It was interesting to learn about John Smith. I learned about many things that I did not know about him. I did not know that he wrote many myths and that he was one of the first ones to do that. A quote from The Literature of the American South states,"Although he was born in England and spent only three years in Virginia, Captain John Smith is generally considered not only the South's but also North America's first important literary mythmaker." In his myths he wrote about how people should colonize and that it is there duty to farm. He said if they don't do that then they're disobeying their religion and God. I also didn't realize how much John Smith was like Columbs. He behaved just like him in that he invaded the Native Americans land and took advantage of them. Killed many of them and took there land. Through all this he didn't realized that he was being the same bad man as Columbus. He lead an army and founded Jamestown. His pholosophy was that men that had good spirits and were hard working would get farther. He got recognition from England readers because he always wrote in the third person about himself and so people thought of him as a hero. He always said good things about himself and so they looked up to him. He also made many good comments about Virginia that it was a good place to live.
My feeling is that John Smith was a good man in that he taught people how to live life to the fullest and that they had a good life in Virginia. He was bad because he stole territory from the Native Americans.
2 comments:
I think that it is really interesting that Smith was considered one of the first "important myth-makers." I did not read his history prior to reading the stories (and am assuming that is where you found this information). I think you had some very interesting insight, especially in class. When you wrote that the English respected Smith, I found that to be ironic in a way because as a class, many of us were angered by the fact that Smith was writing about himself to appear heroic. However, if you really think about it, given the time period and all, how would people in England really know for sure what John Smith really did or did not do. Considering the lack of technology and information about the natives at that time I guess I can understand why the English would respect Smith much more than we would today.
I think it is so interesting that you phrase Smith's writings using "myths." This definitely puts a specific slant on his pieces, doesn't it? I also agree with Kate, that you feel that the English respected Smith is so different from the general consensus of the class. I am sure they did respect him in many ways. I also agree with you that in many ways, Smith is like Columbus. Very interesting points.
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