Free Narrative Of The Captivity And Restoration Of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson Essay Example

In this book, Mary Rowlandson seeks to give her experience in the hands of Indians who had taken her captive. The cruelty with which she was treated with was meant to criticise such barbaric acts. She also includes a lot of events that took place during the said travel. Using her experiences, she hoped to find personal consolation and also help her readers deal with trying moments. Hers is a story of triumph given, after all the pain, she underwent through the heathen, and she finally found her deliverance.
One of the major themes that have been illustrated in the book is providential history. Here, Rowlandson firmly believes that God is just; he gives each and everyone exactly what he or she deserves. As such, rebellion is cursed while obedience is blessed. The author believed that God was using King Phillip’s war as a way to manifest the Deutronomic code - an archetype of punishment and reward. She considers the tempest she had to go through in the hands of her captors as a punishment by God for being proud. At the same time, God saw her through the adverse conditions because of her repentance.
Secondly, Biblical topology has come out strongly as a theme in Mary Rowlandson’s book. The author made sense of her situation by comparing herself with characters in the Bible. Joseph was the favourite son of his father and this made his other brothers jealous. This made them sell him into slavery that turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Joseph. The author sought consolation from such stories, which are quite frequent in the Bible. As a result, she believed that, as long as she had God through it all, there was going to be light at the end of the tunnel. She strongly believed that her trials and tribulations were momentary and they would not last for long.
The political need of King Phillip’s war is also one of the themes in this book. This war had seen Mary and her three children taken up as bargaining tools. This was as a result of the political breakdown between the Wampanog and the New England Puritans. Her narrative vividly explains the political underpinnings that are expressed in the story. Additionally, she clearly gives the correlation that exists between her personal life and the political system.
Another theme that has been highlighted in the book is the need for a narrative on her captivity. Throughout the book, the author keeps justifying why such a book is necessary. Being a female sufferer does not make the “journey” an easy one; in fact, it is very tough. She views her kidnapping as a move by the Puritan community to stir the public’s reactions. Through such an event, they hoped to get the attention of the masses.
In conclusion, the narrative is meant to serve as an encouragement that one can live to surmount all the challenges regardless of how huge they appear to be. The author also encourages the readers to continually examine their conscience. This will essentially lead them to identify sin within them; then repent and make amends. With all this done, life will make perfect sense; just like it did to characters like Joseph in the Bible and just like it happened to her.