Autochthony Through Captivity Mary Rowlandson Analysis

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Autochthony Through Captivity
Mrs. Mary Rowlandson’s captivity narrative is autochthonous, not in the traditional sense of self creation by choice, but in the necessity of her ability to reconcile who she should be as an accepted member of society with her experiences in captivity.
The expectation that Mrs. Rowlandson be unwavering in her faith, regardless of any hardship or threat, in order to remain an unblemished, valued member of society is central to Rowlandson’s autochthonous tale. At the conclusion of her captivity narrative, Rowlandson admits that, before she knew the taxing nature of trial, she “was sometimes ready to wish for it,” feeling as though God had left her untried and without hope of further developing her faith (Rowlandson 300). After her release from captivity, Rowlandson vehemently establishes that …show more content…

Though these American Indians are clearly heathens, Rowlandson is clear that they are also respectful of her. Mrs. Rowlandson takes great pains to assert that “not one of them ever offered me the least abuse of unchastity… in word or action” (Rowlandson 297). Mrs. Mary Rowlandson is still pure, untouched, and worthy of a spot in her society, and her autochthonous tale ultimately stems from the need to be unflinchingly clear in these truths. Although the American Indians were a source of great suffering for Rowlandson, they were also preordained as the source of her affliction so that she might come to have deeper understanding of God’s flawless plan. By writing the American Indians into her narrative as an extension of God’s own hand, Rowlandson strips them of the power they have to blemish her reputation. Rowlandson’s tale is one of self-empowerment through autochthony, and her unwavering devotion to God’s plan is what ultimately allows her that power over herself and her

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