A Narrative Of The Captivity And Restoration Mary Rowlandson Summary

During the “King Phillip’s War” many English colonist were either killed or taken captive by the Native Americans. Mrs. Mary Rowlandson, who has one of the first and well known written accounts, spent eleven weeks in captivity by the Wampanoag Indians. Rowlandson, a professed puritan, strong in her faith is put to the test during her captivity. During Rowlandson’s time with the native Indians she is introduced to an unfamiliar view of them that is against her prior knowledge that was influenced by the English colonist. A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration by Mary Rowlandson expresses two contradicting views of the Indians that shows Mary’s ambivalence.
English colonist began to settle in the native Indian territory, causing hostility between the two. The colonist used land encroachment, racist treatment and execution of tribe leaders to …show more content…
The first Indians that she encounters guarantee her that they won’t harm her if she doesn’t put up a fight. This account is the total opposite of her account that the Indians were knocking people on their heads. In the “eighth remove” Rowlandson had a sort of breakdown and was there after comforted by a native. She was assured that she will not be killed, given food and even offered a smoke which was a compliment. Rowlandson is seeing a new light, a new hope that she can survive her captivity and make it out alive. In “seventeenth remove” she also is given food; horse’s feet, broth and porridge; not a skimpy portion but enough to satisfy her hunger. After this meal she feels her spirit come alive. As Rowlandson is receiving good deeds form the natives she doesn’t give them any recognition for their compassion towards her. A devout puritan woman, who believes that God reveals his plans through signs, recounts on the bible and scriptures to explain what she is going through. Mary Rowlandson is noticeably not treated as harsh as the fellow