As a result, those in positions of power see bursts of violence from minorities as unjust or unnecessary while those carrying the weight of oppression see them as battle cries for equality and freedom; a phenomenon that still exists today.
Also, a really strong statement that makes amazing points. Also super important points.
All that mattered was that a white woman was hurt by a group of non-white people, and that there was seemingly no viable reason for it other than inherent brutality.
It's funny to hear how we just accept things with no context, when we would think a completely different thing if we were to be given context on the situation.
that she—and society as a whole—deemed the context of her captivity unimportant
This is so true, we kind of just skip right over her captivity.
By elevating tragic, white-authored colonial encounters, the image of indigenous savagery is maintained and with it spreads the toxicity of imperialism and systemic racism.
This is a strong statement; I really like that.
an overdose of sorrow, disillusionment and hypocrisy
I totally agree with this. I felt this way through every remove except for the ending of the twentieth.
I have learned to look beyond present and smaller troubles, and to be quieted under them
More self-reflection. I wonder if the other removes were written in more of a selfish tone because that's how she thought in the moment, not how she felt when she wrote it.
If trouble from smaller matters begin to arise in me, I have something at hand to check myself with
I like this, a self-reflection piece of a sort.
It is good for me that I have been afflicted.”
This can be true, a "what can I learn/take away from this" moment.
I have seen the extreme vanity of this world: One hour I have been in health, and wealthy, wanting nothing. But the next hour in sickness and wounds, and death, having nothing but sorrow and affliction.
This is very traumatic; I wonder what her mental state was like after this.
others are sleeping mine eyes are weeping.
Continues to feel bad for herself.
I was in the midst of thousands of enemies, and nothing but death before me.
But they never really hurt you. The worst part was the starvation, but everyone was starving.
“Money answers all things”
Truly greedy and selfish.
I thought
Actually, refers to herself with "I".
But now the Lord hath brought her in upon free-cost, and given her to me the second time
She just got her daughter back and all she can focus on is her religion. I know religion is important for a lot of people, but more important than your daughter?
now received one of our children
They make it sound so impersonal and so transactional.
it suffered with its wounds, and I was no way able to relieve it;
What about the oak leaves?!
our dear children
First time she's spoken of them in a motherly and loving way, but it still feels sarcastic.
he had helped to bury her, and knew it not.
When? Why does Mary know this, but not the brother-in-law?
not one of them ever offered me the least abuse of unchastity to me, in word or action.
Goes to show the difference between the natives and the colonials. Natives didn't rape, colonials did.
if I were willing, he and his squaw would run away, and go home along with me.
Why the sudden change in heart? Why the desire to go with her?
but afterwards they assented to it, and seemed much to rejoice in it; some asked me to send them some bread, others some tobacco, others shaking me by the hand, offering me a hood and scarfe to ride in; not one moving hand or tongue against it
They sought out the things they needed for survival and for enjoyment and they thought she would/could give it to them.
They mourned (with their black faces) for their own losses, yet triumphed and rejoiced in their inhumane, and many times devilish cruelty to the English
See, you say this, but the English army did the exact same thing. So why are we making the natives out to be the bad guys?
I was with the enemy eleven weeks and five days,
Really? In some ways it felt shorter, but also longer, while reading.
they asked me when I thought the English army would come after them
Why would you know that? Did you know?
I would take leave to mention a few remarkable passages of providence, which I took special notice of in my afflicted time.
This sounds a lot more coherent than the rest of the removes and excerpts.
I told them, they had as good knock me in head as starve me to death
Talking back more, not as worried?
Then I took it of the child, and eat it myself, and savory it was to my taste
Ew, they slobbered all over those. Also, SELFISH! They're starving too and you just took their food! What the heck!?
one of them my own sister’s
Wait!? She has a sister? I don't remember this being mentioned before!
an Englishman stripped naked
Why was he stripped naked? Did the natives take the clothes for themselves?
So like were these barbarous creatures to him who was a liar from the beginning.
