# XV explained — Typee

> Chapter companion for Typee by Herman Melville.

## What happens

The narrator describes the kindness of Marheyo and his household, particularly their efforts to cater to his palate with rare seaweed and salt. He then provides a detailed description of the breadfruit tree and the various methods of preparing its fruit, including roasting, making kokoo, amar, and poee-poee.

## Themes in this chapter

### Civilization vs. Nature

The narrator contrasts the natural abundance and simple food preparations of the Typees with the luxuries of a Parisian table, highlighting the difference between civilized and natural lifestyles.

### Cultural Relativism

The narrator describes the Typees' unique food customs, such as valuing salt and seaweed, and their methods of preparing breadfruit, showing an appreciation for their cultural practices.

## Character check-ins

### Narrator

The narrator is the recipient of the islanders' hospitality and describes his experiences with their food preparations.

### Marheyo

Marheyo goes to the seashore to collect rare seaweed for the narrator and prepares it with great ostentation.

### Kory-Kory

Kory-Kory frequently shows his skill in using the pestle and mortar and the hobbyhorse for preparing breadfruit dishes.

## Key lines

> How true it is, that the rarity of any particular article enhances its value amazingly.

The narrator reflects on how the scarcity of an item makes it seem more valuable.

_This observation is made in the context of the Typees' high regard for salt and seaweed._

> The celebrity of the breadfruit tree, and the conspicuous place it occupies in a Typee bill of fare, induces me to give at some length a general description of the tree, and the various modes in which the fruit is prepared.

Because the breadfruit is so important in Typee cuisine, the narrator provides a detailed account of the tree and how its fruit is cooked.

_This introduces the lengthy description of breadfruit preparation that follows._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/typee_se/chapters/xv
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/typee_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/typee_se/chapters