English 241
American Literature to 1860
Spring 2003
Paper #1

The early literatures of the Americas during the 16th and 17th centuries substantially concern contact between Europeans and native peoples. These literatures include narratives of travel, government, history, religious mission, ethnography, and captivity. Collectively, they constitute a ‘contact literature’ that describes cultural clashes, domination, subordination, and accommodation. As a broad field, this contact literature provides themes and tropes that permeate American literature and come to distinguish it from European and African predecessors.

Of the texts we have read to date, the following concern European-native contact significantly, substantially, or entirely:

Christopher Columbus, Journal of the First Voyage and Narrative of the Third Voyage Alvar NunÞez Cabeza de Vaca; Gaspar Pérez de Villagrá, selections from The History of New Mexico; Don Antonio de Otermín, ‘Letter on the Pueblo Revolt’; Hopi, ‘The Coming of the Spanish and the Pueblo Revolt’; Don Diego de Vargas, from Letter on the Reconquest of New Mexico, 1692; Samuel de Champlain, from The Voyages of Samuel de Champlain; from The Jesuit Relations, ‘The Relation of 1647’; Thomas Harriot, A Briefe and True Report of the New Found Land of Virginia; John Smith, The Generall Historie of Virginia, New-England, and the Summer Isles; Nathaniel Bacon, Nathaniel Bacon Esq’r his Manifesto Concerning the Present Troubles in Virginia; William Bradford, Of Plymouth Plantation; Mary White Rowlandson, from A Narrative of the Captivity and Restauration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson; Cotton Mather, Decennium Luctuosum: An History of Remarkable Occurences in the Long [Indian] War; John Williams, from The Redeemed Captive Returning to Zion.

Choose two of these texts to compare or contrast some shared point, element, characteristic, image, trope or theme. The choice of comparison and texts is open. Examples might include paradises, culture heroes, evils, visions, violence, covenants, commons, Hercules or Hydras, religious ideas, social structures, gender roles, authority, etc. Remember that colonizer/colonized relations do not necessarily always follow a binary or oppositional logic, but dissimilar cultures also adapt, synthesize and merge. Remain open to interpretive possibilities.

Your paper will be evaluated on the basis of (a) a clear and convincing argument that emerges from the first paragraph forward; (b) a sustained and focused examination of the implications of that argument throughout the paper; (c) appropriate use of brief citations (no more than 1-2 sentences) to provide evidentiary support for the argument; and (d) competence of writing skills and absence of technical errors. Four pages provide surprisingly little space for a good argument, so brevity and condensation will be helpful.

This paper should total 900-1000 words, or four complete double-spaced pages plus a title page. Short papers will be marked down. Use 1-inch margins and 10-pt. Times New Roman type. Single-space citations and use parenthetical page references (no footnotes). Avoid unnecessary first-person reference (e.g. “I think…”).

Do not use any reference materials and do no library research. The object here lies in a close reading and interpretive engagement with the texts. Your ideas are what matter, not someone else’s opinion. For this reason, plagiarism will be treated in strict accordance with university policy guidelines.

Papers are due in section on Friday, February 14. Late papers will not be accepted without certified medical excuse.

This paper assignment will be web-published at the course website. Questions concerning the assignment can be posted in a discussion thread that Prof. Lockard will check regularly. If you wish to inquire privately concerning this assignment, we encourage you to contact any course instructor via e-mail or office hours.