Cotton Mather

Even though the reading on Cotton Mather was a lot shorter than previous readings, I must say, I really enjoyed reading the writing of someone who was witness to the Salem witchcraft trials; a historic event in one of the darker and troublesome times in American history. Starting off, I do not believe that Mather was the unbiased historian he makes himself out to be. While the introduction explains that he never condone  any of the proceedings in the Salem witch trials, he never opposed them either. Add the fact that he shows some obvious enmity to the woman, Martha Carrier, whom he calls a "rampant hag", I think its safe to assume he is not completely unbiased.
What I found really curious was how accurate all of the testimonies in terms of Hollywood and novels have portrayed the Salem witch trials. There was villagers feigning pain in court until Carrier was bound, villagers spouting tales of sour-inflicting curses, spectral visions of Carriers, and a lot of cows of dying of unnatural deaths. A LOT of cows. A part I did not quite get. Perhaps the villagers ran out of ideas.
One thing I did not understand was how Martha Carrier's own children could testify against her, claiming that she was a witch and that she had made them into witches too. The only thing I can figure is that they must have been scared for their own lives just like everyone else. In that regard, it is not surprising that Mather or anyone else would be hesitant to speak out against the atrocities taking place.

Mary Rowlandson

I think it is really amazing how far America has come since its first settlers arrived on its shores. Or to be more specific I am amazed at the strength and resilience of some these early settlers, like Mary Rowlandson. I do not think I would have endured a week after being witness to the horrors and trials she faced, let alone eleven weeks. Not to mention staying true to her faith in what I would view as a seemingly hopeless situation.
I found it interesting that the tone in Rowlandson's writing towards her captors changed from extremely hostile in the beginning to a...how do I put it? A sort of understanding of them. In the beginning she referred the Native Americans to brutes, barbarous creatures and so forth. As I got into the deeper passages though, her writing voice wasn't filled with the same animosity as the early entries. If it had not been for Rowlandson's steadfast faith I do not think she would have adjusted to her horrible situation as she did.

Anne Bradstreet

I would like to start off by saying that I normally do not read poetry; it is hard for me to wrap my mind around it, making it a difficult for me to enjoy what I am reading. That said, I found Bradstreet's writing to be interesting and even enjoyable. After the discussion in class, I felt that I could understood and appreciate her work more once I understood the context of some of her references, like the one about Calliope.
The thing I find most compelling about Bradstreet's work is the tension and uncertainty of her worth as poet; the constant tug of war that plays with her emotions and sometimes wavering conviction shows real emotions that I think a lot of people can relate to. One minute she lamenting of how no one will give the credit that is due to her simply because she is a woman; she seems to accept this a natural way of the world, but then switches her tone, as if saying, "Is it so much to ask for a little acknowledgment of my skill?" I believe she was a woman far ahead her time, whose work would have been much better appreciated nowadays. I think this is explains the constant struggle she fought within herself to find a balance in her role as wife and as a poet with ideas and thought that would have been seen as unseemly for a woman to think about in her time.

John Smith

John Smith was really something else. In some ways he was more than I expected and a lot less than what I envisioned. I was surprised to find that he was an incredibly ambitious man, having become a soldier and fought for several countries. I got the impression that he carried a Jack-of-all-trades persona; It's easy to see why of person of his character and experience would be a valuable asset in colonizing the new world.
But as I read on it was clear that his heroic, brave personification of himself was flawed. I, mean, it sounded like his crew mates were ready to toss their good buddy, Smith, overboard before they even reached Jamestown. The introduction said he was a stubborn, temperamental man that could be a bit of a brute, but I figured I would try to keep an open mind as I read his work. I think you can tell a lot about a person's character in their writing, especially when its about their life.
My conclusion in the end was that he was not only obnoxious, but incredibly vain. He never seemed to portray himself in a negative light-but who would, really? He also had the tendency to push the blame on his comrades when something went wrong, while making himself seem like the selfless leader. In one part he writes that he would set a good example for all by fairness in all matters, scheduling tasks for everyone, and taking on the greatest and most difficult tasks himself. I have my doubts of how much of this is true. At the very end, I was impressed with his approach and the pitch he gave to encourage people to come over to the new world; I found it to be rather compelling and skillful. Say what you like about his bed-side manners, the guy knew how to get a job done, which might have been is one and perhaps only redeeming quality.