Reference Information
Title: Coming of Age in Samoa
Author: Margaret Mead
Editor: Harper Perennial, 1928 (1971)
Chapter 12: Maturity and Old Age
Summary
This chapter discussed how maturity affects an individual in society, including how their role changes as they age. Obtaining titles is generally important to the men, and happens all throughout life; however, the author states that a woman's greatest accomplishment is her first born child. It is the woman's responsibility to teach the younger people of the household common activities, and for the old aged people, there is no longer any regard for taboos.
Discussion
I found it interesting that at an old age, people are allowed to disregard the taboos they have been following since they were children. In addition, I found it amusing that the author noted that there is no conflict between a daughter-in-law and a mother-in-law like in our culture, but it is just a relationship of respect for authority.
No comments:
Post a Comment