These critters ain’t like white folks, you know; they gets over things, only manage right.
Haley believes that black slaves get over their broken families faster than white people might... which may be true. But only because they are not allowed time to grieve because they are threatened by their masters, and because they have been living in a situation where these types of things are a normal every day situation for them
Now, what if you get the girl off for a day, or a week, or so; then the thing’s done quietly,—all over before she comes home
It seems as though Haley is more concerned with the inconvenience of how upset the mother will be when he takes her child away rather than actually breaking up a family.
“I would rather not sell him,” said Mr. Shelby, thoughtfully; “the fact is, sir, I’m a humane man, and I hate to take the boy from his mother, sir.”
This is a proud moment for me towards Shelby. I was really worried that he cared more for settling the debt than keeping a family together, especially with a boy as young as Jim is...
“I tell you, Haley, this must not be spoken of; I say no, and I mean no,”
At first, I thought that perhaps Shelby had a sexual relationship with the girl, which is why she couldn't be sold, but perhaps she means more to both himself and his wife as a family member than as a slave.....
“Now, Jim,” said his master, “show us how old Elder Robbins leads the psalm.”
Mr. Shelby seems to be simply using this boy for entertainment in the hopes of settling the debt that he owes to Haley
“You mean honest, as niggers go,”
Haley does not see those that are black in the same light as Mr. Shelby... sees them in a much more negative light.
Tom is an uncommon fellow; he is certainly worth that sum anywhere,—steady, honest, capable, manages my whole farm like a clock.
I am going to go ahead and assume here based on the mention of Tom being worth a specific sum that Tom is actually a slave, or at the very least a hired hand who happens to be black.
One of the parties, however, when critically examined, did not seem, strictly speaking, to come under the species.
So then what constitutes as a gentleman, and what does not? Apparently those who have accumulated some sort of wealth or societal status is synonymous with the phrase gentleman... interesting.
Though many times they would eat that, that a hog or a dog would hardly touch; yet by that God strengthened them to be a scourge to His people.
One of the qualities that I admire most about Native Americans is their ability to take anything and everything, and make as many uses out of it as they possibly can. Nothing goes to waste for their people.
Then I took it of the child, and eat it myself, and savory it was to my taste.
I just felt as though this part demonstrates how the worst of suffering can bring out the worst in human beings... for someone who believes so strongly in their faith, it seems as though Rowlandson is not as "Christian" as she first appeared to the reader...
. Some of them told me he was dead, and they had killed him; some said he was married again, and that the Governor wished him to marry; and told him he should have his choice, and that all persuaded I was dead. So like were these barbarous creatures to him who was a liar from the beginning.
It seems as though the Native Americans were only telling her these things in order to force her to emotionally suffer in addition to her mental and physical suffering.
Then also I took my Bible to read, but I found no comfort here neither, which many times I was wont to find. So easy a thing it is with God to dry up the streams of Scripture comfort from us.
This is the first that the readers are seeing Rowlandson unable to take comfort from her religion or from the bible... finally, a little bit of wavering.
And here I cannot but remember how many times sitting in their wigwams, and musing on things past, I should suddenly leap up and run out, as if I had been at home, forgetting where I was, and what my condition was; but when I was without, and saw nothing but wilderness, and woods, and a company of barbarous heathens, my mind quickly returned to me
She seems to be allowing herself to become a little too comfortable with her captors, adjusting to this new way of life along with the traditions, customs, and people that come with it, and once this is realized, it horrifies her.
Scripture came to my hand, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46.10)
Surprise surprise, more biblical references... seems as though it as acting as a comfort to her.
But (to my amazement and great perplexity) the scale was soon turned; for when we had gone a little way, on a sudden my mistress gives out; she would go no further, but turn back again
Perhaps her mistress is actually ill... why else would she collapse under the weight of her load while Rowlandson is capable of calling her own load "light"?
I complained it was too heavy, whereupon she gave me a slap in the face,
If the Native Americans are capable of carrying something of the same weight, then she should be able to carry it as well... everyone has to carry their own weight in life.
