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American Culture
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American Culture
According to Ronald Takaki in Chapter 2 of A Different Mirror, how does Mary Rowlandson’s narrative support his interpretation of events in the 1670? Find additional examples and quotations in the excerpt from Mary Rowlandson’s captivity narrative in the Kaleidoscope reader and relate them to Takaki’s interpretation.
According to Takaki, The Tempest, one of Shakespeare’s plays can be used to explain a lot if attitudes and conceptions people have about the Americas and the development of race ideologies and concepts. This play was first released in 1611 and it served as a creation masquerade for a new American society (Takaki 25). Ireland was being invaded by the British and Caliban, a character in the Shakespeare play, was likened with the ‘wild Irish’ that was invaded by Britain. The author indicates that the English invaders destroyed Ireland for a period of two centuries, and even celebrated their triumph over the Irish people by taking slain Irish soldiers’ heads for trophies (27). In this chapter, the author likens these events with the play The Tempest which was really about the newly found world. In the view of the author, the name of Caliban was derived from cannibalism or cannibal. To him the obsession of the European colonizers of this period could be likened with cannibalism. The Indians, on the other hand, were likened to the devil by Takaki. They also represented other attributes such as sin, the body, laziness, sexuality and lack of self- control.
‘… On the surest ways to confirm an identity….. is to find some way of measuring what one is not….’ (Takaki 41). This is probably one of the most significant quotes in this chapter, emphasizing the need and interest of the author in identities. In the same chapter, Takaki relates or associates the narrative of Ki- wa- kwe- skew, which was another creature, thought to be the sister of the story’s main character, the cannibal. In the translations of the author, this creature was probably used to represent the oppressive Europeans.
The captivity narrative of Mary Rowlandson in a way supports the interpretations made by Takaki in his book. Mary was captured by warring Indians who attacked the English people with cruelty. They killed children, babies, women and men and beheaded some of them. They burned people’s houses with people in them and took captive those who remained. The reason why Mary’s story can be used to support the interpretations of Takaki in chapter 12 is because they both have the same views of the Indians. Takaki indicated that Indians could be likened with the devils, with sinful people, who did not have self control. Mary, on the other hand, describes them in the same hateful manner. When she is taken by the Indians, she is taken to a deserted town where they camp for the night. Mary says that spending that night with them was the hardest thing with their ‘… roaring, and singing, and dancing and yelling of those black creatures in the night….’ (Rowlandson 23). She even likens the scene with hell. The same view of Takaki of Indians is supported by Mary when she calls them ‘… brute, savage, barbarous enemies…’ (Rowlandson 24). When she fell over the head of the horse she was placed on with her wounded child, she says that the Indians laughed at her like inhumane creatures, they even enjoyed seeing this happening (Rowlandson 25). This supports the interpretation of Takaki of Indians as devilish, sinful creatures that lacked self control. She also constantly refers to them as pagans and herself as Christian (Rowlandson 25). This further supports the translation by Takaki that the Indians were sinful and devilish creatures. Mary does not have any kind words for the Indians after they destroyed her life, took away her loved ones and destroyed her home. It is no doubt then that she has the same interpretations as Takaki of the Indians. She says that they are savage bears, and roaring lions who did not fear man, God, or even the devil. To her they were the devils themselves who brought mush suffering to her. Though she says they did not abuse her chastity, her descriptions of them show them as the sinful creatures without self control that Takaki talked about.
Both of these authors have a similar interpretation of the events that took place in the 1670s. Though Takaki has additional interpretations of the European who invaded Ireland, he also includes in his interpretations some opinions he had on Indians who went into war with the Europeans. Much of Mary’s text is about the Indians and how barbaric they were in their war. All in all, her description of the events that took place in the night she was captured supports the interpretations of Takaki of the same.
Works cited
Rowlandson, M. (n.d). A narrative of the captivity and restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson: 20- 35.
Takaki, R.T. (2008). A different mirror: a history of multicultural America. New York: Little, Brown, and Co., 2008
American colonists. Diversity of the colonists
American colonists
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Diversity of the colonists
They had come from far and wide into a foreign country. They wanted to make it their homeland, to practice farming and other social-economic activities that they had learned from home (Harasymiw 33). They were diverse in their practices but at the same time had a similar way of dealing with different situations. This paper presents the diversity and similarities of the colonists who arrived in America. The paper mainly deals with their sources of livelihood and political ideologies. Colonists were diverse but alike at the same time.
Their diversity
When they first arrived in America, they had come with the intention of spreading their religion. Some came as Christians and wanted to convert others into their religion (Harasymiw 33). Most Christian missionaries aimed at converting as many people as possible and spreading the gospel to make new believers. Colonists from Britain were the main Christian missionaries. Others wanted to spread Islam and took every opportunity they had to spread their religion and convert as many people as possible. Although they had come to spread their religion, this was a main point of diversity. The two religions are different, though they had the same aim, to give people faith and hope for a better world, they all believed in different philosophies.
Colonists were also diverse in their reasons for coming to America. They all came to serve different purposes. Among the main purposes were trade, exploration and spreading their religion. They were diverse by the purpose they served and their reason for coming. Traders were looking for raw materials for their industries back at home while at the same time they wanted to find a market for their finished products. Explorers wanted to know if there existed other countries past their own country and how people lived in those other countries. Missionaries had a mission to spread their religion and gain more followers (Joseph 12).
