Mary Rowlandson’s Account of Her Captivity by Native Americans

NB: We do not resell your papers. Upon ordering, we do an original paper exclusively for you.

NB: All your data is kept safe from the public.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Rowlandson’s Account on Religious Awakenings in the New World
Role of Native Americans in the American Psyche
Reference

Introduction

The depicting narrative unravels the experiences, struggles (mostly spiritual) as well as realities of psychological state undergone by Mary Rowlandson’s. The depiction unravels the life of a courageous woman whose encounters and subjected conditions tend to be horrendous. In this paper, Mary Rowlandson’s account of her captivity by Native Americans not only contradicts but also defends the religious awakenings in the New World, as it is portrayed in the narrative, her experiences are a test of faith while challenging the idea of the chosen people and developing a new appreciation for the humanity of the Native Americans.

Rowlandson’s Account on Religious Awakenings in the New World

Although Rowlandson’s experiences do not entirely address the Salem Witchcraft Trials, it provides a deep understanding of the religious beliefs and practices of Puritan society. The narrative represents some solid religious beliefs of Puritanism. Puritanism was by then a dominant and popular traditional religion (Rowlandson, 2023). According to Mary Rowlandson, she endured her captivity period through faith which she had in totality. Stressing on divine intervention and providence provides features of Puritanism and shows a strong belief in God as the controller of all aspects of life.

Spiritual reflection and self-examination come out from various instances in the narrative. According to Mary Rowlandson’s self-examination within the limits of her sins and shortcomings, she depicts that she had been perceived as being a great sinner such that only the intervention of the blood of Christ was needed for her to be saved. The emphasis on personal responsibility for oneself sins and the dire need for salvation translates to a stronger tenet of Puritanism.

Role of Native Americans in the American Psyche

The narrative portrays Native Americans as mere heathen savages with questionable morals and spirituality. This position of thinking reflects and unwraps the Puritan perception that non-Puritans are morally inferior (Rowlandson, 2023). Interiorizing others brought about paranoia and the suspicion that sensibly contributed to witchcraft trials. This is due to the Puritans’ view of witchcraft as a channel through which the devil sought to use order to corrupt the entire community. The perception towards the Native Americans took shape from the works of Mary Rowlandson, whose take towards them was a violent and dangerous threat to white settlers.

Mary Rowlandson’s works, combined with fictionalizations against the Native Americans, have led to a skewed role in perpetuating stereotypes and myths against them. National memories, on the other hand, due to the fictionalization of the Native Americans, have contributed to the perpetuation and rise of a skewed perception of Native Americans as merely inferior to white settlers. The ongoing struggle for the American Native’s rights has taken part in the skewed American psyche’s view.

Generally, the narrative contradicts the New World’s religious awakening, especially the chosen people’s aspect. Native Americans are mere primitive creatures without a glimpse of what Christianity is (Rowlandson, 2023). Her faith is seen to undergo some challenges after emotional and physical torture and being subjected to harsh conditions, which mainly makes her question God. In addition, she perceives the sufferings underwent during the period of captivity and the aspect of being released as both testing of faith and a sign of grace. Furthermore, the role of prayer is outlined as being instrumental in finding the strength to overcome the harsh subjection she went through.

Reference

Rowlandson, M. (2023). Captivity and Restoration. BoD–Books on Demand.

Click Here To Order Now!

Mary Rowlandson’s Account of Her Captivity by Native Americans

Do you need this or any other assignment done for you from scratch?

We have qualified writers to help you.

We assure you a quality paper that is 100% free from plagiarism and AI.

You can choose either format of your choice ( Apa, Mla, Havard, Chicago, or any other)