Guide Mentor

Character Role Analysis

The Typee

If you asked Tommo who was the teacher between himself and the islanders, what do you think he'd say?

At first we thought maybe he'd take the title for himself, but then we realized no: this book is a romantic illustration of the Typee, their customs and ways of life. And by reading about Tommo's enjoyment of those things, we understand that his concept of pleasure and value and priorities may be forever marked by this. No matter the trace of condescension in his tone, it's easy to hear the longing in his description of days in the valley, "one tranquil day of ease and happiness follows another in quiet succession" (20.1).