I suppose I should probably introduce this in some way before diving straight into literary commentary. I've never been much for writing online (something about typing as opposed to physically writing the words takes the inspiration out of the experience, or something to that effect), so these entries will be taken for the most part verbatim from my reading journal. Most of them will have something or other to do with American Literature, as the purpose of this blog dictates, but I'll probably add other considerations as I go, depending on how I'm feeling. Anyway. The following entry is dated 2/9/10 and continues through 2/10/10, written after reading excerpts from The General History of Virginia, New England, and the Summer Isles by John Smith, and A Model of Christian Charity by John Winthrop.
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John Smith is as fascinating a character in his own estimation as his reputation (via historical accounts and works of fiction regarding the illustrious captain) makes him out to be. This is perhaps due in part to the embellished nature of his personal accomplishments in contrast with his descriptions of other noteworthy men working alongside him (or almost alarming lack thereof). Aside from Smith's preoccupation with his own prowess, his writing does give us a great deal of insight into the mindset of the early settlers. America, Jamestown in particular, was first and foremost a British colony, and its settlers English at heart. John Smith certainly was not bent on settling the New World out of any separatist agenda, but rather in order to in some sense glorify and prosper England through the prosperity of her colonies. Smith glorifies the lifestyle of the colonists in order to gain the manpower to make expansion possible.
Winthrop, on the other hand, is not concerned so much for the monetary and class opportunities available in the New World as Smith is -- quite the contrary, really. He is concerned primarily with the building of a society and or commonwealth in which each man and woman functions in his or her own station to the best of his or her ability for the common good. The individual is not responsible for his or her station in society so much as for fulfilling his or her duties within that station. Society is not as flexible for Winthrop as it is for Smith. The rich will be rich and the poor will be poor.
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I find it interesting how we as a society know more about John Smith than John Winthrop. Do you think it says something about us? Perhaps that we are more interested in the corporate than the spiritual? That as John Smith illistrated in his writing commercial concerns are foremost and religion is a brief second thought?
ReplyDeleteI would definitely agree that America is a more commerce-driven society than one based in religion, as much as we like to throw around phrases like "In God We Trust." Perhaps because we are so consumeristic as a whole we tend to better understand Early America from the viewpoint of someone who perhaps shares a little of our economic perspective, as John Smith does, as opposed to someone focused primarily on the actions of the people.
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