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Margaret Mead
Summary:
In this first chapter, the author introduces the purpose of her ethnography, which is to compare and maybe find an answer to the difficulties teenagers face during puberty. The question is whether the changes are caused by this period of changes itself, or if it is influenced by the society where teenagers are raised. The author explains why Samoa is the place she chooses for her investigation, and presents the idea that having knowledge about such a different culture and way of living will affect in a positive way our own behavior.
After chapter one, and in the majority of the book, Mead describes different aspects of the Samoan life, always focusing on how teenage girls lived their lives and how society affected them. In chapter two, from the smallest kids, to the elders of the villages, Mead captures their daily lives and customs, giving a general idea of how the life at a community like this one is.
Mead then 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.
One of the main ideas in chapter four is the relationship held between relatives.. Mead also spent a big part of the chapter discussing the titles the highest men and women would hold in a household. For men, it is the chief title, and she described the process and considerations taken when it was time to select a successor. She also discusses the title of princess of the household, and the factors that affected the selection.
Mead describes the relations between the age groups formed between children. She describes the different kinds of friendship between the girls, and what are the ties that allow such friendships, this also defines the level of confidence between them. Mean also explains that boys are more open to friendships or to belong to friendship groups. She also notes that the guys' grouping is given more social value than that of girls.
In chapter six, the type of society and titles that the highest ranking individuals in the community would hold are described in detail, including younger and older men, as well as younger and older women; how these titles were recognized by the rest of the community members and visitors. Mead focuses on the role that the girl plays in society and how it relates to the rest of social groups (less relevant than that of men).
Mead describes how the attitude of little girls towards boys is first one of avoidance, however this changes a few years after puberty. She continues to talk about the recognized forms of sex relation, focusing in those outside formal marriage.Mead goes in much detail about the relationships between the unmarried young people. Virginity is nor really important or required from girls, except the taupo.
In the following chapter Mead describes dancing as a very unique activity where all the common customs seen elsewhere do not apply. Dancing allows children to show their 'education' and are able to display their skills and abilities without being criticized for trying to do better than others. Also, adults instead of scoffing children as usual, encourage them to dance, and sit back to allow them to be the main focus of the activity.
In chapter nine Mead introduces a few specific characteristics and words that describe the personality of Samoans. She opens the chapter by describing the musu attitude and a peculiar answer to questions that want to be avoided Ta ilo. Mead also explains the lack of privacy, and how this leads to much secrecy; she discusses how attitudes are describe by Samoans (very differently from Americans) and how are judgments made about people with different titles.
Chapter ten discusses in depth the Samoan customs about sex, focusing more in the young (past poverty) girls than in the rest of society, but still explaining a bit about each age group. In the Samoan culture, children are exposed to situations like birth, death, and sexual relations, at a very young age; Mead states this fact does not seam to affect them in a negative, traumatic way.
Mead then describes the main reasons why a girl could become in conflict with society. The first reason was that of girls who were just different (in a good way) but non traditional from their culture. Girls who wanted to study and become more than just wives were not appreciated by their community. The other type of conflict would come from girls who were "delinquent", bad girls. The few girls she met with these characteristics were raised in the non traditional household and with a more noticeable lack of affection.
In chapter twelve, Mead discusses the changes that men and women go through after they are married or are considered adults (even if unmarried). She covers two major topics: the changes when individuals get married, and when they become old. When a couple gets married, they do not become a "unit" like we do; they are still under the household of either of the families. The changes impact men more than women, since their social roles are more relevant than those of women. However, when they age, man's importance in the village is decreased, while the knowledge and power of a woman is increased. This was the last chapter where Mead discusses her findings about her investigations. In the last part of the book Mead comes to some conclusions and comparisons to the American society.
The next chapter is dedicated for contrasting the Samoan civilization to our own, trying to answer the question about trouble in adolescence in America. There are a few main points she covers in great detail such as a lack of affection and caring, not many choices open for teenagers (which lead not not many contradiction around the adolescent), and overall the lack of privacy which leads to more open knowledge about sex, birth and death.
The last 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.
One of the main ideas in chapter four is the relationship held between relatives.. Mead also spent a big part of the chapter discussing the titles the highest men and women would hold in a household. For men, it is the chief title, and she described the process and considerations taken when it was time to select a successor. She also discusses the title of princess of the household, and the factors that affected the selection.
Mead describes the relations between the age groups formed between children. She describes the different kinds of friendship between the girls, and what are the ties that allow such friendships, this also defines the level of confidence between them. Mean also explains that boys are more open to friendships or to belong to friendship groups. She also notes that the guys' grouping is given more social value than that of girls.
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In chapter six, the type of society and titles that the highest ranking individuals in the community would hold are described in detail, including younger and older men, as well as younger and older women; how these titles were recognized by the rest of the community members and visitors. Mead focuses on the role that the girl plays in society and how it relates to the rest of social groups (less relevant than that of men).
Mead describes how the attitude of little girls towards boys is first one of avoidance, however this changes a few years after puberty. She continues to talk about the recognized forms of sex relation, focusing in those outside formal marriage.Mead goes in much detail about the relationships between the unmarried young people. Virginity is nor really important or required from girls, except the taupo.
