Making Contact
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| Map out the key moments of contact in the novel, including clarifying the different kinds of contact. Highlight, in particular, the moments when contact was successful and what that looks like in Richardson’s estimation. | Map out the key moments of contact in the novel, including clarifying the different kinds of contact. Highlight, in particular, the moments when contact was successful and what that looks like in Richardson’s estimation. | ||
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| + | Defining Contact: | ||
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| + | ''The association between two or more culturally diverse groups of individuals who interact with each other, the land, societal customs, and forms of sovereignty.'' | ||
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| + | What Constitutes as 'Successful' Contact? | ||
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| + | ''Successful contact stems from positive and negative interactive results. Positive results are determined when two or more groups of culturally diverse individuals first make contact in a cohesive and functional manner. Negative results are determined when these two divergent cultural groups of individuals lack harmonization and understanding from initial contact. | ||
| + | '' | ||
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| + | '''Vol. 2. (Analysis by Katrina Lemaire) | ||
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| + | Contact in Cultural and Natural Forms''' | ||
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| + | Examining Vol. 2 of John Richardson’s text “Wacousta”, it is evident to distinguish the varying cultural differences between the British and the Indigenous peoples. When identifying key moments of contact, Richardson’s emphasis on nature is correlated to this resplendent tale between two groups. Contact with nature in the text signifies how each cultural group interact with the land and creatures that inhabit the environment. An example of contact between the Europeans and the land is when Captain Blessington prominently inspects his surroundings with weariness, saying that, “We are safe, while their chiefs are with us; but still it will be necessary to watch the forest closely. We cannot be too much on our guard.” (pg. 192, Richardson) which signifies the mistrust that British hold over the belt of forest that surrounds them. Furthermore, when examining the above quote, Blessington is prepared to ensue violence on whatever entities might be harboured within the forest, declaring that, “If any movement of a suspicious nature be observed, let it be communicated by the discharge of a single musket, that the drawbridge may be raised on the instant.” (192, Richardson), which depicts the allusion of the forest as a malevolent force that must not be trusted. In regard to the Indigenous peoples, they do not fear or question the intentions of the forest around them. Culturally, the Indigenous people uphold their customs and identities with the land by using it for hunting, gathering, and survival. Their knowledge of the land is a familiar form of contact to them, whereas the Europeans closely contrast the land to be just as allusive and wild as the Indigenous peoples. Within Vol. 2, the British Europeans entice the ideology of distrust towards a foreign and alien cultures and land through their contact with a new environment. | ||
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| + | When characters Madeline and Clara come across a beaver in the lake, it becomes personified, “The animal, which now exhibited the delicate and glossy fur of the beaver, had gained the stern, and remained stationary within a foot of her quarter.” (305, Richardson), that is further examined by the Indian that rises from the pelt of fur he was wearing, which prompts the characters to have a revelation that the Indigenous people take on the forms of nature. Furthermore, due to the comparisons drawn from the Indigenous peoples and their close contact with nature, it is conclusively symbolic to the distrust the Europeans possesses towards the contact with nature, which perceives it to be deceiving and unpredictable. | ||
Revision as of 13:00, 14 June 2020
Group 4 – Making Contact
Map out the key moments of contact in the novel, including clarifying the different kinds of contact. Highlight, in particular, the moments when contact was successful and what that looks like in Richardson’s estimation.
Defining Contact:
The association between two or more culturally diverse groups of individuals who interact with each other, the land, societal customs, and forms of sovereignty.
What Constitutes as 'Successful' Contact?
Successful contact stems from positive and negative interactive results. Positive results are determined when two or more groups of culturally diverse individuals first make contact in a cohesive and functional manner. Negative results are determined when these two divergent cultural groups of individuals lack harmonization and understanding from initial contact.
Vol. 2. (Analysis by Katrina Lemaire)
Contact in Cultural and Natural Forms
Examining Vol. 2 of John Richardson’s text “Wacousta”, it is evident to distinguish the varying cultural differences between the British and the Indigenous peoples. When identifying key moments of contact, Richardson’s emphasis on nature is correlated to this resplendent tale between two groups. Contact with nature in the text signifies how each cultural group interact with the land and creatures that inhabit the environment. An example of contact between the Europeans and the land is when Captain Blessington prominently inspects his surroundings with weariness, saying that, “We are safe, while their chiefs are with us; but still it will be necessary to watch the forest closely. We cannot be too much on our guard.” (pg. 192, Richardson) which signifies the mistrust that British hold over the belt of forest that surrounds them. Furthermore, when examining the above quote, Blessington is prepared to ensue violence on whatever entities might be harboured within the forest, declaring that, “If any movement of a suspicious nature be observed, let it be communicated by the discharge of a single musket, that the drawbridge may be raised on the instant.” (192, Richardson), which depicts the allusion of the forest as a malevolent force that must not be trusted. In regard to the Indigenous peoples, they do not fear or question the intentions of the forest around them. Culturally, the Indigenous people uphold their customs and identities with the land by using it for hunting, gathering, and survival. Their knowledge of the land is a familiar form of contact to them, whereas the Europeans closely contrast the land to be just as allusive and wild as the Indigenous peoples. Within Vol. 2, the British Europeans entice the ideology of distrust towards a foreign and alien cultures and land through their contact with a new environment.
When characters Madeline and Clara come across a beaver in the lake, it becomes personified, “The animal, which now exhibited the delicate and glossy fur of the beaver, had gained the stern, and remained stationary within a foot of her quarter.” (305, Richardson), that is further examined by the Indian that rises from the pelt of fur he was wearing, which prompts the characters to have a revelation that the Indigenous people take on the forms of nature. Furthermore, due to the comparisons drawn from the Indigenous peoples and their close contact with nature, it is conclusively symbolic to the distrust the Europeans possesses towards the contact with nature, which perceives it to be deceiving and unpredictable.
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