It was first published in England in 1847 by Harper & Brothers (New York) and John Murray (London)
It is a wequel to his first narrative about South Sea, called Typee.
This is a book collection that Herman Melville wrote before publishing Moby-Dick and it was considered "a jewel of world literature".
Herman Melville was born August 1, 1819 in New Yok City (USA).
His youth and experiences in that age were a crucial for him and influenced his artistic vision.
He mainly wrote about his stories as a common sailor, philosophy, the American society or exploration of literature. His barroque style was characterized by a rich vocabulary, elaborated and complex sentences, a strong rhythm, ironies and many references to the Bible, myths, visual arts and literature.
He married with Elizabeth Knapp Shaw; the couple had four children: Malcolm, Stanwix, Elizabeth and Frances.
During his last years, he wrote two volumes of poetry and left one unpublished. Also, his last novel, Billy Budd, was left unfinished at this death in September 28, 1981 at the age of 72 years old.
Finally rescued from the island of Typee by a British crew, Herman Melville agrees to stay on the ship Julia until it reaches the next port, where he will go ashore.
After Melville joins to the group, some of the members attempt to desert, but the misfortunes are quickly solved.
In the first weeks of cruising in the adventure, Melville spends his time playing chest and reading the doctor's books; but this is not time of pleasure. Two men from the crew suddenly die and all of them are living through terriblr conditions: the boat is rat-infested and rotten (it should have been condemned years ago) and the captain falls ill.
The course time force them to change the route and go to the nearest island: Tahiti.
When the captain leaves the boat because of the illness, they convince themselves that the agreements they had signed weeks before were no longer applicable and they try to leave it too upon the arrival to a harbor in Papeetee.
Only the doctor prevents the sailors from desert, and the consul in Papeetee tell them they are obliged to stay in the ship for three months under the command of a mate.
In this place, the acting consul has the men (including Melville and the doctor) imprisoned on a French frigate, and five days after they have they have one more opportunity to return to the ship; they refuse and a Tahitian native, Captain Bob, takes them to a oval-shaped house (their "jail").
This is where the real "adventure" of Melville begins. After the ship sails away with a new crew, Melville and the other sailors are freed by the Tahitian jailer. He and the doctor have several adventures in the island and Herman ships on a boat that will take him to Japan.
In the adventures, he is convinced that the natives have been corrupted by their contact with white missionaries.
Herman Melville. An American sailor who is rescued from a cannibal island by the crew of British whaler (the Julia) and stays in the ship as a deck hand* when he is relieved of duty due to his lameness*. Before going home with the boat that goes to Japan, he lives a lot of adventures in the islands with his friend, Doctor Long Ghost.
Doctor Long Ghost. The ship's doctor rescues the main character. Doctor Long Ghost beomes the Melville's closest friend and companion. He tries to sign on the same ship with Melville when he leaves the islands, but the captain refuses to allow him so he is left behind.
Captain Bob. The jailer of Melville and the rest of the crew on the island of Tahiti. He is easy-going and after the whaler sails away, the old man frees all the crew.
*DECK HAND. Sailor who works in the deck, in a boat.
*LAMENESS. If a person has difficulties to walk straight (he has problems in the leg), they suffer lameness.
2. CROSSWORD: Click on the work to fill in the blank.
3. RIDDLE:
YOU ARE ON A SAIL BOAT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE OCEAN... THE BOAT HAS FOUR BOARDS ON THE SIDE THAT ARE TWO FEET WIDE EACH. IF THE WATER LEVEL RISES 4 FEET, WHICH BOARD WILL THE WATER REACH?
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