Eighth Set of Questions for EN 211

Above is a picture where Mary Rowlandson was redeemed from captivity.  The rock is in Princeton, MA, near Mt. Wachusett.

We may or may not have class on Friday, everyone.  If we do, we will finish up Mary Rowlandson's narrative and move on to Anne Bradstreet's poems on Monday.  If we don't, we will try to start Mrs. Bradstreet's poems on Monday anyway.  We have quite a bit to cover, and I'm sure that you are looking forward to move on to poetry.  Anne Bradstreet is also a great favorite nowadays.

Here are some questions for you and your journal.

-- Compare and contrast Capt. Smith and Mrs. Rowlandson's depiction of the American landscape and/or American natives.

-- Compare and contrast Mrs. Rowlandson's captivity narrative to other memoirs or stories that you've read or movies that you've seen about someone's victimization.  What has changed since the 1600s?  What has stayed the same?

-- Compare and contrast Mrs. Rowlandson to other settlers who are in conflict with natives.

-- How does Mrs. Rowlandson's being a mother affect her narration of events?

-- How does her Christianity affect her narration of events?  

-- How do her references to the Bible affect your response to her narration and situation?

-- As a 21st century reader, what do you want to know about her experience?  what don't you believe in her narration?  where does she seem sympathetic?  where is she less sympathetic?  why?

-- Do some research on the Narragansett, the Nipmuc, and the Wampanoag, the Native Americans who captured Mrs. Rowlandson.  What do you learn about them?  about King Philip's War, the war that was going on in 1676?  What caused this war?  

-- Compare and contrast Mrs. Rowlandson's narratives to other narratives about war.

-- At one point, Mrs. Rowlandson is surprised that her captors are not punished for violating the Sabbath.  How do you think that this affects her?

-- How does the author of the prologue (probably Rev. Increase Mather) prepare you to read the narrative?  How does he show his bias?

-- Discuss the ending of the narrative.  How does it wrap up Mrs. Rowlandson's story?  Do you believe that her experience has changed her?  Why?  Why not?  

-- Discuss the format of her narrative (she divides it into a series of removes).

-- Locate literary themes and images in her narrative.

Good luck with the weather!