William Bradford and John Smith were two leaders of colonies and authors whose writing attracted settlers in America. Their writings were based on their experiences in the New World, where Smith established his colony in Virginia while Bradford formed his church community at Plymouth. While the two were early founders of American colonies, Bradford, in his book Of Plimoth Plantation , wrote negatively about American wilderness as "hideous and desolate," full of "wild beasts and wild men," while Smith described the positive relations he developed with the natives, and he encouraged more people to join hand form colonies. Bradford's writing was a journal narrative of his experience in the New World, focused on qualities self-reliance and Puritanism and the style of narration and typological thinking of Old Testaments and traditional epic, while Smith's narrative was an adventurous story intended to attract settlers. Bradford and Smith were similar in that they consciously and subconsciously used religion as the guiding light to deal with the natives and set the New World.
Bradford's writing was in the form of a journal explaining his experience in the New World. Bradford's writing was intended for the future generation to understand his experience in search of freedom of worship. According to Bradford, American wilderness was a "hideous and desolate," full of "wild beasts and wild men," and he believed the wilderness was a place of trial and testing rather than a place of ease and plenty--or of social and economic community ( Bradford, 1981) . As the leader of the Plymouth colony, he faced several hardships like lack of proper clothing, heavy bags on their backs, lack of money, and fearful storms. Across the book, Bradford's narrative focused on qualities of self-reliance and Puritanism. Bradford concentrated his writing on showing the working of God and his role in preserving the lives of the settlers in the New World. As a religious leader, Bradford was a giving leader who sacrificed to establish a society in the New World where people could worship freely. In his diary, Bradford wrote the hardship, “But that which was most sad and lamentable was, that in two or three months, half time of their company died" ( Bradford, 1981) . The descriptions represented America as a dangerous place to settle. Bradford wrote about Puritans' rigid morality and dedication to religions and hard work for self-reliance. Those who persevere the hardship and cost of godliness will later benefit in the second coming of Christ as he will make the New world his home.
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Bradford used the style of narration and typological thinking of Old Testaments and traditional epic to describe the wandering, struggle, and eventually the trump of religious oppression and suffering. He believed that as the Puritan settlers, they were ordained by God to transform American wilderness into a paradise ruled and governed by God’s word. In his writing Of Plymouth Plantation, 1620-1647, Bradford perceive Indians as part of the forbidden wilderness who required cleansing ( Bradford, 1981) . More so, Bradford described the suffering and oppression of the Natives using phrases like “weather-beaten face, and the whole country, full of woods and thickets, represented a wild and savage hue. Bradford also used Calvinistic aesthetics to explain the favor bestowed upon him by God to persevere the hardship and deliver Puritans ( Beebe, 2020 ). Using thinking typology, Bradford described Puritans as the chosen people, and sad conditions and trials in the wilderness would strengthen their faith. Bradford uses Bible teachings to encourage Puritans, where he described, “Power of God to deliver and raise a lowly people”( Finch, 2018 ). Since the natives themselves had little power to save themselves, they needed to welcome the colonialists who were enlightened to lead and save them.
On the other hand, John Smith's narrative focused on his adventurous story in the American wilderness and how he managed to establish his empire. As a southern immigrant, Smith's settlement in Native America was monetarily influenced. Smith described American wilderness as a place of ease and plenty with great social and economic opportunities ( Smith, 1910 ). Smith had a positive relationship with Native Americans, and his writing was meant to bring people to the new world. Smith's writing was intended for settlers as he wrote good things about Native Americans to encourage English Monarchs, investors, and colonists to join him and be involved in colonial enterprises ( Barbour, 2018). In his writing, Smith represented civilization while Native America represented wilderness as they wore simple clothes made of animal skins. Smith showed that America was better than England. "What pleasure can be more than in planting vines, fruits, or herbs, in contriving their own grounds to the pleasure of their own minds, their fields, gardens, orchards, buildings, ships, and other works…." ( Smith, 1910) . Together with the English merchants, Smith hoped to become rich in the new land as he saw America comprise of great opportunity to start over, live easily, and turn a small fortune into great wealth. Smith saw the problems faced in America due to inexperience and failure to prepare for tough times adequately. Smith described American wilderness as weak and easy to submit to English conquerors.
Bradford and Smith were similar in that they consciously and subconsciously used religion as the guiding light to deal with the natives and set the New World. The two authors were early founders and leaders of American colonies whose writing focused on their experience in the New World. The two leaders were authors who wrote about their experiences in the New World. Both leaders came to America searching for freedom; Bradford hoped to get religious freedom, while Smith wanted to tap new resources. The documents written by the two authors regarding American Natives attracted the settlers. Although they had different motives for settling in the American wilderness, the two authors used religious values to guide them deal with the Native.
In summary, William Bradford and John Smith were two important leaders and authors who contributed to the formation of American colonies. The two pioneers perceive the land so differently since they had differing motives for setting colonies and welcoming settlers. While Bradford aimed to establish religious freedom, Smith was guided by the desire to gain monetary value. Bradford's writing focused on his experience when establishing New World, especially the challenges, hardship, and difficult choices faced in the "American wilderness." He linked the hardship faced to their promised land, their new Jerusalem, where they would enjoy the freedom of worship. Smith described the positive relations he developed with the natives, and he encouraged more people to join hands to form colonies and benefit economically.
References
Barbour, P. L. (Ed.). (2018). The Complete Works of Captain John Smith, 1580-1631, Volume II: Volume II (Vol. 2). UNC Press Books.
Beebe, A. (2020). Resources for Early American Studies. Early American Literature , 55 (1), 281-284.
Bradford, W. (1981). Of Plymouth Plantation, 1620-1647 (p. 28). New York: Modern Library.
Finch, M. L. (2018). " Civilized" Bodies and the" Savage" Environment of Early New Plymouth. In A Centre of Wonders (pp. 43-60). Cornell University Press.
Smith, J. (1910). Travels and Works of Captain John Smith (No. 15). B. Franklin.
