Introduction
This paper deals with the captivity narrative and is intended to explain why captivity occurred, what impacts it had, and how captives reported about it. I am also going to outline how
the captivity narrative influenced the attitude of white people towards Native Americans. Therefore, I am going to show in what way both capturers and captives are described.
In order to show one captivity narrative in greater detail, I chose Mary Rowlandson’s "A True History of the Captivity & Restoration of Mary Rowlandson," (1682) which is arguably the most famous captivity narrative. It set up a pattern, which was later adopted by many other authors.
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Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Reasons for Captivity
3. Reasons for Writing a Captivity Narrative
3.1. Entertainment
3.2. Propaganda
4. Mary Rowlandson’s "A True History of the Captivity and Restoration of Mary Rowlandson"
5. The Description of Native Americans
6. The Description of the Captive
6.1. Victims
6.2. Victors
6.3. Transculturation
7. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This paper examines the literary genre of the captivity narrative, focusing on its historical function, the portrayal of captors and captives, and its impact on the American cultural perception of Native Americans. The central inquiry investigates how these narratives were used to justify colonial attitudes and influence public opinion during the 17th to 19th centuries.
- The historical reasons for and prevalence of captivity on the American frontier.
- The dual function of captivity narratives as tools for entertainment and religious/political propaganda.
- A detailed literary analysis of Mary Rowlandson's famous captivity account.
- Categorization of female captive experiences into victims, victors, and cases of transculturation.
- The lasting legacy of biased representations of Native Americans in Western media.
Excerpt from the Book
The Description of Native Americans.
Whereas the majority of all narratives describes the Native Americans as ‘bad,’, there are a few accounts that create a ‘good’ picture of them. Derounian-Stodola & Levernier state that
Recent anthropological and historical studies have noted that two distinct images of Indians predominate in white American culture from colonial times throughout the present: one negative and one positive. On the negative side exists the stereotypically ‘bad’ Indian often associated in the white popular culture with stories of western adventure. […] this Indian lived a rude, nomadic existence generally characterized by the basest of emotions and motives. Simply put, the ‘bad’ Indian was a barbarian. Alongside this Indian, there also exists the image of the ‘good’ Indian, […] meaning simple and inferior but tractable and useful. (Derounian-Stodola & Levernier, 52)
The authors who described the Native Americans as being friendly, usually did not do so because they wanted to change the attitude towards Native Americans, but rather because they had a certain goal in mind, and the narrative simply helped them reach that goal. Colonists in Virginia, for example, traded with the Native Americans quite frequently, and so they tried to depict them as an ally in the captivity narratives. That was an exception though, and overall, the number of narratives with a ‘good’ description of Native Americans is very small. There are two main reasons for that.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter defines the scope of the paper, introducing the captivity narrative genre and highlighting the methodological approach of analyzing Mary Rowlandson’s work as a template for later accounts.
2. Reasons for Captivity: This section explores the motivations behind taking captives, including ransom, revenge, tribal replacement due to warfare or disease, and forced labor.
3. Reasons for Writing a Captivity Narrative: This chapter categorizes the primary motives for authorship into entertainment purposes for general and young readers, as well as religious and political propaganda.
4. Mary Rowlandson’s "A True History of the Captivity and Restoration of Mary Rowlandson": This section provides an in-depth analysis of Rowlandson’s narrative, focusing on the role of religion, food, and the perception of the wilderness during her captivity.
5. The Description of Native Americans: This chapter contrasts the predominant negative stereotyping of Native Americans as "savages" with the rare, isolated instances where positive character traits were acknowledged by captives.
6. The Description of the Captive: This chapter investigates the experience of female captives, distinguishing between the archetypes of the victim, the victor, and the transculturated individual.
7. Conclusion: The final chapter synthesizes findings to argue that captivity narratives functioned as a primary source for the formation of long-standing, detrimental prejudices against Native Americans.
Keywords
Captivity Narrative, Native Americans, Puritanism, Propaganda, Frontier, Colonialism, Transculturation, Mary Rowlandson, Identity, Stereotypes, Literature, American Culture, History, Wilderness, Religion.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental subject of this academic paper?
The paper examines the literary genre of captivity narratives, specifically analyzing how these stories were constructed and used by European settlers to influence attitudes toward Native Americans.
What are the core thematic fields covered in this study?
The study covers historical motivations for captivity, the mechanics of literary propaganda, the construction of gender roles in frontier settings, and the lasting cultural impacts of biased historical narratives.
What is the primary research goal of the work?
The primary goal is to explain why captivity occurred, how it was reported, and how these reports shaped the white population's perception of Native Americans as "evil" or "barbaric."
Which scientific methods are employed in this analysis?
The author uses a qualitative literary analysis approach, drawing upon historical accounts, contemporary anthropological findings, and comparative readings of primary texts like Mary Rowlandson's narrative.
What does the main body of the text specifically cover?
The main body breaks down the captivity narrative into its specific functions—entertainment and propaganda—and provides a categorical framework for understanding the roles of the captive, specifically focusing on women.
Which keywords best characterize this research?
Key terms include Captivity Narrative, Colonialism, Native Americans, Propaganda, Transculturation, and the American Frontier.
How did propaganda influence the truthfulness of these narratives?
The author demonstrates that many narratives were heavily edited or invented to serve political or religious agendas, often moving away from factual events to emphasize anti-Indian sentiment.
What does the author mean by the "transculturation" of female captives?
Transculturation describes captives who, rather than fleeing or acting as victims, adopted the lifestyle and identity of the Native American tribes they lived with, often choosing to remain with them even when offered the chance to return to white society.
- Quote paper
- Rene Hoffmann (Author), 1998, James Fenimore Cooper's Leatherstocking Tales and the Rise of the American Culture, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/422
