LITERATURA NORTEAMERICANA I

PEC 1 AINHOA PUEBLA

First, read the Activity “Writing about metaphorical language” in A Study Guide
for American Literature to 1900 (pages 47-50). Then, explain and discuss the
following lines, using a maximum of 100 words for each one and considering
them in their context.

These fragments were written by Anne Bradstreet and Phillis Wheatley, two women with an
education ahead of their time. Bradstreet was a Puritan housewife whose obligations within
the strict Puritan society, clashed with her feelings. (Gilbert 41, 125) Whereas, Wheatley dealt
with the dichotomy as a slave woman, who loved a country that supported slavery. (Gilbert
129) This may be the answer to why both poets with such different contexts employ
metaphors that creates ambivalence.

This fragment “My rambling brat (in print) should mother call.” belongs to the poem
“The Author to Her Book” by Anne Bradstreet. She employs a metaphor referring to her book
as a “brat”, a derogatory term for a child which indicates that she still sees it unfit for
publication (it needs its mother, the author). The idea is reinforced by the adjective
“rambling” which can be interpreted as “wandering” and also as “confusing”. The verse
shows ambivalence: she claims the authorship of the book ruled by her pride, while criticising
it following the Puritan’s humility doctrine. (Gilbert 45, 46)

From the same poem, in “If for thy father asked, say, thou had'st none”, she continues
using metaphors referring to her book as her baby as she tells her creation that if it is ever
asked whether it has a father, the answer is no. In this case, the poet employs a second
metaphor “father” (male author) to state that even though her brother in law published it, no
man has been involved in its creation, everything was written by herself. (Gilbert 45)

In another poem called “On My Dear Grandchild Simon Bradstreet” there is this verse
“Three flowers, two scarcely blown, the last i' th' bud” where Bradstreet employs a
metaphor alluding to the early loss of three people as if they were flowers. One of which is
also portrayed as a “bud” that represents her grandchild Simon, a baby. In this elegy, the poet
shows ambiguity between her Puritan beliefs: everything that happens is within God’s plans
and the mourn of the premature deaths. (Gilbert 55)
The extract “Suppress the deadly serpent in its egg ” belongs to the poem “To the
University of Cambridge, in New England” written by Phillis Wheatley. The poet uses the
biblical concept of the serpent as a metaphor of sin. Wheatley evokes the image of the garden
of Eden, where the apple of knowledge is being eaten by the privileged students of Harvard
(to whom the poem is dedicated), so she tries to persuade them to eradicate the devil before
he hatches from the egg, by following the Christian doctrine. (Gilbert 132)

Later, in the fragment “Ye blooming plants of human race divine” Wheatley calls the
students “blooming plants”, claiming that they must use their privileges as white free males to
become men of honor (to bloom). (Gilbert 132) Considering Wheatley’s context, she as a
slave, encourages the future elite to educate themselves in order to open their minds and
achieve social equality through the eradication of slavery.

2) First, read the Activity “Answering comparison and contrast questions” in A Study
Guide for American Literature to 1900 (pages 21-23). Then, write an essay comparing
and contrasting the emotions and feelings displayed by John Smith, William Bradford
and Mary Rowlandson, focusing on the texts selected in units 1, 2 and 4.

Since the disembark of the Pilgrims in America, the natives were mistreated, slaved and
expulsed of their lands. The written records of the 17 th century were based on racism, a
superiority complex fueled by the Manifest Destiny (Gilbert 16) and the promise of a better
life. Furthermore, the works of John Smith, Mary Rowlandson and William Bradford are
perfect examples.

John Smith viewed himself like a hero of the new continent. His writings portrays the idea
that the natives treated him better than a regular hostage due to his “heroic” condition, as he
describes the feast he was given “venison brought than would have served twenty”. The
natives’ culture is described as barbaric, calling them “savages”, showing resentment and
distrust towards them due to the betrayal of their guide (that led to his captivity). Smith, as a
former English soldier, criticises their fighting strategies from his “superior” point of view
while calling them cowards “dared they not come to him till being near dead” (Gilbert 17).
However, Pocahontas, Powhatan’s daughter, is not regarded like the others in Smith’s eyes as
she was a royal, and he wanted his name linked with royalty. (Kyle’s View)

When William Bradford and the rest of the tripulation arrived, they were alone “no friends to
welcome” and in poor conditions due to the hardships of their travel. Bradford considers the
Indians violent: “readier to fill their sides full of arrows”. He believed they wanted to be
colonised and converted so he did not comprehend that they were not willing to have their
food stolen by strangers. (Litcharts.com) Bradford also applies this perspective of religious
superiority to the death of a tripulant who during their travel, did not behave properly and the
divine providence proceeded to not save his life. The proximity of winter, the lack of food,
and the wilderness of the environment are tribulations distorted by Bradford, whose eyes only
see the Pilgrims arriving to the puritan’s counterpart of the Promised land and whose effort
and suffering are within God’s plans and will be rewarded.

Besides Bradford, Mary Rowlandson also saw the world as if God was “on their side”.
Bradford comparing himself to Moses whereas Rowlandson with Job. Moreover, she endured
her captivity thanks to her faith. Similar to John Smith, Rowlandson initially calls the natives
indians. However, after the attack to her camp, the death of her child and her captivery, she
holds a grudge against them, calling them "merciless enemies". Unlike the other authors,
Rowlandson portrays the vulnerability of the pilgrims, slaughtered in front of her, and
subjugates herself to the natives, calling one of her captors “master”. (Gilbert 68,70)
Throughout her captivity and due to their interactions, her attitude towards her captors
changes from refusing to eat their “filthy trash”, to recognize human traits within them,
something neither Bradford nor Smith did.

Regardless of their experiences, they delivered their feelings about the new atmosphere they
were surrounded by, sending a message sadly distorted by their egocentricity as “superior”
human beings.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Gilbert, Teresa. American Literature to 1900, second edition.
Gilbert, Teresa . A Study guide for American Literature to 1900
John Smith: The Use of Language to Achieve International Fame while Demonizing a
Culture Kyle’s View on History. Published on 2020, February 23. Consulted on 2020,
November 20
https://sites.google.com/a/uncc.edu/kyle-s-style/larger-works/john-smith-the-use-of-language-
to-achieve-international-fame-while-demonizing-a-culture
Of Plymouth Plantation Summary Litcharts Consulted on 2020, November 20
https://www.litcharts.com/lit/of-plymouth-plantation/summary