Book Reading #6: Coming of Age in Samoa



Book Author: Margaret Mead

CHAPTER 2:  A Day in Samoa

Summary

In this chapter Margaret Mead starts by describing some of the routine of the Samoan people when they wake up. She goes about describing many activities that go on from fishing, farming, building houses, council meetings, and others. This chapter mainly allows us to get a sense of the organization of the village, and the types of peoples and characters we can encounter: councils of old men, youths, criers that report news about surrounding villages, a chief and his councillor.

Discussion

This chapter gives us the impression of a small organized community, and we get the sense that daily activities are influenced by the time of day, and the weather. There is a hiearchy in the way things are conducted and everyone seems to have their role to contribute to the village.

Appendix II:  Methodology of this Survey

Summary
This appendix discusses Margaret Mead's study methodology. Two aspects must be considered according to her: The influence from the west, and the parents' cultural background and thoughts about how a teenager ought to act. Three groups of girls in three villages were the object of this study. One technique used by her consists in a linear study. She prefers this technique as opposed to a cross-sectional study. The way it is done is that one follows a same group of  children while they go from childhood, to adolescence, to young adults instead of studying different children, different adolescents, and generalizing their behavior.

In order to establish the Samoan people's cutural background, Mead conducted interviews, statement checking, used examples and test cases, all in the Samoan language. There was no interpreter.
Futhermore, in order to figure out the social structure of the villages, each village house was evaluated by rank, wealth, location, contiguity, age, gender, marital relationships, and other criterias.
By doing all of this, she could provide a framework under which to study the Samoan girl.

Discussion

This appendix is important because it describes Margaret Mead's study methodology, and serves the reader a way of judgin the merit of her study.

Appendix V: Materials Upon Which the Analysis is Based

Summary
This appendix describes the choice of the population to study, and how Mead had to estimate the different age groups, because of lacking birth records. She also explains how she used the very young children to learn about the dynamics between the genders.

Discussion
Mead specifically points out the methodology she used to categorize different age groups due to lack of birth records. She points out this aspect, to convey her  attempt at gathering data to the best of her ability given the situation.