The Wordy Shipmates, Chapters 21-25 Response

Enter Anne Hutchinson. Much like a weathered television series, the Puritan colony of Boston is loosing its glamour. Anne is that tossed-in superstar that completely twists and turns the plot, re-attracting all those who were loosing interest. Anne is what the people of Boston needed desperately. Like in America today, the Puritans of 17th Century Boston needed someone to love, hate, and preach with. Hutchinson filled that role, and then some. If the Bostonian had tabloids, then Anne would fill the cover page every time. "What she said about Cotton" and "Look whos pregnant, again" would be just two of the many headliners. The effect of throwing Anne Hutchinson into 17th Century Boston is much like tossing a steak into a tank of starving pirhannas, with a sign on it saying, "first one to eat this gets another".

John Winthrop is unsettled by Hutchinson's arrival. He does not completely despise her, but he does distrust her, and therefore he shadows her unpon her arrival in Boston. Winthrop and Hutchinson are such a great pair because they are so completely different. Winthrop is a happy right winger, going about his conservative and traditional lifestyle like any old man of his years would enjoy. Hutchinson, is a liberal left winger who is all out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new. While Hutchinson tries to get Puritanism to the next level, Winthrop is hanging onto the laws, saying "It is not wrong if it has worked so far." The rest of Boston is just doing what they can to try to get into heaven. Their feuding is much like our Republican-Democratic style of government, each side trying to convince the masses that they are right, and niether really succeeding.

Then guess what happens? Hutchinson is banished. Albiet by her own doing (what a damn loadmouth that one, even when she has won she still keeps going on and on and on). Winthrop emerges from the ashes victorious, and governor once more. Much like our America today, there can only be one leader, and whether good or bad, we are stuck with them for the time being.

The Wordy Shipmates, Chapters 16-20 Response

Harry Vane, who appears in Vowell's writing first in chapter 16, is a great example of who people would give up everything they had going for themselves, in favor of a Puritanical lifestyle. For anyone to give up their lives in pursuit of what they feel is better is an example of great dedication, and even more so when they have as much going for them as Harry did. It is also not a coincedence that the two years Harry spent in his new settlement were the most eventful years that had ever occured.

Roger Williams is still around, and is as much a separatist as ever. The church deals with him the same way they deal with all their problems; by banishing him. After all, he was making suggestions. New ideas. Bad Williams. I wonder why none of the church members couldn't just have said: "Can't we just leave him and his followers alone and be happy that they burn in hell?" After all, the Puritans wanted heaven to be difficult to get into, and the best thing that would happen by converting Williams is that in 30 years they would be having tea with Williams in heaven, and I would imagine that a separatist in heaven would be quite disruptive. The good news for Williams is that after being tossed about in the winter cold for a while, he stumbled upon Rhode Island, where he got settlement permission from the natives there, and where he led his own free spirited, religously free town.

It is curious as to how the Puritans thought that they had the right to convert the Natives religiously. Afterall, the Natives intertwined their religion into life as much as the Puritans did, and they had been worshiping their gods just as long as the Puritans had been worshiping Jesus, if not longer. The Natives had just a much of a right to press their religion on the Puritans. In fact, I am sure that when the topic came up, it went something like this:

Puritan #1: "And then , you see, Jesus arose from the dead."

Puritan #2: "Now do you understand?"

Native #1: "..."

Native #2: "Uh... So you are saying that he came back to life, right?"

Puritan #1: "Yea, thats right."

Native #1: "After being nailed to a cross, beaten, left to die, then buried in a cave?"

Puritan #2: "Yep."

Native #1: "O.K., well, I am having a little trouble believing this, largely on the part that ressurection of the dead is impossible."

Native #2: "Yes, where did you say that your religion derived from again?"

Puritan #1: "Well, you see, Jesus had these desciples, and the bible is the desciples' accounts."

Native #1: "So we could right a book about our religion and in 1,753 years people would take it as their own?"

Puritan #2: "Well, no. You are not desciples of Jesus, you see."

Native #1: "But why do we need to be? Surely their was religion before Christianity, how can you say that you are right on the matter? The same questions must have arised many years ago when Christianity was formed. So we could be just as right, if not more so, than you are."

Narrator: (Puritan #1pulls out muzzle loader, shoots Native #1 in the face)

Puritan #2 to Native #2: "Sooo.... Are you ready to accept our lord Jesus Christ as your savior?"

