed description of what the life of an American girl is, for the point of view of the girl. She is focusing on the number of choices that adolescents are presented with, and what sort of things are leading adolescents to behave as they do. As the title suggest, Mead states that parents need to decide how to educate their children, and her view point is to educate them no know how to handle the so many choices that they are presented with.

Discussion: One point made by Mead really surprised me, taking in consideration the time frame when this book was written.  Parents try to "reward" their children for their behavior, but they also use this fact as a restrain for behavior. However, as Mead explains, once adolescents are able to at least partially support themselves, parents loose the one thing they were using to control their children, instead of teaching them how to behave altogether. I think my point of view comes from the way my parents raised me, for example they didn't give me rewards because I did good in school, instead they taught me that was my obligation and I did good even with no rewards.