Is she calling her husband a liar in this section? What did he lie about?
that whatsoever the Indians told me respecting him was vanity and lies.
They could technically be lying to you again and just saying things to make you compliant.
But I knew that He laid upon me less than I deserved
Ok, so she still believes in God, but she also thinks that she deserves more than he is giving her?
I took my Bible to read, but I found no comfort here neither
Starting to lose faith in her religion?
“Have pity upon me, O ye my Friends, for the Hand of the Lord has touched me.”
I feel like this is what she always wanted. She wants everyone to feel bad for her. The way she writes exaggerates her pain above anyone else's, including this.
she threw a handful of ashes in mine eyes
Maybe she thought that Mary was attempting to hurt them by messing with the fire.
his master roasted him, and that himself did eat a piece of him, as big as his two fingers, and that he was very good meat
This is absolutely disgusting. Why would you eat someone?
I had not seen my son a pretty while, and here was an Indian of whom I made inquiry after him
Why now start asking about him? What prompted that?
I told them the skin was off my back, but I had no other comforting answer from them than this: that it would be no matter if my head were off too.
She uses this as an opportunity to demonize the Natives, but they say these things because it's what the English army do to them.
at last an old Indian bade me to come to him, and his squaw gave me some ground nuts; she gave me also something to lay under my head, and a good fire we had; and through the good providence of God, I had a comfortable lodging that night.
Older, female, native. Does she live alone? What is that dynamic? Why was she ok with allowing Mary into her space?
one of the company drew his sword
Did the natives have swords?
I found six acorns, and two chestnuts, which were some refreshment to me.
I find it interesting that she can recall these details ten years after experiencing them.
my master being gone, who seemed to me the best friend that I had of an Indian
I find it interesting that she calls her master her best friend of the Indian, when she hates all of them. Why would she admit this so flippantly in the text, when the reader knows her disdain for the Natives?
redemption was not far off; and the rather because their insolency grew worse and worse.
I wonder, with her word choice, does she know something they don't? Or is it purely based off of her belief and religion?
she snatched it hastily out of my hand, and threw it out of doors.
I find it interesting that the female seems to be the more aggressive one of the two natives. Or is it something against religion? Or maybe just Mary?
asked my master whether he would sell me to my husband
Does your husband want to buy you? Are you speaking on behalf of him, FOR him?
sell me for powder
What kind of powder? Why do you want them to sell you?
I offered the money to my master, but he bade me keep it;
Someone else would have taken it from her.
Then came one of them and gave me two spoonfuls of meal to comfort me, and another gave me half a pint of peas
They continue to help her regardless of where she came from. Trying to make her feel better.
the numerous crew of pagans that were on the bank on the other side
Is this a bad or good thing? Are they there to help or to hurt? Who are they there to help or hurt?
my son Joseph unexpectedly came to me
How and why does he keep randomly showing up?
Oh that my people had hearkened to me, and Israel had walked in my ways, I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries”
Does she still see herself as a part of the English group? Is she going to use this and try to take down the Natives?
they set their wigwams on fire
A sign? Symbolism? Necessity?
desired them to let me rest, and told them I would do as much more tomorrow; to which they answered me they would break my face
That's pretty violent, why were they so cruel to her for this? Don't they realize it makes them like the English army when they do that?
I could starve and die before I could eat such things, yet they were sweet and savory to my taste.
Necessity for her, for them too?
On the Saturday they boiled an old horse’s leg which they had got, and so we drank of the broth
Was the meat bad because it was old? Where's the rest of the horse? Is this common, or just used now due to need for it?
Four of them carried a great Indian upon a bier; but going through a thick wood with him, they were hindered, and could make no haste, whereupon they took him upon their backs
But if you're trying to escape, wouldn't the great Indian want to make it out as fast as possible? Unless he was really old, then he probably needed the help, right?
chose some of their stoutest men, and sent them back to hold the English army in play
Why choose the stoutest men? What purpose does that serve?
the English army, it being near and following them
Why are they following them? Is it for her or to capture/enslave Natives?