Nux,
Nux actually does mean yes, although at first glance, most readers might take it as "no"
I was at this time knitting a pair of white cotton stockings for my mistress
This quote reminds me so much of slavery... which is why it is so interesting that the author is WHITE
on Psalm 27, in which Psalm we especially took notice of that, ver. ult., “Wait on the Lord, Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine Heart, wait I say on the Lord.”
This passage is explaining to the reader to be patient, and God will answer all prayers
not that he first took me, but I was sold to him by another Narragansett Indian, who took me when first I came out of the garrison
Beginning to see a major reversal of the usual white colonist vs. enslaved minority, where the white woman actually suffers under slavery while the minority group is the one who has enslaved her. Interesting perspective!
whither I went with a very heavy heart, and down I sat with the picture of death in my lap.
Crystal clear imagery of what her child looks like being so close to death
I then remembered how careless I had been of God’s holy time; how many Sabbaths I had lost and misspent, and how evilly I had walked in God’s sight; which lay so close unto my spirit, that it was easy for me to see how righteous it was with God to cut off the thread of my life and cast me out of His presence forever.
Author seems to be having a revelation, or a "life flashing before her eyes" moment, realizing all of her regrets and mistakes throughout her life, and reflects on whether these mistakes will damn her to hell or not
and having no Christian friend near me
So the author truly is alone without her people... at first I had thought that she had been taken with a group of her own people.
hen they set me upon a horse with my wounded child in my lap, and there being no furniture upon the horse’s back, as we were going down a steep hill we both fell over the horse’s head,
Since indians rode their horses bareback, and Englishmen rode their horses using saddles, it must have been quite difficult to maintain her balance upon the horse. Something that was so natural to the indians was not for her, which is why they laughed at her, seeing her as inferior
Those seven that were killed at Lancaster the summer before upon a Sabbath day,
Interesting quote here, since the Sabbath falls on the seventh day for christians, and seven men were killed...
There remained nothing to me but one poor wounded babe, and it seemed at present worse than death that it was in such a pitiful condition, bespeaking compassion, and I had no refreshing for it, nor suitable things to revive it.
The only thing left to the author seems to be her infant child, which is in such poor condition, that in her opinion, death would be the more compassionate option.
“What, will you love English men still?”
This specific quote makes me incredibly nervous, because it leads me to ask the question.... will Mary Rowlandson be raped by these indians?
Oh the roaring, and singing and dancing, and yelling of those black creatures in the night, which made the place a lively resemblance of hell
Vivid imagery painting the indians as demon-like creatures, making the scene a true resemblance to hell itself. Also clues the reader into the fact that the author is a christian
with our bodies wounded and bleeding, and our hearts no less than our bodies.
Their emotions and spirituality is just as hurt as they are physically
The bear was fierce, but his flesh was sweet and life-giving, and the Cahrocs grew strong by feeding upon it.
In order to feed upon the bear, one must kill it first- since it is fierce, this would be be a very difficult task, but the sweetness and power its flesh provides makes it worth it.
She went home and putting on her daughter-in-law's clothes sat in Snowbird's place by the fire
Reverse oedipus complex?
such as the moose's lip and the bear's kidney
There are two lips and two kidneys... why can't they each get one?
take its name for his own.
By killing the beast that causes so much terror, Pigeon would therefore be given a formidable name, which would be much nobler.
they hoped that he would win a nobler name some day
Their names are something that they must earn over time- they are NOT set in stone at birth as our society traditionally does. Therefore, Brown bear must be a respected hunter while Snowbird must be beautiful and graceful.
little Pale-faces
Are the pale faces the white man? Is the word "little" meant to be a demeaning term?
He remembers when the oldest oak was an acorn. He says that he will be alive long after the white man has disappeared from the land.
It is as though Iagoo represents Father Time, having been around since the beginning of time and seems to think he will live to see the end as well.
the story-teller of the Indians, is a little, old man with a face as black as the shell of the butternut and a body like a twisted stick. His eyes are twice as large as other men's, so that when a bird flies past him he sees twice as many feathers on it, and all the little colors underneath are bright to him. His ears are twice as large as other men's, so that what seems to them but a tiny sound is to him like the roll of thunder. His legs are supple and his arms are strong, so that he can run faster and further, and can lift and carry twice as much as others.
He has superhuman, mythical qualities despite being described like a "twisted stick", which would originally imply to the reader that he is a very fragile elderly person.