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Primera Prueba de Evaluación Continua a Distancia

1) Compare and contrast the narrative strategies used by John Smith and WilliamBradford (focusing on the texts selected in units 1 and 2). See A Study Guide forAmerican Literature to 1900, pages 21-23.

We can find many differences on the narrative strategies used by these two authors. Regarding their attitude to the colonial undertaking, is possible to see that both of them had a different goal when they embarked on their voyages. John Smith was a proud, self-made man that travelled to the New World with the aim of getting wealthy as soon as possible. On the other hand, Bradford wanted to settle, to start a new life where he and his community could practice their religion without being persecuted (they were religious dissenters to the Crown). However, no matter their goal, both had a negative attitude towards the Natives, since they were described as savages on many occasions (Smith lines 1, 5, 9, 25; Bradford, line 53). Wilderness also had a negative sense as described by Bradford as being “full of wild beasts and wild men” (line 59). Although they had such a negative view on the New World, Smith started writing with the purpose to encourage others to come to conquer that land, so his target audience could include brave, active people, such as soldiers, warriors or adventurers. Bradford, instead, wrote for its community, to have an account of the events happening to the settlement. In addition, while both of them wrote an autobiography, Bradford did it with the format of a diary, keeping the exact date and he started writing some years after he had settled on the new land. Despite this, his work was not published until 1857. Smith, on the contrary, started writing a personal letter to a friend in 1608 and at the same year, this was published as a pamphlet, although Smith did not intend to publish his work. In Smith’s writing we can see how he highlighted that his destiny was in his hands. It was his courage and intelligence what kept him alive. The way he described himself was showing a heroic behaviour. In the case of Bradford, Providence, ruled his and every man’s destiny (lines 12-16). He and his community were in God’s hands.

Regarding style, we can observe more differences. Maybe, the most obvious one is the narrative voice. Smith used the third-person-singular to give the impression that the events narrated by him were objectively described. In spite of this, Bradford used the first- person-singular, which allowed him to give his personal opinion and to be more subjective. Another point to be made is that on Smith’s narrative, the style is ornamental with military and native vocabulary (lines 29, 30, 36). Probably, he wanted to make his writing more accurate, interesting and authentic. By contrast, Bradford’s style is plain with shorter grammar sentences and very simple syntax, and at the same time, full of biblical allusions (lines 37, 51, 61). This shows us the didactic purpose of his writing and how the Puritan thought was present at his mind.

These are the most significant similarities and differences on both writers regarding their narrative strategies.

2) Describe how Anne Bradstreet and Jonathan Edwards use metaphoricallanguage (focusing on the texts selected in units 3 and 5). See A Study Guide forAmerican Literature to 1900, pages 47-50.

Although both authors were Puritans, they wrote using metaphorical language, thus, moving away from the plain style that characterized the Puritan writings. Apart from this, they had a different purpose and audience in mind when they did so. Anne

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Bradstreet wrote around 1650 and she started writing for her family. In The Author to Her Book, she develops an extended metaphor through the poem. The speaker in this poem is the author, who is compared to a mother whose child is her book of poems. Since Bradstreet was well aware of women’s role in society at those times, she presents her book humbly and apologizing for such a poor and illegitimate child. The whole poem is a metaphor where she compares and indentifies the biological birth of a mother with the intellectual birth of a poet. In To My Dear and Loving Husband, the poet again is also the speaker, who expresses her passionate love for her husband and there, she uses biblical allusions (lines 1, 7) and imagery of wealth (lines 5, 6). This language makes us evoke different images in our minds and it can shape our perception of the author’s feelings by making the writing more vivid, clear and effective.

Alternatively, Edwards wrote a century later than Bradstreet, and he was a preacher whose main aim was to awaken the audience in his congregation. He expressed his thoughts and ideas using metaphors, similes, and a great deal of figurative language in general, because he believed that conversion could be achieved through the senses, not only through reason. His sermon Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God starts with a biblical quotation: “their foot shall slide in due time”, which is an extended metaphor present in the first part of the text. This metaphor is supported by biblical allusions (lines 13, 19), other metaphors (lines 6, 29-30) and an explanation with remarks from the author so his audience could understand the message clearly. In the second part of the text, Application, we find more metaphors that have different vehicles but the same tenor: the hell (lines 41, 42, 56, 128, 129). We also find similes (lines 75, 76, 77, 78) which can be easily understood by his community, such is the case of the simile “you will be the chaff of the summer threshing floor” (lines 76, 77) that would have a great impact on the rural audience that was familiar with the process of threshing grains. Other metaphors present in the text are the ones that refer to sinners (lines 56-59, 112-113, 116-117). These metaphors refer to animals that most people find repulsive and in this way the author is creating a feeling of disgust towards them. This text is full of figurative language that draws listeners and readers’ attention to an imagery that produces an immediate emotional response.