| American identification with the cause of liberty has led to a fascination with subject of captivity. From the earliest settlements until the present, captivity narratives have been popular, and the story of the captive is one of the most significant themes in American culture. Captivity narratives of the frontier reflect popular thought about basic aspect of life: sex roles, family responsibilities, use of the land, religious belief, and the true nature of freedom. They were published to be read as authentic accounts, and they are an important source of information about the attitudes and opinions of common people.;In this study of ten narratives of the American Southwest, the stories of Rachel Plummer, Sara Horn, Caroline Harris, Clarissa Plummer, Dolly Webster, Jane Adeline Wilson, Olive Oatman, John Dunn Hunter, James O. Pattie, and Nelson Lee are examined in detail. These documents came from the experiences of Anglo-Americans who settled in the Southwest between 1820 and 1860. The texts reveal gender differences, both in form and in content. Men's narratives are part of a larger description of adventures, and women's narratives are focused on the captivity experience. Men are concerned with their loss of negative freedom, while women are most grieved because of their loss of family and community.;These southwestern narratives deal with two significant considerations: first, they reveal the strategies which enabled the captives to survive; and second, they contain criticism of the alien society in which the captives were forced to live. Most of the survivors were sustained by their religious faith. All of them demonstrated physical stamina and the ability to compromise and adapt to their new circumstances. Returned captives condemned the violence and cruelty that they encountered as slaves. Other problems that they perceived in Indian society included the inefficient use of land and food resources, ignorance, superstitious beliefs, and a lack of concern for families and morality. They were particularly critical of the powerless roles of Indian women. The captives rejected the life styles of their captors and maintained a strong sense of the superiority of their own culture. |
