The Fictitious Line Between the Puritans and the Native Americans

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Mary Rowlandson was one to take her own advice by trusting in Gods plan, but only in most parts of her story. She did this by not running. She stayed and read the Bible and hoped and prayed to God that his plans would work. At some points she believed God was punishing her and the puritans for their “overindulgence.” In her narrative she tries to stay clear of the fact that she actually enjoyed some parts of being with the Native Americans. For another subtext, Mary says, “ A solemn sight me thought it was, to see Fields of wheat and Indian Corn forsaken and spoiled: and the remainders of them to be food for our merciless Enemies. That night we had a mess of wheat for our Supper” (229). This part of Mary’s story did not make sense to me. She kept saying how they would give her some food then take half away twice that night. Then after she says they are merciless, she considers herself one of them by saying “We had a mess of wheat” (229). Throughout her narrative she considers herself one of them multiple times. Maybe she was just becoming accustomed and enjoying the Natives lifestyle. I see that Mary has started to attch herself to the native americans way of life.

An example of another subtext is Mary’s use of a simile in her story. She tries to compare the Native Americans to wolves, and the Purtitans to sheep. Mary states, “It is a solemn sight to see so many christians lying in their blood, some here, and some there, like a company of Sheep torn by Wolves” (221). Its ironic because sheep are God’s creatures and very innocent, but the Puritans are at war with the Native Americans and not inncoent whatsoever. Also, by calling the Native Americans wolves, she is stereotyping the Native Americans meaning.

When Marys child passed away the she thoguht the Natives Americans were not showing her sympathy until she was brought to where they had buried her child. She was wondering where her dead child was, and then Marys says, “then they told me it was upon the hill: then they told me they had buried it” (224). This was a subtext of the simalarity of both the Natives Americans and the English having sympathy in their culture. This goes agaisnt the line that Mary was trying to draw between the two gorups.

After reading Mary Rolandsons entire story of her captivity and taking into consideration when it was written and all the subtext there were, I beieve Mary purposely made her narrative a countext. This was shown throguh all of my exampls and subtexts that I pointed out. I think that Mary wrote this paper as a countertext because she knew s

Work Cited

Gradesaver.com. "The Sovereignty and Goodness of God Irony." Study Guides & Essay

Editing. Gradesaver.com, n.d. Web. 01 June 2016.

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