Daring Deeds of John Smith: Heroic Survival Against 200 Savages

Abstract

1. Smith little dreaming of that accident, being got to the marshes at the river’s head twenty miles in the desert, had his two men slain (as is supposed) sleeping by the canoe, while himself by fowling sought them victual, who finding he was beset with 200 savages, two of them he slew, still defending himself with the aid of a savage his guide, whom he bound to his arm with his garters and used him as a buckler, yet he was shot in his thigh a little, and had many arrows that stuck in his clothes but no great hurt, till at last they took him prisoner. – John Smith In analyzing one of our selected author’s works, consider how that author presents themselves or constructs a unique identity in her/his work. Specifically, what identity does the author build for themselves in their work? Do they present themselves as a hero/heroine? A victim? A moral authority? Or something else? Is the presentation of themselves authentic or artificial? And what is the result of such authenticity or artificiality? Introduction John Smith was an English explorer, soldier, and writer who played a significant role in the establishment of the Jamestown colony in Virginia, USA, during the early 17th century. He is known for his writings, including "The General History of Virginia, New England, and the Summer Isles," where the quoted passage originates from giving an explanation of an unexpected incident that this author experienced during his exploration of marshes within the river. Based on the prompt, Smith depicts an image of a great hero who fought 200 savages which is a hard fact to come in-terms with noting that his fight involved him as a person against 200 hundred enemies that aimed at ensuring evil towards Smith well confirmed through his imprisonment. While using his own enemies, Smith enhanced self defence sustaining minor injuries at the time of his capturing. Following smith’s narration, it is open that he sees himself a hero that expressed resourcefulness and courage in a very dangerous situation confirming his ability to adapt and also protect himself against any odds. Smith success as a leader becomes confirmed by the eventual success of Jamestown and establishment of its legacy as a first and great permanent English settlement in North America. It is important to dig deeper into understanding How Smith presented himself with a unique identity of his work especially through the use of 3rd person to enhance objectivity of his text/narration towards his target audiences to offer a glimpse of difficulties that many colonists and English explorers faced in North America. One can argue that John Smith presents himself as a bold and adventurous character. What does this mean? As a loyal citizen aimed at achieving the best for his people, Smith takes the risk of showcasing his experiences as an explorer, a leader and a colonist in the most challenging adventures. To this effect, he constructs a unique identity that helps the readers see him as a hero. Basically, the prompt creates a feeling to the reader that Smith as a writer portrays himself as a hero and a figure of relevance in the events that he describes. Smith narration starts with a mere dream of an accident which he compiles in a manner that describes a real scenario of such a fateful experience. While confirming his heroic nature, Smith cites that “who finding he was beset with 200 savages, two of them he slew, still defending himself with the aid of a savage his guide” which though one may think as practically impossible, the writer makes it sound so practical with the use of a third person voice. To this effect, one can relate Smiths heroic nature in his narration to his portrayal of himself as a resourceful and capable character that was able to overcome challenging experiences for the betterment of his country. While further expressing how Smith’s work portrays him as a hero, it is open that his writings depict him as the central figure in the establishment of Jamestown. Smith narration portrays a great dominating force of his heroic...