Reflection Blog: Puritan Writing

As I was reading "Upon the Burning of our House and A Narrative of Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson", I found many similarities in the writing styles that were used. Both were very great examples of Puritan writing. Upon researching typical things to look for in Puritan writing, the main point I came across was how Puritan writing always resembled God in some way. The stories had a purpose of glorifying God, and it was evident that the stories were both religion based.

 I think that the stories did a very good job at expressing their gratitude toward God. They both looked for him for advice, help, and healing. In the narrative of Mary Rowlandson, she sat holding her ill son in her arms (Rowlandson 83). She was praying that God would look after her son and try to make him better. She prayed that he would help heal her son. In the other story, the main character sent all her cries up to God. She wanted God to help her with all of her problems. Anything that was wrong she gave to God. As I was reading the stories, I realized they both a very mono tone to them. They were not happy stories by far, but they were not completely sad. I think that the stories were trying to portray a message to the public through the writings. In the narrative of Mary Rowlandson, Mary was a very hard worker. She worked and earned everything she had (Rowlandson 83). She would make clothes constantly just to pick up scraps of food from people. She was very caring. She cared for her children a lot (Rowlandson 84-85). She was constantly wondering where they were, if they were okay, if they had food, and so forth. The reader could tell that the journey, or travelling had a very hard effect on her. A Puritan Legacy is the city upon the hill (Reuben, Paul). In the narrative of Mary Rowlandson, her son was buried at the top of the hill (Rowlandson 83). I think that is a pretty cool way to correlate Puritan legacy with literature. Another Puritan legacy is the request, or search for freedom (Reuben, Paul). I think that in both of the stories one of the main themes is freedom. In each story each character wanted to be free from something. In the narrative of Mary Rowlandson, Mary wanted to be free from the Indians who caught her and took her away from her home. In The Burning of the house, she wanted freedom for the harsh effects of daily life (Bradstreet 90). God is the ultimate reoccurring symbol in each story.

God was the main person the characters and the Puritan people looked up to and worship. He was the basis for all stories and in each story he is constantly recognized (Reuben, Paul). Puritans believed God's grace was freely given, which would explain why the characters in the story would always give their struggles to God. Overall, I think both of the books did a really good job of expressing Puritan beliefs and legacies through the writing portrayed. I could clearly understand the story and relate to the story on a religious level.


Bradstreet, Anne. "Upon the Burning of Our House." Glencoe Literature. Ed. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph. D. American Literature ed. Columbus,: McGraw Hill Co, 2009. 91. Print.

Rowlandson, Mary. A Narrative of Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson. Glencoe Literature. Ed. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph. D. American Literature ed. Columbus,: MrGraw Hill Co, 2009. 82. Print.

Reuben, Paul P. "Chapter 1: Early American Literature to1700 - A Brief Introduction." PAL: Perspectives in American Literature- A Research and Reference Guide. WWW URL: http://www.csustan.edu/english/reuben/pal/chap1/1intro.html. 12 Oct. 2011.