Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs Mary Rowlandson

The account is illustrated in ways that represent a search for self in focusing on the experiences of Rowlandson and what she witnessed. Essentially,Rowlandson has to survive the captivity and reach the day of homecomingwithout having her sophistication give into a point of savagery similar to that of the AlgonquianIndians. However, the course of her captivity functionally teaches her the contradiction that occurs from human interaction; that she has to become independent, despite her entire existence previously having been one of servitude to Christianity’s God and laws as well as a dependence on her husband, from whom she obtained her position and social standing. Rowlandson’s accountis told from a partially objective perspective which despite having a toned-downpartiality, portrays the events that occurred alongside descriptive illustrations of the people as they would look to an observeron the outside with no backgroundinformation on what exactly happened.

These descriptions include the emotional state, thoughts as well asmotivationsthat drove Rowlandson during the course of her abduction. The entire plot can be considered an instruction in its lesson subtext where she teaches its readers that in growth, people can overcome adversity. Civilization is significantly similar to savagery in that it can be considered ordered chaos. In considering the subtext of both classifications of humanity, savagery is the more open unbalanced struggle for dominance over culture, power or even survival while civilization is simply an ordered version of this struggle; only it is sugar-coated by a euphemistic light. Behaviors that people call politeness can just as well be a mask hiding the true emotional and psychological struggles that people live by in civilized places.

For instance, workplace struggles where the co-workers pretend they are friendly when instead, they are all backstabbing each other over issues like promotions. The narrative portrays contrasting illustrations of Rowlandson’s use of scripture against her behaviors that are like heathenism. In the first instances of the plotline as well as along the progression of the story, she is more Christian than heathen. However as time goes on, she realizes the necessity to compromise on parts of her faith. For instance, during the Ninth Remove, once she realizes that the end to her captivity is not close, she begins depending on more than the will of God. Rowlandson is seen eating the meat of a bear and instead of being disgusted by the thought, she finds it rather stimulating.