“Wait on the Lord, Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine Heart, wait I say on the Lord.”
I love that she continues to have Faith in her religion and even uses it to help others.
One of the Indians that came from Medfield fight, had brought some plunder, came to me, and asked me, if I would have a Bible, he had got one in his basket. I was glad of it, and asked him, whether he thought the Indians would let me read? He answered, yes. So I took the Bible
This is another display of how the Natives show compassion, making me wonder about context that is missing to make them seem so cruel towards the narrator.
hideous insulting and triumphing that there was over some Englishmen’s scalps that they had taken
It sounds cruel and disgusting, but how would we view this with more context? What more is there that isn't said here?
Then they went and showed me where it was, where I saw the ground was newly digged, and there they told me they had buried it.
This is actually kind of sweet.
I was sold to him
Usually the role is reversed.
About two hours in the night, my sweet babe like a lamb departed this life on Feb. 18, 1675
Aw, I'm so sorry. That's really sad. Why didn't she try the oak leaves though? Or did I miss it?
he took oaken leaves and laid to his wound, and through the blessing of God he was able to travel again
You say by the blessing of God, but you also previously said that he got his wound dressed. One is belief and one is science; I don't fully understand the correlation between the two.
He wounded me with one hand, so he healed me with the other.
This honestly sounds like an abusive and toxic relationship? Does this mean God can be toxic?
Oh the number of pagans (now merciless enemies)
Who are the Pagans? Were they enemies to colonials and Natives? Just one? What is that encounter like?
viz
What is this?
my poor sick babe
Why does she keep referring to how sick her child is? Is there something that will occur that makes this important?
My own wound also growing so stiff that I could scarce sit down or rise up
By wound does she mean something physical that she's dealing with? Or does she mean her mental and psychological wound?
down I must sit in the snow, by a little fire, and a few boughs behind me, with my sick child in my lap
Where are her kidnappers in this situation? How much is she at risk for dying of illness in these weather conditions? What about her child?
we both fell over the horse’s head, at which they, like inhumane creatures, laughed, and rejoiced to see it
This does show a bit of a crueler nature.
I fell down with it. Then they set me upon a horse with my wounded child in my lap
If the roles were reversed, the Natives would have been beaten or left behind for falling and not being able to keep up. This displays the compassion and empathy that the Natives have for others.
One of the Indians carried my poor wounded babe upon a horse
I think this is so sweet and allows us, and Mary, to see how human the Natives are.
travel with them into the vast and desolate wilderness,
Is this by choice or is she held captive? She seems pretty calm about this, is there a reason for that?
were slain and mangled in a barbarous manner, by one-eyed John, and Marlborough’s Praying Indians
The colonial encounter switched? We are used to the Natives being the "victims", but here we see them portrayed as the "villains".
my children gone, my relations and friends gone, our house and home and all our comforts—within door and without—all was gone (except my life),
How do you think the Natives feel? Many of them don't even get to keep their lives.
the Indians told me they would kill him as he came homeward),
Well, did he do something to them? So far, the Natives attack because they are being tortured and taken over. For the most part it's self-defense for them.
my thoughts ran upon my losses and sad bereaved condition
Is she really expecting us to feel bad for her because she witnessed ill treatment towards Natives? Seriously?
the waste that was there made of horses, cattle, sheep, swine, calves, lambs, roasting pigs, and fowl
Display of disrespect towards the animals and using them however they want. When the Natives are known to respect the animal and use every piece of it while also even using it for religious reasons.
yelling of those black creatures
At this point I'm assuming these are Natives. They are being extremely dehumanized in this sentence.
“What, will you love English men still?”
