Book Reading #2: Coming of Age in Samoa

Title: 
Book Reading #1: Chapter 1

Reference: 
Mead, Margaret. Coming of Age in Samoa. Harper Perennial, 1928 (1971).

Summary: 
Mead ventures after the thought of adolescence and the "problem" of adolescence: the very nature of the adolescent in America.  She wants to know if this nature is due to the very fact that the person is adolescent or to cultural factors.  In order to discuss this topic, she feels that going outside of our Indo-European society is the only true way to confront the issue, taking a society completely different from the formation of our own.  Looking at social interaction, religion, education and family structure she says she will lay out the important factors in the development of the adolescent girl in Samoa.

Discussion: 
I found it interesting how it seemed like I could pick up the ideas she was interested in during this study - those being religion and sexuality.  I predict that much of the book will have ties to these two ideas no matter what topic is actually being discussed.  She labeled adolescence as being idealistic and rebellious, and in my opinion according to todays society, I can see the rebellion part, but it doesn't seem that idealistic.  I would put that label more on the post-adolescent, the young adult, more than I would on the adolescent.  I appreciate the way she is approaching the problem at hand and commend her for stepping out of the normal bounds of psychological study and immersing herself in a completely different society and environment.