The Captivity Narrative

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The Captivity Narrative
Captivity narratives reveal the history that occurred during the interaction of the British
and the Native Americans through literature. John Smith and Mrs. Mary Rowlandson are among
the British that had encountered when he navigated to America. Most of the British in the
narratives were shite settlers including John Smith. The purpose of this paper is to bring a
comparison between two narratives, one by John Smith and the other by Mrs. Mary Rowlandson,
on captivity and the way they depicted the Native Americans.
John Smith’s attitude towards the American Natives is depicted in many ways in the
Narrative, “being captured by Powhatan” as this is depicted especially from his tone (Smith 58).
He described the Natives as faithful, loving, soft and unable to obtain all craft following the
manner in which he was confined. Smith did not acknowledge negative descriptions that had
been used in other narratives like greed, and fraudulence. Smith added that the Natives could
gather around newcomers half clothed with painted bodies and faces this description fits how the
natives were welcoming. Therefore, Smith depicts the Indian natives positively since he
acknowledges how good the people are in the article.
The article by Mrs. Mary Rowlandson reveals her early perception about the natives,
unlike John Smith she does describe them negatively. She describes them as barbaric, merciless
and renewed beasts. She also reveals the kind of housing used by Native Americans as she
includes that they lived in rounded long houses (Rowlandson 136). Rowlandson shows that the

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natives are inhumane killers and indifferent kind of creatures. Therefore, from the way she
described these Natives is an indication that she did not like them from the onset.
In the comparison of the language used by the two writers, Smith and Rowlandson it is
realized that John Smith uses polite language when talking about Native Americans. This might
be because he appreciates the people; he acknowledges their lifestyle and their actions. The
people treated him with humility when they captured him (Smith 59). On the other hand,
Rowland uses obscene language especially when she describes the Natives she calls them
renewed beasts, heathens, and barbaric creatures. She despised the Natives, as she could not see
any value in them.
The attitude of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson changed with time as she began to understand the
Native American people. She began to recognize their value and appreciate their significance.
She provided a new kind of description of the people, as she claimed that the people were very
polite and assisted her (Rowlandson 148). Apart from being fed by the Indians, she
acknowledges that they even gave her a bible. Smith’s attitude was also changed since he never
expected the people to have all the qualities he was able to observe and appreciate. He
acknowledged that the Indians were good people. This generosity of the Indians was the reason
why she was able to start understanding them hence gave them a different view.
The observation has a lot of significance especially when considering the way the Natives
treated Britain. It was wrong for the British to have formed opinions about the natives before
understanding them. The perception Rowlandson was that the people had no culture, religion or
manner (Rowlandson 150). When she has to know the people, she realized how wrong she was
about the people. The natives knew how to survive on their own as they had made their own
houses between beautiful trees. These people stayed in a horrible kind of environment but they

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could hide from danger. These people were also very hospitable; they provided hospitality to
both Rowlandson and John Smith. It is observed that there was a very wrong representation of
the Indians as revealed by both of the authors.
There is also an observation of their handwork and religion. These natives were very hard
working, this can be seen through the way they made their houses and took well care of
themselves despite the unfavorable conditions. Smith noted that the people had tools that they
used especially on building (Smith 62). They could hunt and obtain enough food for their
survival in the harsh environment. The Native Americans, Indians were also religious, as they
believed in the existence of God. The issue of culture is also observed as the natives held their
culture strong. They were true to their culture, they decorated themselves, had a way they built
their houses, their fir


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