I have read the first 16 pages of the Women's Indian Captivity Narratives. Wow. Over the years I have come to convince myself that the conquest of America happened like this: White guys come to America, slaughter the Indians and give them casinos, and then invent the internet. But I've never stopped to consider for more than a brief second the savage nature of retaliation against colonial expansion. The account Mary Rowlandson gives of the ambush by the Indians on Lancaster is quite gruesome. In particular, a description on page 16: "There was one who was chopp'd into the Head with a Hatchet, and stripp'd naked, and yet was crawling up and down." That is an image I wouldn't even expect from Tarantino.












The above picture's purpose is threefold. First, I wanted to fiddle with image upload so I know how to do it when I really need it. Secondly it contrasts sharply with Rowlandson's image of brutality, adding an element of irony to my post and no doubt increasing my overall grade. Third, kittens are cute. But all kittens aside, this time in American history (the beginning of it) is very troubling*. So far in my limited study of early American literature and lifestyle I have encountered a severely sexist, patriarchal society in which 185 accusations of witchcraft (including 19 executions) were issued amongst a brutal, ongoing war between savages and puritanical elitists. I hope there's a happy ending. Or at least one with kittens.


*Apparently the kitten picture offers a fourth, initially unintended purpose: to set up a grossly undignified pun.