Native #2: "Are you going to kill me if I don't?"

Puritan #1+2: "Probably."

Afterall, the general Puritanical/ Christian approach has been to kill those who get in the way of the church. In the Pequot war, the English are both wronged and disrespected by the Pequot, and therefore siezed the opportunity to go on a mission of justice, ie; War. They also helped themselves to any personal belongings they saw fit. The English used the Pequot as an example. You don't cross us, and if you do, we will kill you.

The Wordy Shipmates, Chapters 11-15 Response

This section begins with explanations of Winthrop's tirp to America, as percieved through his personal diary. The trip seemed to have gone just as the settlers predicted; a tough voyage across the ocean, during which time many died and many more grew desperate, yet the voyage finally came to an end-with whatever remained of the ships crew-and the settlers were greated open heartedly by the population of Salem.

Vowell is also sure to point out how the first pilgrims came over to America, overjoyed by the sucess of their venture, yet without any host to help them recover. She does this, in my personal belief, to single out the Winthrop settlers, as if their feats were less as remarkable as those before them. However, this is a hard conclusion to jump to, as she also so ordinarily refers to Winthrop as highly as she does.

Vowell's description of Endecott, including the story about the duplicate Charter, makes me think of him as a puppet. He was not really in charge, and those who were in charge were just keeping him happy enough so that they could continue to use him for their betterment.

The "Great House" in which Winthrop lived is a classic example of how those in power live in the greatest estates. Our own president lives in one of the most luxurious and protected establishments in the U.S., much like Winthrop.If it was not evident before, Winthrop was a very busy guy. This is made evident in his journal entries, in which he is much less eloquent than he was delivering speeches to soon to be settlers.

The length of chapter twelve talks in part about the roles of clergy men in the church. The "leaders" of the church are the preacher and the teacher. They are a duet, a small oligarchy, the two consuls of early American settlements. If you had one of these two jobs, you were a made man, yet Roger Williams turned down the opportunity to be a teacher, as he felt it was not "sepratist" enough. Williams is also not a fan of religious warfare, for he sees the ordeal of trying to change people over to other forms of religions as we do on the outside; "Why not just be happy that if they are wrong they will burn in hell?". It is a terrifically rational train of thought that makes Williams-in my opinion-very intellectual.

In 17th Century America, Puritans called improbable acts omens. Many current Christians view improbable acts as miracles. Personally, looking at it rationally, I believe anything to be possible, because nothing is impossible. I do not think that when something amazingly improbable happens it is an act of God, just the minute percentile (that .01% that he would pull through) coming through as it is bound to do every once in a while. Saying that a "miracle" happened because Billy only had a 20% chance of survival is near ignorance, atleast, that is how I view it.

The Wordy Shipmates, Chapters 6-10 Response

Throughout these chapters, Vowell makes several stagnant and educated notions. When she first mentioned that the Puritans went over to America slightly influenced by the idea that the natives there needed their help, I immediatley thought about the conflicts that had arose through similar means. The Philippines (and the quest to change their religion), Vietnam (and the war to bring democracy), and Iraq (another conquest of "freedom shall prevail").

Needless to say, the natives did not actually want the help of the puritans. That was, until, (like Vowell says) nearly every native tribe was obliterated by their foriegn diseases.

In the modern world, a country's foriegn policy can be very shaky at times. Generally, the views of the people differ from individual to individual. Some say that the well-off have a responsibility to help those in need, even when those who require aid do not ask for it. Others tend to say that getting involved in foriegn conflicts are for the worse of every nation involved. My personal beliefs tend to shift from matter to matter, and I lay off a verdict until I understand what the foriegn nations say, as oposed to what our nation says they say.

I also could draw connections between the conflicts that rose from a difference in religion (as Vowell pointed out). I thought first of Islamic terrorists and ethnical exterminations (Hitler). I also thought about the crusades, a time during which varying religions (namely Christianity and Islam, surprise surprise) where battling it out for supremecy. To me, hearing of the religious problems in 16th and 17th century England was just another piece thrown onto the pile.

When Vowell was talking about the movie "Reds", I thought about American wars, particularly the Civil War, in which people were ignorant as to what was to come, as it had yet to do so. Young men signed up willingly, thinking about how much fun it would be to go and shoot some southern hicks. Yet it was not until they watched their friends and fellow Americans die that they finally realized how aweful it truly was.

