Editing Typee (section)

==Critical response==
[[File:Fayaway.jpg|thumb|Fayaway]]
''Typee''{{'}}s narrative expresses a great deal of sympathy for the so-called savages, and even interrogates the use of that word, while focusing the most criticism on European marauders and various missionaries' attempts to evangelize:

<blockquote>
It may be asserted without fear of contradictions that in all the cases of
outrages committed by Polynesians, Europeans have at some time or
other been the aggressors, and that the cruel and bloodthirsty
disposition of some of the islanders is mainly to be ascribed to
the influence of such examples.

[The] voluptuous Indian, with every desire supplied,
whom Providence has bountifully provided with all the sources of
pure and natural enjoyment, and from whom are removed so many of
the ills and pains of life—what has he to desire at the hands of
Civilization?  Will he be the happier?  Let the once smiling and
populous Hawaiian islands, with their now diseased, starving, and
dying natives, answer the question. The missionaries may seek to
disguise the matter as they will, but the facts are incontrovertible.
{{smallsup|CH 4}}
</blockquote>

''[[The Knickerbocker]]'' called ''Typee'' "a piece of [[Baron Munchausen|Münchhausenism]]."{{sfnb|Miller|1956|p=203}} New York publisher [[Evert Augustus Duyckinck]] wrote to [[Nathaniel Hawthorne]] that "it is a lively and pleasant book, not over philosophical perhaps."{{sfnb|Widmer|1999|p=108}} In 1939, Charles Robert Anderson published ''Melville in the South Seas'', in which he elaborated on a number of Melville's likely sources in supplementing his work and also documented the existence of an affidavit from the captain of the ''Acushnet''.{{sfnb|Anderson|1939|p=47}} If the date provided by the captain can be considered accurate, Anderson concludes that Melville's stay in the "Typee Valley" part of the island would have been merely "four weeks, or possible eight weeks at the most."{{sfnb|Anderson|1939|p= 70}} However, in trying to determine the end date of Melville's stay, Anderson relies primarily on Melville's own internal accounts of various events, for instance that he was rescued from the valley on a "Monday." In summing up his view of ''Typee'', Anderson writes:

<blockquote> For the general student of Melville, the detailed analysis and verification of these matters ... probably reveals an accuracy scarcely to be expected. Without hesitation it can be said that in general this volume presents a faithful delineation of the island life and scenery in precivilization Nukahiva, with the exception of numerous embellishments and some minor errors....{{sfnb|Anderson|1939|p= 190}}</blockquote>

All of the initial back and forth that Melville experienced regarding the factuality of ''Typee'' may have had a chastening effect on him, as Anderson considers his next work, the book's sequel ''Omoo'', "the most strictly autobiographical of all Melville's works."{{sfnb|Anderson|1939|p=199}} But this second book also seems to have met with some skepticism, so that for his third book ''Mardi'', Melville declares in the preface that he has decided to write a work of fiction under the supposition (half-joking) he might finally be believed: 
<blockquote>Not long ago, having published two narratives of voyages in the Pacific, which, in many quarters, were received with incredulity, the thought occurred to me, of indeed writing a romance of Polynesian adventure, and publishing it as such; to see whether, the fiction might not, possibly be received for a verity: in some degree the reverse of my previous experience.<ref>[https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=DjJAAQAAMAAJ&hl=en&pg=GBS.PA5 Preface to ''Mardi''] (1849), 5</ref></blockquote>