Typee: A Peep at Polynesian Life is a story of travel and adventure based on author Herman Melville's experiences as a captive on a South Pacific island. In the novel, the narrator Tommo and a young boy named Toby flee a whaling ship only to find themselves captives of the Typee tribe, who are cannibalistic. The two live amongst the tribe for some time, learning the ways of their culture, before eventually making separate escapes. The story also serves as a critique of European colonization and whaling ship conditions.