Discovery Narrative

Discovery Narrative Analysis of William Bradford's and Samuel de Champlain's Narratives of the life of native American-Indians in the Americas in the 17th century Early accounts of native life in North America were well-documented with through the experiences of navigators representing European countries, particularly Spain, England, and Portugal in the 17th century.

This period was identified as the "Age of Discovery," for new civilizations were found, which provided opportunities for these voyagers to take advantage of a new-found territory to make use of its natural resources and expand its political territory and powers in the process.

Famous works of early narratives of discoveries of new land territories in the North American region were from William Bradford and Samuel de Champlain, voyagers who had been sent by England and France, respectively, to explore the prospects of a new politico-economic territory in the geographic area now known as North America.

Narrated in the context of 17th century socio-political thought, Bradford and de Champlain provided insightful information about the nature of the native inhabitants of the region, not to mention the Europeans' perspective and interpretation of their experiences with the natives. In this paper, focus is given on the narrative styles of both Bradford and de Champlain regarding their personal experiences and accounts of early native life in North America.

The researcher posits that in their narratives, the two explorers have different ways of interpreting their experiences: while Bradford narrated using a more personal and subjective interpretation of native American life, de Champlain, meanwhile, had given a more technical and detailed account of life among the Indians in New France (Canada). Comparative analysis of their works showed that despite these differences in interpreting their experiences, however, both authors subsisted to the Eurocentric view of native North American life. The texts that follow provide evidence of the points just outlined.

In "History of the Plymouth Plantation," Bradford provided his own account and interpretation of the English's voyage to the Americas. Re-counting their days of establishing contact, communication, and even peace with the Indians, Bradford expressed his weariness of the peculiarity of the natives: he and other immigrants from England had still yet to discuss and arrange their arrival with the early inhabitants of the land they intend to live in. Initial entries in his narrative showed his Puritan belief, especially when the Pilgrims were still undergoing voyage from England.

His frequent reference to God reflected the group's intention to impart with the natives not only their political and economic interest, but to attempt to assimilate within the natives their religious belief as well.

Interestingly, Bradford gave his opinion of the Indians as he narrated 'the treaty with the Indians.' In this account, the author narrates, "All this while the Indians came skulking about them, and would sometimes show themselves aloof off, but when any approached near them, they would run away; and once they stole away their tools where they had been at work and were gone to dinner." This passage brought into light his Eurocentric view of the native Americans; it was evident that their arrival had not brought discomfort to them, but to the Indians instead, where Bradford interpreted their actions as one way of communicating with them.

The Pilgrims' manner during the period of establishing contact with the Indians showed that they should not adjust to the lives of the Indians. Instead, the natives should adapt the Pilgrims' culture, for they believe that their culture was more superior than theirs. Indeed, despite the personal and congenial tone of the author's narrative, bias against Indians were shown.

Bradford attributed the Indians' success in planting, harvesting, and cultivating plants and animals as a 'gift of God.' What he considered as developments in the life of the natives was interpreted as "good beyond their expectation," which include not only include new ways of life introduced by the Pilgrims, but belief in Christianity as well. Bradford's narrative is at best characterized as propaganda in favor of Christianity.

His accounts of the Indians sought to convince his readers that their voyage was more than politico-economically motivated, but rather, a religious endeavor in which the Pilgrims aimed for a more 'civilized' society to emerge in the Americas. Evidently, despite his and his group's honest and good intentions toward the natives' welfare, Bradford's "History of the Plymouth Plantation" also dominantly demonstrated the subtle antagonism from the Pilgrims as they interacted and attempted to radically change native American culture and society in the early 17th century.

In his accounts in "Voyages and Discoveries," de Champlain had expressed the same Eurocentric view of the Indians. Where Bradford used subtlety and congeniality in narrating his interaction with the Indians, de Champlain expressed his in downright explicit, biased, and objective way. Throughout his narrative, he identified the native Americans or Indians as "savages," a term that only demonstrates de Champlain's view of what kind of people these early inhabitants are.

His objective tone and detached manner of writing did not help alleviate the explicit illustration of his and his group's superior attitude towards the Indians.

As the French arrived in what they will later claim as New France, de Champlain recalled his encounter with the Montagnais, wherein, after making peace and establishing contacts with the leaders of the Indian tribe, he described their lifeways: "The men sat on both sides (as I said before), each with his porringer [a small bowl] made of the bark of a tree; and when the meat is cooked, one of them apportions to every man his part, into these dishes, out of which they feed very filthily, for when their hands are.