What are they asking her when they say this? Is this a question of payment to them for her to stay there? Or is this more along the lines of them asking her if she's going to be ok? Or is it something completely different?
our hearts no less than our bodies
Do you mean your hearts are wounded? How so? and why?
those barbarous creatures
What are the barbarous creatures? Who are they?
even weave some comedy and sass in there
I love this, because adding moments like this can aid in some peoples learning and memorization of what is in the anthology.
American literature is ever-changing.
Definitely, and this is because the world and people are changing, and will continue to do so long after my generation, or the next, is gone.
How can we possibly define American literature without comprehending the fragility, complexity, and pride that accompanies such a term?
The fact that this is such a beautiful, yet difficult question. So much work and dedication goes into our journey to seek out the information for this question and its answers.
insight into what has happened in the past, while also giving students the tools to think critically about what’s happening within the field of American literature in the present.
I appreciate the thought put into this to make such a piece that has so much information and makes its attempts at being something that others can relate to or understand to a point.
takes things a step further because it makes connections between important works of American literature and contemporary culture (such as films and other references)
But isn't one of the debates whether AL is considered just texts or other things as well? This fragment tells me that you've already decided that.
diverse authors
How do you know they are diverse? Who decides what diverse is? What does it mean for an author to be diverse?
moves beyond the voices of old white men talking about even older white men.
How does it move beyond the white male? What other kinds of voices and perspectives does it have?
anthology is unique because it was made by students, for students
Is that really unique though? Aren't there other anthologies out there written by students? Who's to say this anthology was written for students too?
moves to answer the question
Does that mean it doesn't actually answer the question? IS there even an answer to this question? Does this anthology just allow for more questions to be asked? Is that actually the point?
Many of these questions remain unanswered and continue to engage scholarly debate.
Maybe that's the reason why we have questions such as these ones, to engage others and allow for this topic to be taken apart and analyzed.
Who determines what counts as American literature?
I love this question because of how important that it is. We don't truly know who determines AL, at least I don't yet. That's the thing though, does anyone actually determine anything? Or do they just become American Literature because of whatever? Does the author determine it? I love this question.
geographical boundaries? Experiences? Histories? Themes?
All important and big parts. But American Literature is not just one, it's all of these.
questioned the very parameters of what counts as American literature.
I feel like we sometimes even question more than just that. But I agree we question the parameters, and I find it very interesting to see and hear all of the different ways in which people analyze or interact with American Literature.
White Feather’s triumph over the giants and of his marriage with Crystal Stone.
I truly wasn't expecting the story to go in this direction. But I thought it was a fun and interesting story. Though I do still have a few questions about it.
for White Feather tipped each arrow with magic, so that none missed their aim.
I feel like it would have lasted longer and been for beneficial for them though if they took the shots themselves with no help. If all shots were guided by magic, then what will they learn of arm and trajectory.
beat him to death
Why must everything end in death?
to give counsel concerning his daughters.
Both daughters? For what reasons for both daughters?
pitied
Strong and powerful word. Also italicized in the text showing it should stand out.
which turned into a bear as soon as he took hold of it to carry it
How did a dog carry a bear? Also, are the animals alive or dead?
told her husband he had better follow the dog and discover where such fine beavers could be had.
White Weasel is the type of person who wants everything and everything, no matter how she gets it. It is greedy and dishonest.
He grew to love her more and more every day and looked about for some way to show it.
This is actually super sweet.
dumb creatures
What makes him a dumb creature? Is there proof of this that the characters got that the audience did not? Or are we assuming he is dumb because he is currently stuck in dog form?
Her sister made no such preparation, for she thought so brave and wise a chief would have too good sense to take notice of a woman’s finery.
It's interesting to see how the sisters make different decisions based off of the same situation because of how they think differently.
so both the sisters remained unmarried
I find it interesting that it is not demanded of them to be married. This sounds as though they have a choice, whereas most places during this time forced marriage upon women for the benefit of the family.
a woman’s journey
This is very demeaning and sexist. Is this to display the sexism that took place heavily in the past?
she took an ax and broke his back.
