In the book Love and Hate in Jamestown, Price tells about the difficult times in the early Virginia, from Jamestown's founding to the 1622 massacre. He also eludicates the unusual friendship between John Smith and the Indian princess Pocahontas. Smith was a common soldier. The London-based Virginia Company recruited him for the expedition on account of his military experience.Smith was not liked by his well heeled colleagues; and he couldn't get a position on the colony's governing council.
Most of the adventurers in 1607 who first came selected Jamestown as the area to make a colony even though it was mostly swamps. By summer, most ships returned to England carrying colonists who would rather give up and remain alive than starve. The remaining colony was eating cornmeal. The gentlemen adventurers were not able to work, and disease set in. Half the colony was dead in the Fall, and Smith was put in charge of obtaining supplies from the Indians.
He took an expedition up the river and was captured by the forces of Chief Powhatan.
It is clear in Price's novel that the English did not find Virginia's woods inhabited by peaceful Indians or by violent ones. Instead it was, as stated in the text, "a tightly run, martially adept empire." Smith's life was in danger but then saved by Powhatan's 11-year-old daughter, Pocahontas.
Her name means "little wanton,". The critics say she is the book's most interesting character. She had no romantic involvement with Smith. But Pocahontas took a long term interest in the surviving colonies future.
When Smith returned to Jamestown, it was during a critical time when several leaders of the colony were about to give up, steal a ship and go back to England. The men then made up lies against Smith and he was almost hanged, just before a ship arrived from England with fresh food, supplies and more colonists. Therefore, for the next few years, Smith led the colony from 1608-09. That winter was known in history as the "Starving Time." Six months after Smith left, many died, leaving only 60 colonists out of 500. The colony was saved by another fleet from England.
This book is "realistic" in terms of how the colonists got along with the Indians. It is realistic in terms of how well organised Chief Powhatan was and the brave and altruistic nature of Pocahontas. It was realistic in that it showed Smith's roots and his struggles amongst his peers.
No comments:
Post a Comment