The tone’s and styles of each of these pieces by John Smith is rather different. In the first work, A Description of New England, it seems that Smith is trying to encourage other Englishmen to travel to America and colonize. Our class discussion revealed he felt that it was a man’s duty to cultivate land, but he also seems to feel that it is imperative to convert the Native Americans to Christianity. It is “agreeable to God…to seeke to convert those poore Salvages to know Christ” (15), a notion which I find disagreeable. Though religious myself, I do not think it is necessary or advisable to try to convert others who are not looking to convert. That’s an intrusion, but I guess that should not be surprising since Smith is promoting settling this free land that is actually occupied by Native Americans. This piece seems largely propagandist and does not mention any of the hardships of cultivating new land or disagreements with the Native Americans.
It was thus interesting to me that Smith’s tone had changed so much by the time he wrote The Generall Historie of Virginia eight years later in 1624. Smith is fearing death at the hands of Powhatan and his followers. As a potential colonist, this story would not inspire me to make the trip, although it may be argued that since he is ultimately saved by Pocahontas, this story may not deter Englishmen from coming to America. As we discussed in class, using third person in this work makes Smith seem like more of an identifiable character and builds him into a legend. I however question the accuracy of his tale. Someone being danced at spookily by Native Americans and fearing death at every moment would probably not remember and note each of the types of furs that the Native Americans had wrapped around themselves and how they were each positioned as Smith so intricately describes.
6 comments:
Well, I have to agree with you on this. It like what we talked about during the discussion on Friday. It is almost as if the second passage is written by someone esle. But these passages really give you a look into the past and see what the New Land would become with the influences of people like John Smith and the ones that settle the first British Colony at Jamestown.
HI Nancy, good points and comments. I think you raise some interesting questions about the validity of the piece. I also wanted to let you know I viewed your page! Erin
I agree with your points on religion. If John Smith really wanted people to move to the New Land, wouldn't he want to 'advertise' the fact that people would have the right to choose their own religion? That would be a big selling point, I would suspect!!
I agree that John Smith tried very hard to convert the Native americans to the ways of Christianity. It truly is an intrusion and its proposterous how he promotes the settling of land that belongs to someone else. I think you mentioned in class that it was Propoganda. I totally agree and now everytime I look at this writing I look at it in the form of Propoganda.
I like the last point you make about remember everything your captors are wearing in the minutes before they execute you.
I think you have a good point about the religion part. At that point in time I guess it was considered "the right thing to do." Guess that would go against the whole freedom of religion stuff that was said to be here?
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