Herman Melville is an American author who was born in 1819 in New York City. His family were merchants and his father lost a lot of money when Herman was young. As a result, Herman lived in poverty for much of his childhood. After his father died, he dropped out of school and worked as a bank clerk, a teacher, a farmer, and other jobs. His most influential job was as a seaman. His time working on a merchant ship informed much of his writing, including Redburn (1849), Typee: A Peep at Polynesia Life (1846), and Omoo (1847). While he was working on a ship near the modern day Philippines, Melville began to criticize Western imperialism and appreciate the limits of the Western lens. Melville...
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