Typee: A Peep at Polynesian Life

To what extent does Tommo forsake Western culture when he abandons the ship? Examine this topic, using textual evidence.

Explore Toby’s role in the novel, using textual evidence. What role does he play at the beginning of Tommo’s adventure? How does Toby’s role change, if at all, over the course of the novel?

Examine why Tommo considers cannibalism the ultimate taboo, using textual evidence.

What does Fayaway’s character represent for Tommo? Use textual evidence to write a brief essay.

Why is trust so important in Typee? Explore this topic beyond the information in the guide, using textual evidence to develop a thesis.

How does the novel interrogate the morality of colonialism? Use textual evidence to examine this topic beyond the information in the guide.

What is the significance of the Ti, both to Tommo and to the Typees? Use textual evidence to illustrate conclusions on this topic.

At the end of the novel, Tommo leaves the Typees as a changed man. Can he ever truly return to the life he once led? Why or why not?