The Name of War: King Philip's War and the Origins of American Identity Chapter Summary & Analysis - Part Three, Bondage, Chapter 5, Come Go Along with Us Summary

Part Three, Bondage, Chapter 5, Come Go Along with Us Summary and Analysis

Mary Rowlandson was the wife of a prominent Puritan minister who was kidnapped by the Nipmuck Indians on February 10th, 1676. She lived with them for three months before a ransom was paid for her. She then wrote about the time she spent with the Indians. Her book, The Sovereignty and Goodness of God, is one of the first great works of American literature. In the story, she described meeting James Printer, a Nipmuck Indian converted to Christianity by John Eliot who was also taken captive.

Rowlandson wrote from a fully Christian perspective and believed that being held captive was a special brand of affliction that served to increase piety. Captivity, in her view, helped to redeem her from her sins, especially what she felt was her sin of not trying harder to escape. Her message suggested she did the best she could, despite the fact that many colonists...
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