Cultural Relativism

Where it surfaces

• X

  The narrator describes the natives' curiosity about the white men's appearance and customs, and the learning of local eating practices, illustrating cultural differences.

• XIII

  The narrator contrasts the Typees' gentle hospitality with their reputation as cannibals, questioning moral judgments.

• XIV

  The narrator reflects on the different values and efficiencies of Typee society compared to his own, such as in child-rearing and daily tasks.

• XV

  The narrator describes the Typees' unique food customs, such as valuing salt and seaweed, and their methods of preparing breadfruit, showing an appreciation for their cultural practices.

• XVII

  The narrator questions the moral superiority of civilized societies, comparing cannibalism to European executions and criticizing the term 'savage' as misapplied.

• XIX

  The narrator contrasts the simple joys of the Typees (e.g., popgun games) with the more complex but rarer pleasures of 'enlightened' societies.

• XXI

  The narrator questions the Typees' own understanding of the ruins, suggesting that their divine explanation reflects a different cultural perspective on history and creation.

• XXII

  The narrator attempts to understand Typee customs, such as the taboo groves and the calabash monument, but admits his failure to comprehend them, highlighting the gap between cultures.

• The Feast of Calabashes

  The narrator struggles to understand the meaning of Typee customs, such as the leaping widows and the chaotic orchestra, revealing his own cultural biases and the difficulty of interpreting foreign practices.

• XXIV

  The narrator contrasts the peaceful, carefree life of the Typees with the exaggerated and negative accounts of missionaries and travelers, suggesting that their practices are misunderstood.

• XXV

  The narrator compares Typee beauty and health favorably to civilized norms, questioning the superiority of European dress and lifestyle.

• XXVI

  The narrator compares Typee marriage customs favorably to those of Tahiti and criticizes Western judgments, arguing that Typee society has its own virtues.

• The Social Condition and General Character of the Typees

  The narrator defends Typee customs, including cannibalism, by comparing them to the 'atrocious foreign wars' of civilized nations, suggesting moral equivalence.

• Fishing Parties and Midnight Banquets

  The narrator contrasts Typee customs of eating raw fish with civilized habits, ultimately adopting the practice and quoting 'When at Rome do as the Romans do.'

• XXXI

  The narrator describes Typee customs (chanting, singing, hair oil) without judgment, noting their unique beauty and logic.

• Endnotes

  The notes explain that the islanders' thievery from foreigners may be understood as a form of reprisal for the 'wholesale forays' made by European visitors, urging readers to reconsider their moral judgments through the lens of cultural context.