Why just break his back? Why not chop of his head as he did with all of the other giants?
White Feather looked at her he saw tears shining in her eyes, and almost before he knew it he wished himself a man again. In a moment he was restored to his natural shape
He was literally told not to do this. Even though she is very beautiful he should have ran away. This goes to show that sometimes people can get distracted from what they truly want/need, by things they just think they want/need.
but he claimed his right to take it home to his grandfather.
Is this a way of showing his success? Or to display his power to his grandfather and his tribe? Kind of like when he brings home game for the tribe after hunting.
White Feather had cut off the giant’s head
What?! Why? Also, how? I know the giants are considered their enemies but killing them makes the tribe no better than the giants.
the little spirits which carry the news
Who are the little spirits? Could it be the kids that the giants took from the tribe?
sad, for he loved the boy so much that he could not bear the thought of losing him.
I wonder what this means for the boy and his future? Why is his grandfather thinking that he is losing the boy forever and will never see him again? Is that what is going to happen? Why was this boy chosen for this?
He was to wait for them no longer, but to go boldly to their lodge and offer to race with them
A new challenge --> start of a new generation/era? Maybe leading to the downfall of the giants?
Its top had been blighted by a stroke of lightning, and the lower branches were so dark that no birds built their nests on them, and few even lighted upon them.
I wonder why birds stay away from it so much? What reasons could there be for this? Does the lightning struck tree have anything to do with the feather?
You do not yet wear it, but you are worthy of it.”
What does being worthy of it mean? Would he have known had this voice not spoken to him? What is this white feather?
he heard a voice calling to him
I wonder what/who the voice belongs to?
he shot a fine, large deer long before he was strong enough to drag it home.
Considered special? Or important, especially with the amount of food he may be providing for the tribe?
the giants killed the father instead
I'm assuming then at this moment it became a situation where the giants took a life for a life. My question though, why take the father and kill him? Wouldn't you try to get rid of whoever was in charge of the tribe? Try and dismantle the tribe by ridding it of a leader?
When they were counted one child was missing
How did the giants know just by counting? You would think that if the Dacotahs noticed a child missing they would not say anything as to be able to keep one of their children. Unless they said something as to keep their honor to the deal they made.
caused the runners to stumble, and lose the race.
I know the story isn't too long, but this part seems kind of glossed over. I would think that it would be considered a little more important because this leads to the loss of the Dacotahs.
not to be supposed that the giants would act fairly
Important to note that no actual discussion and formal agreement was met during this whole interaction. Do to this misstep it cost the Dacotahs dearly.
who can outrun the Dacotahs
This is egotistical thinking that can end up hurting the people as a whole later.
the wise Indians
What makes them wise? Do all of them know that, or is this a note for the reader? Do they end up being the wise ones in the end too? Or does something occur for this to change?
if we win we will take yours
Are the giants offering their sons and daughters so that they can try to win the Dacotahs sons and daughters? What benefit do they get from this?
If you win you shall have our sons and our daughters
Why offer up your own children first? Why not try to offer something else first? Like goods? Are the children considered "goods" in this scenario?
a white feather
A symbol of power and chiefdom? Symbol for anything else?
eating the flesh of those they took in battle and drinking their blood
Did they actually eat people? Are they defeating these people and walking away, or doing more?
a great chief should spring from this tribe, and that he should conquer all his enemies
Did this not happen? Or if it did, what happened to change the overall outcome of this chief?
once been a brave and mighty
What happened to change this? Was there a battle within or outside?
the giants
Actual giants? Are the giants bad?
he kept himself in hiding for the sake of his little grandson
He's not actually dead? Someone else has to know that he's alive and not actually dead?
man who had been known to live in it
Why is this man living in the wigwam? is this wigwam a tree type thing? is he known for it because it is abnormal?
a wigwam
What is a wigwam? How important to the story is this? Should it be described of its importance?
the land of the Dacotahs
Is it genuinely their land? Who determines that and how? Where is this land? America?