Reflection Blog: Bradstreet and Rowlandson

 In the writings of the authors Bradstreet and Rowlandson, it greatly reflects the qualities of Puritan writing. Puritan writing is the writing of the Europeans that came over to the new world to start a new life. A few of the basic characteristics of the Puritan people are very religious and single and closed minded. They thought their way of life was the way it should be everywhere.

The first way that Upon the Burning of our House, by Anne Bradstreet, and A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson, by Mary Rowlandson, show the way of Puritan writing in their pieces is through their very straight forward writing. Much like Ernest Hemingway, the two female authors do not use figures of speech, or other techniques similar. They do not beat around the bush with their point. This writing makes it easier to get a sense of how the author really felt during the experience written about in the piece.  In Mary Rowlandson, she describes in great detail the nine days she sat on her tired, bloody knees holding her dying child, and the physical and mental pain that came with it (Rowlandson 83). She makes you feel as though you know exactly the feelings she was going through and in turn how it affected the rest of the time being held captive. She does not sugar coat it or anything like that, she tells it exactly how it is, which is characteristic of Puritan writing.

The major way that these pieces reflect the characteristics of Puritan writing is its impact from religion. The Puritans were very religious people, and believed that God had a specific plan for each and every individual person. This is shown in Upon the Burning of Our House, because Bradstreet feels that the burning of her home was God’s way of telling her that the material things are not as important as the things that nature has to offer that will always be there (Bradstreet 91). Along with this theme of religion, the Puritans also believed that through their writing, they could show how God impacts their inner and outer self. In Mary Rowlandson, Mary believes that she was meant to be captured, so she could see that although the Native Americans are perceived as bad and dangerous people, and did capture her, they were truly kind and generous people. When her youngest child dies, she comes back to see him after having to leave him, and sees that they have buried the body, which makes her realize that these people are not bad as she thought they were (Rowlandson 84).God was trying to show her that we are all human, and the way we perceive people is not always right, as Mary and the Puritans did with the Native Americans (Rowlandson 84).

Overall, the Puritan beliefs and writing style is greatly shown through these works. Although they are greatly influenced by religion, everyone can learn lessons through Rowlandson and Bradstreet’s stories.

Rowlandson, Mary. “A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson.” Life in the New World. Columbus, OH: McGraw-Hill, 2009. 82-85.

Bradstreet, Anne. “Upon the Burning of Our Home.” American Literature. Columbus, OH:  McGraw-Hill, 2009. 91. Digital.