Southern Technical College The Narrative Voices of Ms Mary Rowlandson Discussion

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Mary Rowlandson

Southern Crescent Technical College

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Read The Narrative of Captivity and Restoration by Mary Rowlandson, pp. 130-51 in the green book

The Narrative Voices of Ms. Mary Rowlandson

For this assignment, you will need to think of yourself as a detective—or someone on a scavenger hunt, searching for clues. Why? Scholar Michelle Burnam argues that Rowlandson speaks with two different narrative voices. The first is a victimized, spiritually fallen woman who regains her sense of devotional direction by submitting to a trial of faith, then writes a spiritual autobiography. The second is a tough, victorious survivor and thereby a chosen child of god who adapts to her situation by using strategies like barter, manipulation, and the adaptation of certain “savage” characteristics of the Wampanoags.

As you read her captivity narrative, you will need to search for both of Rowlandson’s narrative voices. How should we do this though, Ms. H? Will we be writing about her, too? Yes, you will write about her—but first you must fill out a chart with quotes (close reading).

Part One:

Identify each “speaker.”

Nickname each one. Hint: one is her Puritan voice and should be acknowledged as such.

Fill in the chart below with several quotes—with page numbers! One side of the chart should be quotes that show when Rowlandson is speaking through the voice of her Puritan self; the other side should represent when she is speaking as the survivor version of her self. I gave you one quote on each side as an example. (Do not steal my nicknames; think up your own. You can create your own chart or table if you do not like mine. You could also handwrite the chart and submit that to Blackboard; you would still need to type up your analysis though.)

Part Two:

Write a short analysis (about 350 words) exploring the following questions. Why does this schism exist? Why does she have two distinctly different voices in her captivity narrative? How does each voice sound? Is there a dialogue between the two voices, or is one voice attempting to speak over the other? What is the effect of this narrative technique? What does it allow for? Is it intentional? Does she realize she has two voices? If so—what purpose does this technique serve? Please, do not use Google! I want to read your ideas, not nonsense off the internets. Respond to as many of the questions as you choose, or forge your own path.

Our Pitiful Puritan

“Now away we must go with those barbarous creatures, with our bodies wounded and bleeding, and our hearts no less than our bodies” (134)

Ms. Adapt or Die

“It is then hard work to persuade myself, that ever should I be satisfied with bread again” (150)

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The Narrative Voices of Ms. Mary Rowlandson

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PART 1

Part 1.
Student’s Name
Institution

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PART 1

Narrative Voices of Ms. Mary Rowlandson

The Pulitanical Chauvinist

Ms Resilience

“But the Lord renewed my strength still, and

“Sometimes I met with favor, and sometimes

carried me along, that I might see more of His

with nothing but frowns.” (p3)

power; yea, so much that I could never have
thought of, had I not experienced it.”(P2)
“and though we were scattered from one end of

“There were now besides myself nine English

the earth to the other, yet the Lord would gather

captives in this place (all of them children,

us together, and turn all those curses upon our

except one woman). I got an opportunity to go

enemies.” (p3)

and take my leave of them.” (p3)

“I may see the wonderful power of God, that

“That...

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