Their diversity runs deeper into the activities they performed to provide for their livelihoods. When they arrived and settled down in America, colonists took up different roles in America. They had to find a source of income and a way to support their families. Some became farmers; their diversity extends to farming as some became pastoralists while other practiced agricultural farming (Joseph 12). This diversity enabled them to support each other; the pastoralists produced beef ad meaty produce form their farms while the agricultural producers brought agricultural produce. By this diversity they were able to trade amongst themselves and become united as colonists.
Colonists were diverse through their culture; some were of British origin while others were of French origin. The language they spoke and were different. French colonists used French to communicate while British colonists used English to communicate and teach their young children at school (Joseph 12). They performed different social activities, colonists from France performed sea sports while those from Britain played football. Sports were used to bring people together and present a forum for cultural exchange.
Their similarities
They had come from neighboring countries and as a result of their previous interactions they had similar traits. Colonists also exchanged cultures when they came to America, through their interactions with the natives and other colonists they had similarities in ideas and lifestyles.
One major similarity is architectural design and building of houses. When the colonists settled down in America, they had to build their homes in the new territory. Their designs and methods of constructing houses were similar; they used bricks to construct houses that were bungalows. As a result of their cultural exchanges during previous interactions, they had learned to build houses with the same materials and designs (Katz and Arielle 44).
The all practiced some form of farming. This is one of the reasons why the colonists had left their countries to come to America. They were searching for greener pastures and arable land where they could practice mixed farming (Goldstein 52). Since they did not occupy large tracks of arable land, most of them practiced small scale farming as a source of their daily livelihood. They produced enough to serve their families and had some left to trade with what they did not have. The specialization however was different as they planted differently. Their styles of farming and irrigation were the same.
They had a similar way of offering education to their children and the natives. This was an area of social segregation where children who belonged to rich families went to good private schools while those who came from average and below average family’s wen to community schools (Goldstein 52). Community schools were mainly constructed by religious institutions as a way of community empowerment.
Most of all, colonists had the same style of administration and political ideas. They all had the idea of republicanism which was among the earliest forms of democracy. Political leaders were elected by the people and were not from a specific family linage.
In conclusion
Colonialists had their differences and similarities. They had come to America for different reasons; however during their stay here they put aside their differences and worked in unity.
Works Cited
Goldstein, Margaret J.. British in America. Minneapolis, MN: Lerner, 2006. Print.
Harasymiw, Mark. The British colonies. New York: Gareth Stevens Pub., 2011. Print.
Joseph, J. W.. Another’s country archaeological and historical perspectives on cultural interactions in the southern colonies. Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press, 2002. Print.
Katz, Ron, and Arielle de. Auvergne. French America: French architecture from colonialization to the birth of a nation. New York, NY: French Heritage Society, 2004. Print.
Having read the reviewers’ comments, I was able to approach the assignment with a clear mind of
Reflection
Having read the reviewers’ comments, I was able to approach the assignment with a clear mind of the changes that were required. I understood that the aim of their comments was to make my instructions clearer and therefore my objective when getting into the assignment was to address all the comments provided by the reviewers. The reviewers of my set of instructions were Joonkyu Sok and Michael Dorsey. I addressed their comments because by doing that, I would also make my instructions more engaging to the readers.
One of the suggestions by the reviewers was that the inclusion of more pictures of the materials for the drywall installation process would be more helpful. I addressed this comment by including the pictures of materials that I considered to be unique to the drywall installation process. Since not all pictures can be included in the instructions, the special materials were preferred over the most common ones such as the measuring tape. Another comment from Joonkyu was that some of the steps provided did not have images to make the instructions clear to the audience. I addressed this issue by adding some images that matched the instructions described at the specific stages. Overall, I ensured that all the suggestions offered by Joonkyu were addressed.
One of the comments provided by Michael was that I needed to use a consistent format when placing images to support the provided instructions. I addressed this by placing the images at the bottom left part of the instructions. Another major suggestion was that I needed to include a definitions part in the paper to make it easier for the readers to understand some of the key terms. I addressed this suggestion by including a section at the end of the instruction to help the reader to comprehend the steps provided clearly. Another comment provided by Michael was that the instructions did not provide detailed information regarding how to use everything for example the electric screwdriver. I was able to address this by providing a summary of steps that people can apply when using an electric screw driver and other tools.
The professors feedback indicated that the frame and approach of the instructions was fine but there were still opportunities for personalization to make them unique and encouraging to the audience. I addressed this by making some changes so that the instructions can address the reader directly. For example where the information states the installer, I made changes to make the instruction specific to the reader.
I chose to address all the comments provided by the reviewers. The only comment I did not address was Michael’s first comment about labeling audience since the comment was not very clear.
I learned that having another person to review my work is very important. This is because I have understood that reviewers can identify weaknesses in the work which I may not be aware of. The feedback provided has helped me identify some of these weaknesses and I will be able to address them in my future writings. I also found the approach of reviewing my peers work to be interesting since I can also help them make improvements in their work. I was also able to learn their writing styles and I was able to learn a few positive things that I can utilize when writing my next assignments.