Tuesday, February 9, 2010
John Smith
While I was reading this selection I couldn't help but notice how many times the word, "savage" kept reappearing. I counted 15 but I probably missed some. It is interesting that the writer of this narrative, which is probably not John smith, chooses to use such a word as "savage" instead of using their Native American name. By what the narrator is telling us the Native American people are being extremely civil. The Natives brought them so much food that, "no man wanted". Isn't giving and sharing what you have a good, civil thing to do? Granted they did attack and kill some of John Smith's men but they were just defeding their homeland and their people. They were doing what they had to do to survive.
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Trista,
ReplyDeleteI totally noticed this too! I think the reason they use this word is maybe because of the way they dressed and/or the way that they hunted? I think that might be my best guess but I agree that they did act completely civil toward Smith and the other Americans. I think that it was actually the Europeans that started the hostile behavior if I'm not mistaken.
I think that John Smith probably didn't think about the other side's point of view but he does gives us one heck of a view from his perspective. I wonder at how his story or even history could have been different had the new settlers tried harder to establish good communication with the natives? I also think that "savages" could have been less derogatory at the time and more just matter of fact to the whites. They didn't understand these exotic beings and so naturally the natives seemed more wild and "one with nature" -something that would have appeared quite feral and inferior to the Europeans. In a time today where we frown upon such prejudices, it of course draws interest and is deemed offensive. At least with such colorful language, it makes for more of an attention-grabbing story...right?
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