The silence of European life
One of the main types of imagery comes in all the silent reminders of the world the sailors left behind over a year ago. Their clothing on the island, their poorly executed life in the wilderness, their European interpretation of each detail, and the overall impression, that overall life will be swell, because after all, what could go wrong. In this usage, European images convey a state of innocence.
The boat imagery
Consider the six months of grueling labor on the boat. Because they are partially directed by nature, they are somewhat limited in their freedom at sea. Because of the tyranny of the captain, they are extremely limited in their freedom, so the imagery of the boat signifies a kind of solipsistic isolation, like a prison almost, except that instead of walls, there is nothing for as far as the eye can see, except ocean.
The delight of island life
No doubt, there is much to be enjoyed about island life, like the sun shining on a hot day with cool fruit and a beach nearby to listen to. These guys get the real deal, too, complete will male servants, which is a nice ego boost for them. The native girls are playful and provocative, and the guys realize that, maybe, they have found paradise.
The sublime horror of island life
It is paradise, until, one day, Toby disappears. Then, a horrific fear comes true, and Tommo sees the natives eating the dead flesh of their foes, and he realizes that they must be fattening him for a cannibalistic ceremony. After all, it's not like cannibalism is some interesting footnote—a community who eats dead humans is certainly not the community you want fattening you up. The sublime nature of the wilderness is the horror of not being able to affect one's fate. For Tommo, he slowly sacrificed his autonomy by being lured by Typee luxuries.
