How Does Bradford Use Language In Of Plymouth Plantation

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In Of Plymouth Plantation, William Bradford uses language to describe to his readers the ideas the Pilgrims held about the uncivilized New World, the challenges they would face from the natural environment, and the harsh threats they faced at the hands of the native inhabitants. William Bradford’s writings illustrate to the reader the perceived thoughts the Pilgrims had of the New World. For example, Bradford describes the Americas as being “fruitful” and “fit for habitation” with no “civil inhabitants”. He elaborates further on the subject of the New World’s uncivilized inhabitants when he describes the land as being “unpeopled” with “only savage and brutish men”, which he equates to “wild animals” (p. 125). I believe Bradford is telling …show more content…

He notes the potential demise the Pilgrims face due to the miserable conditions of their new environment. Bradford instructs that the group will be subjected to “famine, and nakedness, and the want, in the manner of all things”. I was especially drawn to the phrase “… and the want, in manner of all things”. Bradford’s group devoted their lives to their religion, above all things God was to be foremost in their thoughts. I felt that Bradford’s direct mention of “the want” displayed a concern he felt over the group’s harsh environment influencing them so negatively that they would remove their attention from God and focus solely on their own personal welfare. Bradford continues to discusses the sickness and disease that the new arrivals will be susceptible to from the change in their environment, as he specifically notes as “the change of air, diet, and drinking of water” (126). The language pertaining to the new environment informs the reader that the survival of the new arrivals will be dependent, in part, upon their ability to triumph above the natural …show more content…

He shares the impressions the Pilgrims had of the natives beginning with the sentence “And also those which should escape …” whereby he describes the Native Americans as being “cruel, barbarous, and most treacherous”. Bradford also describes the natives as being “furious in their rage” and “merciless”. He further notes that these angry natives are lustful for killing and are only able to quench their lust through the purposeful torment of their victims. Bradford’s language is very straightforward. He does not attempt to veil the brutality he is describing with pretty words or euphemisms. I felt the words and phrases such as “flaying some alive”, ”cutting off the members and joints of others”, and the “boiling on the coals …whilst they live” were especially vivid and detailed in such a fashion as to illicit the reader’s hatred for the “savage” natives (126). Bradford’s writings lead the reader to believe that the fate of the surviving Pilgrims ultimately requires them to be victorious over hostile and wicked natives. The imagery his language inspires in the minds of his readers could only lead them to view the natives as evil and

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