How True is Rowlandson’s Narrative It is believed that there are two sides to every story, one being the wrong and the other being the right. After carefully reading Rowlandson’s Narrative, a reader can say that Rowlandson is certainly hiding one side of the story from her audience. Rowlandson was born in England in the 1630’s, she later moved to Massachusetts in her late teenage years, where she got married and eventually started a family. During a war between the Native Indians and the English, the Indian’s attacked Lancaster, where she and her family were captured. After 11 weeks of a horrible experience, she was set free and eventually reunited with the rest of her family. After such a terrifying experience, Rowlandson decides to her story
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But there are instances in this story where Rowlandson is proven to be a fake Christian due to her character. For example Rowlandson states, “My mistress's papoose was sick, and it died that night, and there was one benefit in it--that there was more room”. (40). Here it is clear to the audience that Rowlandson is excited about the death of her Mistresses child. If Rowlandson was truly a good Christian, she would not make such a statement. Rather she will console her mistress, and try to make her feel better. Yes the audience understands that Rowlandson has also lost a child but two wrongs do not make a right. Another Rowlandson’s character that shows she is a fake Christian is when she writes, “ Being very hungry I had quickly eat up mine, but the child could not bite it, it was so tough and sinewy, but lay sucking, gnawing, chewing and slobbering of it in the mouth and hand. Then I took it of the child, and eat it myself, and savory it was to my taste”. ( 47 ). This behavior by Rowlandson was not just wicked but inhumane. She claims to be a true Christian, but a true Christian does not take the food of a starving child. Rather a true Christian will give up her own food in order for the starving child to be full and have a better chance of …show more content…
For example Rowlandson writes, “but when I was without, and saw nothing but wilderness, and woods, and a company of barbarous heathens” (35). Here Rowlandson describes her physical environment and with such a description, an audience can say that she is far from home, deep in the forest and lost. But something strange and unexplainable begins to happen. The audience comes to understand that Rowlandson is able to tell the exact location, time and day of where she is.For example Rowlandson Writes, “My son being now about a mile from me, I asked liberty to go and see him; they bade me go, and away I went; but quickly lost myself, traveling over hills and through swamps, and could not find the way to him”. ( 28 ). Here it is clear to the audience that Rowlandson is able to tell the exact distance between her and her son who was held captive by another Indian group. Being lost in the wilderness like she was in our modern world,it is possible to determine her location but it is practically impossible to know the exact location she was at, for a story that was written in 1670’s. Not only did she lose her way finding her son, she somehow found her way back to own captive group. She was also capable of telling the time and day, there were so many instances in the story where she was able to tell it was the Sabbath day. For example Rowlandson writes, “On the Sabbath
But there are instances in this story where Rowlandson is proven to be a fake Christian due to her character. For example Rowlandson states, “My mistress's papoose was sick, and it died that night, and there was one benefit in it--that there was more room”. (40). Here it is clear to the audience that Rowlandson is excited about the death of her Mistresses child. If Rowlandson was truly a good Christian, she would not make such a statement. Rather she will console her mistress, and try to make her feel better. Yes the audience understands that Rowlandson has also lost a child but two wrongs do not make a right. Another Rowlandson’s character that shows she is a fake Christian is when she writes, “ Being very hungry I had quickly eat up mine, but the child could not bite it, it was so tough and sinewy, but lay sucking, gnawing, chewing and slobbering of it in the mouth and hand. Then I took it of the child, and eat it myself, and savory it was to my taste”. ( 47 ). This behavior by Rowlandson was not just wicked but inhumane. She claims to be a true Christian, but a true Christian does not take the food of a starving child. Rather a true Christian will give up her own food in order for the starving child to be full and have a better chance of …show more content…
For example Rowlandson writes, “but when I was without, and saw nothing but wilderness, and woods, and a company of barbarous heathens” (35). Here Rowlandson describes her physical environment and with such a description, an audience can say that she is far from home, deep in the forest and lost. But something strange and unexplainable begins to happen. The audience comes to understand that Rowlandson is able to tell the exact location, time and day of where she is.For example Rowlandson Writes, “My son being now about a mile from me, I asked liberty to go and see him; they bade me go, and away I went; but quickly lost myself, traveling over hills and through swamps, and could not find the way to him”. ( 28 ). Here it is clear to the audience that Rowlandson is able to tell the exact distance between her and her son who was held captive by another Indian group. Being lost in the wilderness like she was in our modern world,it is possible to determine her location but it is practically impossible to know the exact location she was at, for a story that was written in 1670’s. Not only did she lose her way finding her son, she somehow found her way back to own captive group. She was also capable of telling the time and day, there were so many instances in the story where she was able to tell it was the Sabbath day. For example Rowlandson writes, “On the Sabbath