Poetry · Chapter
Tom Norton explained
Tom Norton, second mate of the shipwrecked Albatross, survives on a plank and washes ashore a tropical island.
What happens
Tom Norton, second mate of the shipwrecked Albatross, survives on a plank and washes ashore a tropical island. Captured by cannibals, he is fattened for a feast but saved by the king's daughter, Wambo, who hides him in a cave. Tom tells her stories like Little Red Riding Hood, which she shares with her father King Bomba, leading to Tom's release and marriage to Wambo. He becomes a storyteller, teaching the islanders tales and Christian truths, eventually civilizing the tribe and passing his legacy to his son Bomba Tomba.
Themes in this chapter
Moral Lessons and Domestic Virtue
Tom's storytelling teaches Christian truths and moral tales, leading the islanders to abandon warfare and embrace peace and family values.
Cultural Heritage and Immigrant Identity
Tom brings European stories and Christian teachings to the island, blending his heritage with the native culture, and his son becomes a hybrid king.
Nature and the Environment
The island's lush setting with palm trees, caves, and lake provides a backdrop for survival and romance, highlighting nature's beauty and danger.
Characters to notice
- Tom Norton
Second mate of the Albatross, shipwrecked and captured by cannibals, saved by Wambo, marries her and becomes a storyteller and civilizer.
- Wambo
King Bomba's daughter, saves Tom from being eaten, falls in love with him, and helps him escape and later marry.
- King Bomba
Cannibal king who plans to eat Tom but is moved by Tom's stories, eventually giving his daughter in marriage and granting Tom a copyright.
- Bomba Tomba
Tom and Wambo's eldest son, who learns to read and tell stories, becoming king and continuing his father's legacy.
- Edgar Allan Poe
Referenced indirectly through the ship's name 'The Albatross', a nod to Poe's poem 'The Raven' or 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner' (though Coleridge is more direct, the text mentions 'Albatross').
Key passages
“That staunch good ship, The Albatross , Dismantled in a storm did toss, For the wind it blew terrific, In the Southern Pacific.”
The sturdy ship Albatross was wrecked in a violent storm in the South Pacific.
Sets the scene for Tom's shipwreck and survival.
“The seventh day with joy he sees An island cover'd with palm trees, And as the sea was now quite calm, He floated slow to isle of palm.”
After seven days adrift, Tom joyfully spots a palm-covered island and floats ashore in calm seas.
Tom's arrival on the island marks the beginning of his adventure.
“She whispered in the ear of Tom That she would find him better home. She knew the cannibals would rage, When they would find an empty cage; But innocence she could slam so, They would not suspect Miss Wambo.”
Wambo whispered to Tom that she would find him a safer place, knowing the cannibals would be furious but confident she could avoid suspicion.
Wambo's clever plan to save Tom from being eaten.
“This tale a proof it doth afford That pen is mightier than the sword; In warriors no more they glory, But in the man who tells the story.”
This story proves that writing and storytelling are more powerful than weapons, as the islanders now honor storytellers instead of warriors.
The moral of the poem, emphasizing the power of stories over violence.