Life at Papeete soon became a burden. It was Europe, the Europe which I had thought to shake off - and that under the aggravating circumstances of colonial snobbism, and the imitation, grotesque even to the point of caricature, of our customs, fashions, vices, and absurdities of civilization. Was I to have made this far journey, only to find the very thing which I had fled?
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Life in Papeete became burdensome as the author felt trapped by colonial attitudes and fake versions of his own culture.
- In plain terms
- He disliked Papeete because it copied his culture poorly with colonial attitudes.
- What can you take from it?
- Imitating a culture without understanding creates resentment.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do you view cultural exchange?
- What makes a place feel foreign?
Another view
Cultural imitation is not always negative in every context.
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