Compare And Contrast Bradford And John Smith

Colonial settlers John Smith and William Bradford were two of many Englishmen that partook in an expedition across the Atlantic Ocean in hopes of starting life anew in the New World. They lived and died around similar time frames and are both known for their success in maritime travel. Although the premise of their journeys are similar, it is evident through their respective narrative accounts that the two vastly differ in their motivations, perspectives, and literary structure. The difference in Smith and Bradford’s motives for exploration can be traced back to their personality traits. Smith, who was known to be egotist, was motivated by wealth and ego. This is best shown throughout his narrative, where he continually refers to himself as “Captain Smith” as an act of self-glorification (Smith 73-76). Smith also states that when he was captured by the natives, the “savages admired him” (Smith 74), which is a subjective statement used for the sole purpose of boosting his own ego. On the other hand, Bradford, a strong Puritan who believed the Church of England was corrupt, was

For example, Smith’s elaborate syntax reflects his flamboyant personality through his lengthy descriptions and excessive use of adjectives. To contrast, Bradford’s plain and simple syntax illustrates his objectivity as seen through his description of Squanto as simply “a native of this place, who had been in England” (Bradford 82). Moreover, Smith’s superior tone highlights his egotistical character through his use of the terms “savages” and “barbarians” when referring to the natives (Smith 76) while Bradford’s unembellished tone further highlights his objectivity through his use of direct statements rather than embellished assertions. Likewise to their literary perspectives and motives, Smith and Bradford’s literary structures differ due to egotistical personality traits and piety,