Introduction
A tragic tale of Mary Rowlandson’s imprisonment by Native Americans during King Philip’s War may be found in her book A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration. Rowlandson emphasizes her captors’ ferocity and depravity throughout the story as she details the cruel torture she received at their hands.
Forced Removals and Their Emotional Impact on Rowlandson
One way it is demonstrated is through the frequent removals that Rowlandson experienced during her captivity. The removals that Rowlandson underwent were a strategy often employed by Native American tribes at the time. These removals were particularly distressing for Rowlandson because they made her feel lost and alone in a strange place.
It is proved with the following statement from her writing, “I should choose rather to be killed by them than taken alive, but when it came to the trial, my mind changed” (Rowlandson 2). Early in her imprisonment, Rowlandson was carried from Lancaster to Wachusett Mountain, one instance of it. She tells how her kidnappers made her trek for hours across rugged terrain as they kept a tight eye on her and provided little food or drink.
Tribal Exchanges and the Brutality of Captivity
Rowlandson’s relocation from one tribe to another exemplified how removals exposed Native Americans’ brutality. She was abruptly sold to a different tribe after being kept hostage by one for several weeks; they abused her much worse than previously. Rowlandson’s rapid change in the situation left him feeling alone and powerless, not knowing what to do next. It is evident from these removals that Native Americans considered their captives to be exchanged or moved about at pleasure. They treated them cruelly and indifferently, paying little attention to their physical or emotional well-being.
Conclusion
Overall, Rowlandson’s many transfers throughout her imprisonment are a stark reminder of the cruelty and barbarism of Native American nations at the time. They show how little concern these tribes had for the welfare of their captives, regarding them more like things to be moved around at leisure. Although some may find her depiction of Native Americans unduly simple, her account nevertheless serves as a significant historical record that sheds light on this turbulent time in American history.
Work Cited
Rowlandson, Mary. Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson. Read Books Ltd, 2018, Web.