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The Intent and Conflict of the Puritan Belief Conflict and tension will always be around when two parties do not share the same belief or concepts. These concepts take shape when several distinctive personalities are left unsupervised. The outcome of the end results can almost leave many groups divided and prejudice against one another. Many nations are divided and often left in ruins. Many extraordinary conflicts are seeded in our nation foundation and are located throughout the course of what is known as, American Literature.
These incepts become a proven fact when the puritan, an individual group of the church become very displease in the direction the Church of English was heading. The Puritan shared the belief that the church was extremely corrupted and was field with a lot of man-made doctrines (Calvinist doctrine). Hoping to escape the prosecution of the church and the King, the puritans fled the grasp of England. During the Puritans exploration, the puritans venture across an ocean field with terror, in possibilities of defining their hope and dreams. Their effort to pursue happiness is often found throughout most author works.
As describe by Jean De Occurred “driven by the pursuit of happiness and the belief of creating a society should be everyone goals. ” (Occurred) Many author saw the struggle and hardship the puritan endure during their voyage. The outcome or the puritan hardship and conflicts across the sea are founded throughout the pages of today American literature. One of the founding settlers of the New World, William Bradford wrote of his Journey across the sea and shared some of his experience dealing with the either that occurred while on board the ship. Mr..
Williams Bradford describe the wind “fierce and the sea so high as they could not bear a knot of sail, but were forced to hull. “(Bradford 43) The conflicts that were encounter during their voyage were the weather. The weather caused the voyage across the sea to be come long and dreadful. In addition, the weather hinder the speed of the ship and caused the ship to sail at a very slow speed. Another conflict that arose during the pursuit for a new life was the lack of ability to adapt to the New World. The first confrontation with the ritual winter was particularly wicked and left a large portion of the Puritans dead.
Williams Bradford describe the situation stating “the weather was extremely cold and it frozen so hard as the spray of the sea lighting on their coats, they were as if they had been glazed. “(Bradford 52) Different from their life in England, the puritan could not farm and make a living off the land they had colonized. The land that was colonized was not suitable to live on and was the opposite of fertile. It seem that life in the New World was quite hard, and the lack of ability to adapt to the new world, Egan to surface.
Although the harsh winters strip them of their family and friends, it did not strip them of their faith in GOD. ” Our Father were Englishmen which came over this great ocean, and were read to perish in this wilderness: but they cried unto the Lord, and He heard their voice and looked on their adversity. ” (Bradford 55) The Puritan interpretation of the Word of God was a highly crucial fact in the art of governing tens newly Tonnage society I Nell religion motivate every Demeanor Ana decision making throughout their trials and tribulations.
Their first encounter with he Indians was a true testimony in their faith of God. “Thus it pleased GOD to vanquished their enemies and given them deliverance; and by His special providence so to dispose that not any one of them were either hurt or hit. ” (Bradford 59) The Puritan clinched tighter to their faith and created stricter laws. A large amount of pain was implemented to those who fell to follow the guideline of the colony. The idea of pain was used to ensure the purity of the next generation. The rules were too much for other to bear, so other settlers decided to seek settlement elsewhere.
Although most puritans settle and made a home in New England other took of the cause and settle in several other states such as New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rode Island and Connecticut, which was used to create the New World. In addition to having strict laws, the puritan continues with feeling the need to purify the colonization. Purifying the colonization became so important, they many begin to excuse people of witchcraft and burn them alive while attach too stake. The most famous burning of that time was the Salem Witch.
The Salem Witch trial was a trial led for the prosecutions of 20 people were accused of performing witchcraft. Another true testament and conflict was once again shared with their encounter with the Indians. The Puritans were under the impression and influence that they very existence was to “earn eternal salvation of God’s promised”(Wood) Puritans confined to the idea that all other religious belief, other than Christianity was considered witchcraft or devil worshiping. Many Puritans share the same assumption that they Indians were under some type of possession, and it was their Job to guide them along he path of a Christian’s way.
They knew that once the Indian felt the grace of God, their sole purpose was to clearness thoroughly of the present of Satan. In their determination to perform the puritan cleansing technique upon the Indians, their effort cause the surrounding Indians tribe to be angry. ” Center Indian became boldly approach near the camp site to steal our tools and food. ” (Bradford) As time on the colony went by, the Indians began to raid, kill, murder, and capture those whom they came in contact with. CONCLUSION Life as a puritan was not quite easy.
Many found puritans themselves venturing away from the path. Although they held the faith close to their heart, they always felt the need to sympathize to the Indian race. Throughout the life span of the Puritan the main intention were to expand the Words’ of God. Due to their intent, their actions divided have of their colony, forming what is now the United States. Work Sited Bradford, Williams. “From of Plymouth Plantation, Book 1 . ” The American Tradition in Literature. Deed. Perkins Barbara Perkins. Boston: McGraw-Hill ,2008. 72-98. Print Bradford, Williams.