Although John Smith and William Bradford were instrumental to the founding and development of the colonies in the new world, their writings reveal differences in personality, with John Smith being arrogant and self-centered and William Bradford being focused on the greater community which ultimately makes them very different leaders. Smith’s, The General History of Virginia, makes himself seem like the hero of Jamestown, even if it meant stretching the truth. In his account he wrote, “committed the managing of all things abroad to Captain John Smith… himself always bearing the greatest task.” This illustrates the exaggeration and arrogance in his writing because he speaks about himself in third person and he tells the reader he always took
