Summary Of A Narrative Of The Captivity And Restoration Of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson

Stories on how the oppressors (captors) treated their captives are widely known because of the narratives were written by the oppressed themselves. Two famous authors who were kidnapped and were made slaves reveal the difficulties they went through as captives as well as the challenges they faced in order to obtain their freedom. The oppressors in “A Narrative of the Captivity and restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson” by Mary Rowlandson were the Indians who held her and her daughter captive and sold them as property. While in From The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano or Gustavas Vassa, the African, Written by Himself the oppressors are the slave traders who sell Equiano to different masters. Therefore, the oppressors in both

For instance, Rowlandson`s town was invaded by Indians and as a result, the Indians destroyed and burned her home. Rowlandson states that her “house and home and all [her] comforts within the door and without all was gone (except [her] life)” (259). This shows that Rowlandson acknowledges that she had a place to call home but because it was now gone she has to appreciate it but most importantly still has her life. Therefore, Rowlandson acknowledges that she had good things in life like her home but that was all she really knew and therefore wasn’t aware of the suffering. Therefore, Rowlandson says that because it was all she knew she was asking for affliction “and affliction [she] had” (288). This reveals how Rowlandson believes that something had to happen to her life in order for her to change and as a result, suffered and struggled to get through it. Therefore, the treatment provided by her captors was a way of showing her what she should have valued at the

For instance, he states that “he thought whatever fate had determined must ever come to pass” (713). This states that Equiano believes that things have to happen to him in order for him to get to what God plans for him. Therefore, Equiano is willing to accept the challenges produced by God and realizes that he does not have control over his fate. Equiano states that if it is "God's will [he] ever should be freed, it would be so, and, on the contrary, if it was not [h]is will, it would not happen" (715). This again reveals Equiano`s belief in God and how he believes he is treated the way he is because God has already decided it for him. Therefore, God already knows whether Equiano will obtain his freedom or remain a slave and whatever God has decided for him cannot be changed because it has already been decided. Therefore, Equiano believes that the treatment reveals by his oppressors is a result of God`s plans for him and is, therefore, open to any treatment that comes from