A Narrative Of Mary Rowlandson Captivity

Sawyer Guest

Engl 442

Mini-Essay #2

Hope Leslie & Mary Rowlandson: Captives vs. Captors

A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mary Rowlandson is a narrative written by Mary Rowlandson, herself. Rowlandson was held captive by Native Americans, and during her narrative tells readers of the many different encounters and experiences that she had when she was taken from her home and held captive by some of the Native American people. Rowlandson had many interesting encounters with the natives, ranging from relatively friendly encounters, to somewhat “cold” encounters. Throughout her narrative she views the Natives in a rather negative light, not really giving them a chance because they are different than she is, and they are not Puritans.

Though Rowlandson was disrespected and was not given food on a few occasions by a few of the natives, the vast majority of them treated her nicely. She was even given a Bible by one of the natives as a kindness. Even though she was never physically harmed or even really threatened, Rowlandson referred to the Indians as “savages,” “heathens,” “barbarous creatures,” “pagans,” etc., again, because they were different than she was. Rowlandson really didn’t need a reason to necessarily dislike the Native American people, as they did ruin her home, separate her from her family, etc., but she also didn’t need to depict all of them as savages after she was treated kindly by more than a few of them. One would think that after having been treated kindly, maybe Rowlandson would treat them kindly in return, or maybe she would think differently of the natives, maybe she would at least try to love her enemies as God says that we should? That definitely was not the case. She stuck to her faith without doubt and quoted the Bible throughout the narrative, but she did not give her enemies the time of day. Rowlandson didn’t even respect or try to relate to the “Praying Indians.” She let her anger and mixture of other emotions steer her entire attitude towards the Natives in her

It has been studied and many wonder sometimes how true Mary Rowlandson’s accounts really are. In a previous American Literature course that I took, my professor, Dr. Poland, stated that it was a possibility that a lot of what “Rowlandson” said may have actually been fabricated by members of the Puritan church. When Rowlandson returned from captivity, it is said that she may have been asked to write on her accounts with the natives and was forced to state that the Natives treated her rashly rather than kindly to sort of influence readers to feel the same way in disapproving of the Native American ways. Of course, there is no way to really prove this theory, but it certainly does make you