Wednesday, November 13, 2013

In "The Pocahontas Incident", what is the setting of the story?

The setting of the interactions between Pocahontas and John Smith take place in the rural and uninhabited parts of Virginia.  In the incident in question, Smith and two other colleagues were captured by the Native American tribe that killed the two and took Smith to their Chief and were about to kill him until the intervention of Pocahontas saved Smith. The exact location of the incident was outside of Jamestown, Virginia.  Pocahontas was born an Algonquin in the Tidewater Region of Virginia:



The one she found most likable was Captain John Smith. The first meeting of Pocahontas and John Smith is a legendary story, romanticized (if not entirely invented) by Smith. He was leading an expedition in December 1607 when he was taken captive by some Indians. Days later, he was brought to the official residence of Powhatan at Werowocomoco, which was 12 miles from Jamestown. According to Smith, he was first welcomed by the great chief and offered a feast. Then he was grabbed and forced to stretch out on two large, flat stones. Indians stood over him with clubs as though ready to beat him to death if ordered. Suddenly a little Indian girl rushed in and took Smith's "head in her arms and laid her own upon his to save him from death." The girl, Pocahontas, then pulled him to his feet. Powhatan said that they were now friends, and he adopted Smith as his son, or a subordinate chief. Actually, this mock "execution and salvation" ceremony was traditional with the Indians, and if Smith's story is true, Pocahontas's actions were probably one part of a ritual. At any rate, Pocahontas and Smith soon became friends.


No comments:

Post a Comment