Guiding Questions How have competing promises and ideals for a “New World” shaped the culture and history of the United States? And how do American writers use language to communicate their relationship to these promises and ideals?

Journal Page

Journal #1

Our first journal (400-600 words) should be an open-ended reflection on the relationship between culture and captivity suggested by Mary Rowlandson's narrative.

The captivity narrative was an important form in early America because through it writers and community could comment on identity, the land, religion, race, gender, and so much more. Rowlandson's--the most famous and enduring of these very popular texts--has particularly strong cultural resonances and messages.

A few ways to think about this that might help include applying Greenblatt's ideas, applying our guiding questions, and looking at the introduction to Rowlandson in your text and applying some of those ideas.

Remember, a journal write does not have to have perfect grammar or even paragraph form. Just write down as many of your ideas as you can as a way of advancing our discussion.

A page or two--400-600 words--is a good goal.