Ryan Bolles
Mrs. McElhiney
AP English III
22 October 2019
The Analysis of Mary Rowlandson's Persuasive Methods
Captivity is the condition of being imprisoned or confined. A woman, taken captive after
experiencing the sight of her family members' bowels being split open, struggles to find hope to
live. However, perseverance and commitment keeps people alive in the harshest of times. This is
the "Captivity Narrative" of Mary Rowlandson where she elaborates on the vicious scenarios in
her life and how she overcame them. In her narrative, Rowlandson uses derogatory vocabulary
and expresses the civil encounters with the Native Americans to portray her change of heart
throughout her confinement.
Rowlandson's cruel judgment and slurs of the Native Americans express her hatred
toward them. For example, during the ambush, Rowlandson refers to the Natives as "murderous
wretches [who] went off burning and destroying before them" (1). In addition, Rowlandson calls
the Native Americans "barbarous creatures" (3), and she calls them savages throughout the
beginning of her captivity. She uses those terms because the Native Americans came into her
village and slaughtered the majority of Puritans within. She uses repetition of these terms to
emphasize the brutality they inflicted upon her and the Puritan village. Furthermore,
Rowlandson, a Puritan woman, is frightened "[of] the number of Pagans (now merciless
enemies) that came about me" (4). During her captivity, Rowlandson worries about not being
able to practice Christianity. The Pagans burn Bibles, and her religion requires constant reading,
worshiping and praying. Rowlandson says these phrases to elaborate upon the inhumane
circumstances she suffered through.
Rowlandson's peaceful interactions with the Natives prove the mutualism and improved
relationships between them. For example, she talks about the hospitality and how she "had a
comfortable lodging that night, and another Indian bade [her] come at night" (13). When
Rowlandson settles into the Native American society, the Natives treat her well, and she ends up
living amongst the Natives in harmony. A Native invites her to come and stay with him that
night which proves tranquility. In addition, the Native Americans are giving Rowlandson gifts;
"They brought me two biscuits, and a pound of tobacco" (15). This is where Rowlandson's
perception of them drastically changes because she realizes they are not going to kill her. She
intertwines herself within the society and establishes a friend-like foundation amongst the
Natives. Furthermore, she bonds with more Natives, "about that time there came an Indian to me
and bid me come to his wigwam at night, and he would give me some pork and nuts" (16). This
quote emphasizes the additional efforts of maintaining civil connections between Rowlandson
and the Natives. She refers to them as "Indians" now instead of "barbarous creatures," and they
treat each other with respect. Rowlandson initiates and participates in these interactions to
maintain a productive lifestyle and establish peace between the Natives and Puritans.
Rowlandson struggles through abduction and the negativity of isolation with Pagans. This
transforms her circumstances into a positive outlook of communion and acceptance. Rowlandson
proves that judging people off misconceptions of brutality is against her religion. Through her
prayers, she realizes that the Native Americans are not savages but instead people who she can
connect and have relationships with. Rowlandson catalyzes movements of community between
different ethnicities and proves companionship between the Natives and the Puritans after the
conflicts.