It is quite interesting how many past political members quoted Winthrop. It is almost as if they could not create a speech any better than his by themselves. However, what I believe is that they thought quoting one of America's founding and prominant figures would be beneficial to their campaign. Which it was.

On a somewhat irrelevant note, I found what Vowell said about the uncertainty of acceptance into heaven by god to be very interesting. I agreed with her when she said no one could possibly know if they were going to heaven as it was a predetermined fate.

The Wordy Shipmates, Chapters 1-5 Response

Vowell says that the most dangerous thing, even more so than an idea, is a belief. I would have to say I disagree with her. Manly because I see a belief as a strain from an idea, and can not believe that an idea can come forth through belief. Most religions are very strict in their laws and ideals, and there is not generally an old-testement preist thinking about how they can change christianity for the better.

The reference to the bees having to leave their hives to find new homes reminds me of immigrants coming to America from places like Turkey and Mexico, places where they are forced out by poverty or violence. However, immigration played out differently in the 17th century. It is difficult, like it was then, but for different reasons. Back then, the europeans took a perilous trip over the sea, during which many of them died. Then, they had to tame wildernesses, and pray that their first crops made it out well enough to harvest food for the winter. Nowadays, immigrants come over to an already settled country, yet are greated with disdain, and are given low rate and unsatisfactory jobs. Just like is going on now, individuals were trying to find what relgion they found best suited, even if it meant knocking off a long time traditional one.

A large difference between Americans now and Americans then is the emphasis on reading and literature, as well as its role in society. Sure modern day Americans love to read and aspire to write, yet it was such a greater deal to the Puritans of the 17th century. All of their learning was done through reading, wether it was learning about history or about old poetry. In the modern world, we learn things through news casts and through satire.

Even I can personally admit that after reading the first five chapters of Vowell's novel I know know more about the Puritans that setteld our country than I did before.

Pre-Post: Wordy Shipmates, Sarah Vowell

I will be posting five consecutive blogs on Wordy Shipmates, each every five chapters. Each blog will include connections between the book and mdern day America, as well as other insightful concepts.

I will post a blog after:

Chapter 5
Chapter 10
Chapter 15
Chapter 20
Chapter 25 (end of book)

Final blog to be posted on The Wordy Shipmates will be next weekend, the weekend of the 17th

A Model of Christian Charity, Gov. John Winthrop

Winthrop starts of his speech by pointing out to the soon to be settlers how important a functioning economy is. All the rungs in the ladder, from the top to the bottom, must be in existence to ensure the preservation of the new society.

As if saying so would not be enough, Winthrop proceeded in giving three valid reasons as to why it is important to be economically stable. He says that the first reason is so God can express himself in his disciples, thus displaying his great wisdom and ability to vary. The second reason he gives is so that God can show his ability to manipulate the spirit; in his ability to control the wicked men, and so that he can show the kindness, love, and mercy of the rich, as well as the obedience, patience, and faith of the poor. Finally, in his third reason, Winthrop explains how God can show how every man is in needance of others, and therefore both indebted and owed. In this manner, even the richest of men honor the work of the poor, and therefore the poor feel needed and respected.

Winthrop adds that the Puritans should look out for each other when in need, especially when there would be no other means for an individual to recieve aid.

He then asks a series of questions. Questions that reflect how the Puritans should act towards one another in their new colony.

He says that a man is free to be what he wants, unless the times of are extraordinary difference and the stability of the society is in doubt.

He says that by ordinary means, older generations must make way for thier descendents, however a man should not leave alone his children to be raised.

He says that you must always be giving and merciful, for you never know when it will be you in the need of others.If you turn down one who is at your steps, than you have no right to look for aid when it is you who are in need of it.

He says that one must be willing to lend money to another, even if it is improbable they will pay you back. You should only look to recieve payback if you know that it is possible. He also says that even if you have lended in an act of commerce, you must forgive a debt if it is neccesary.

He says that, likewise, one must respect his belongings as the resources of the community. In this aspect, Winthrop seems to be favoring a communist-like ideal.

Throughout his speech, Winthrop seems determined to inflict upon the colonists what it is they are to be doing, and how massively important it is for them to do so correctly. He tells them that this soon to be society could go very, dangerously wrong if the people do not focus on their ideals and beliefs. He tells them that it is absolutely important to remain strict to the laws of God, and that by doing anything against what the law of God states is directly endangering the society and will ultimately cause its failure.