In the following chapter Mead describes dancing as a very unique activity where all the common customs seen elsewhere do not apply. Dancing allows children to show their 'education' and are able to display their skills and abilities without being criticized for trying to do better than others. Also, adults instead of scoffing children as usual, encourage them to dance, and sit back to allow them to be the main focus of the activity.
In chapter nine Mead introduces a few specific characteristics and words that describe the personality of Samoans. She opens the chapter by describing the musu attitude and a peculiar answer to questions that want to be avoided Ta ilo. Mead also explains the lack of privacy, and how this leads to much secrecy; she discusses how attitudes are describe by Samoans (very differently from Americans) and how are judgments made about people with different titles.
Chapter ten discusses in depth the Samoan customs about sex, focusing more in the young (past poverty) girls than in the rest of society, but still explaining a bit about each age group. In the Samoan culture, children are exposed to situations like birth, death, and sexual relations, at a very young age; Mead states this fact does not seam to affect them in a negative, traumatic way.
Mead then describes the main reasons why a girl could become in conflict with society. The first reason was that of girls who were just different (in a good way) but non traditional from their culture. Girls who wanted to study and become more than just wives were not appreciated by their community. The other type of conflict would come from girls who were "delinquent", bad girls. The few girls she met with these characteristics were raised in the non traditional household and with a more noticeable lack of affection.
In chapter twelve, Mead discusses the changes that men and women go through after they are married or are considered adults (even if unmarried). She covers two major topics: the changes when individuals get married, and when they become old. When a couple gets married, they do not become a "unit" like we do; they are still under the household of either of the families. The changes impact men more than women, since their social roles are more relevant than those of women. However, when they age, man's importance in the village is decreased, while the knowledge and power of a woman is increased. This was the last chapter where Mead discusses her findings about her investigations. In the last part of the book Mead comes to some conclusions and comparisons to the American society.
The next chapter is dedicated for contrasting the Samoan civilization to our own, trying to answer the question about trouble in adolescence in America. There are a few main points she covers in great detail such as a lack of affection and caring, not many choices open for teenagers (which lead not not many contradiction around the adolescent), and overall the lack of privacy which leads to more open knowledge about sex, birth and death.
The last 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.
Appendix II is dedicated for describing what assumptions Mead makes, what methods she chose to follow, and clarifies certain points that are important for the basis of her study.
In this Appendix III, Mead gives a description of the Samoan civilization and how it became what it was before then. She basically describes Samoa as it is in the time frame when she did her research, but describes how it became more flexible from what it was before.
Appendix V presents detailed explanations of the information she obtained from the girls and how she obtained it. She also gives some numbers, and tables containing some of the information she gathered. This information includes family, social and sexual interactions of each of the girls, as well as the topics of the intelligence tests that she gave to these girls.
Discussion: This was a really interesting book to read, and for the most part very easy read. There was so much description about the community and society, that anyone with a non really creative mind can still visualize Mead's descriptions.
Their was just so different and "liberal" that I cannot imagine the American society being like that at any point in history. It is really difficult for me to form any conclusions about her research and if it was effective or not responding to the issue of teenagers, and this is for two reasons. 1) I was born and raised in Mexico. I know more about our culture and past than I know about the past culture in the U.S. However, I do not think it could have been so different, at least not to the point has the Samoan society was from the American civilization. 2) I did not live in those days, not here, not in Mexico. Thus, how can I really understand her comparisons. However, one interesting thing I found out when reading the book, is that I was doing comparisons to our current society, and how different they are anyway.
In a future, I would like to read about the critics this book received. I would like to see the other side of the story, since I have been hearing that this was not such a great book. Which I must differ with, at least for now.
In this Appendix III, Mead gives a description of the Samoan civilization and how it became what it was before then. She basically describes Samoa as it is in the time frame when she did her research, but describes how it became more flexible from what it was before.
Appendix V presents detailed explanations of the information she obtained from the girls and how she obtained it. She also gives some numbers, and tables containing some of the information she gathered. This information includes family, social and sexual interactions of each of the girls, as well as the topics of the intelligence tests that she gave to these girls.
Discussion: This was a really interesting book to read, and for the most part very easy read. There was so much description about the community and society, that anyone with a non really creative mind can still visualize Mead's descriptions.
Their was just so different and "liberal" that I cannot imagine the American society being like that at any point in history. It is really difficult for me to form any conclusions about her research and if it was effective or not responding to the issue of teenagers, and this is for two reasons. 1) I was born and raised in Mexico. I know more about our culture and past than I know about the past culture in the U.S. However, I do not think it could have been so different, at least not to the point has the Samoan society was from the American civilization. 2) I did not live in those days, not here, not in Mexico. Thus, how can I really understand her comparisons. However, one interesting thing I found out when reading the book, is that I was doing comparisons to our current society, and how different they are anyway.
In a future, I would like to read about the critics this book received. I would like to see the other side of the story, since I have been hearing that this was not such a great book. Which I must differ with, at least for now.
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