Typee · Question
How does Typee develop the theme of Taboo and Social Order?
Answer
Typee by Herman Melville develops Taboo and Social Order across the chapters the companion marks for this theme.
The mysterious and all-powerful system of 'Taboo' governs every aspect of Typee life, serving as a substitute for written law and illustrating how social order can be maintained through custom and belief.
The narrator learns about the taboo that prohibits women from using canoes, highlighting the strict social codes governing Marquesan life.
The taboo groves and the hoolah hoolah ground illustrate the strict social and religious codes governing Typee society.
The narrator challenges the taboo prohibiting women from canoes, leading to a rare dispensation for Fayaway, highlighting the flexibility and negotiation within the social order.
Evidence in the book
- II
The narrator learns about the taboo that prohibits women from using canoes, highlighting the strict social codes governing Marquesan life.
- Chapter XII
The taboo groves and the hoolah hoolah ground illustrate the strict social and religious codes governing Typee society.
- Chapter XVIII
The narrator challenges the taboo prohibiting women from canoes, leading to a rare dispensation for Fayaway, highlighting the flexibility and negotiation within the social order.
- XXII
The Ti is strictly taboo to women, and the narrator's confusion about the taboo system underscores its role in structuring Typee society.
- The Feast of Calabashes
The festival takes place in the Taboo Groves, and the rituals, including the widows' public mourning and the priests' chants, illustrate the structured social and religious order of the Typee society.
- XXIV
The mausoleum is described as a sacred place marked by the sign of Taboo, indicating the role of taboo in maintaining social and spiritual order.
- Fishing Parties and Midnight Banquets
The strict taboo on fish until distribution is completed ensures impartial sharing and maintains social order.
- Taboo and Tattooing: The Sacred and the Profane in Typee
The chapter delves deeply into the taboo system, showing how it regulates behavior, protects sacred objects, and maintains social hierarchy, while also highlighting its arbitrary and capricious nature.
