American Literature

Separated by almost two centuries, John Smith and Benjamin Franklin, similarly reflect views of the Native Americans as savages by European and early American society. However, the writers own perspective and beliefs on the behaviors of the Native Americans differs greatly. While Franklin draws attention to the hypocrisy of white American and Europeans views in  Remarks Concerning the Savages of North America,  John Smiths experiences outlined in his General History of Virginia, New England, and the Summer Isles show the personification of the very ideals that Franklin attacks. Despite the hospitality and mercy shown in sparing his life and helping the settlement through the hard times, John Smith still retains feelings of superiority to the native tribes he encounters. He never attempts to view Powhatan and his people as equals, but keeps a distance from them due in large part because of their difference. The way Smith describes Powhatan as a King and Oppossunoquonuski as  Queen of the Appomattoc  (52) shows that he is viewing the society of the natives from a European perspective. The tribesmen become  grim courtiers  (51) rather than individual men or even warriors. By seeing the people from only his cultural perspective, Smith sees Powhatan and his peoples manners and behavior as odd, calling their hospitality at times  their best barbarous manner  (52). When Smith is saved by Pocahontas he doesnt see it as a indicator of human mercy because that would make them more like himself. Instead, he looks at his rescue as divine intervention,  almighty God (by his divine providence) had mollified the hearts of those stern barbarians with compassion  (52). Hes saying, in effect, that Powhatan and his people would not have spared his life if not for the intervention of God. Though Smith is probably a lot less harsh in his judgment of the natives as some of his peers, he views them through prejudiced eyes and its evident in his language that he doesnt see them as equals.

Benjamin Franklin, on the other hand, reveals the obvious conflict between the views that Native Americans were savage and the obvious civility of their culture and behaviors. Unlike Smith, Franklin steps out of the perspective of his racial and social status to look at both whites and the so-called savages from an equal perspective. What he shows is that the views of both arent based necessarily in truth but cultural perspective,  Savages we call them, because their manners differ from ours, which we think the perfection of civility they think the same of theirs  (226). However, as Franklin shows, the basis for white Europeans and Americans views of Native Americans was based in prejudice rather than observation. To show this Franklin uses the example of a Swedish minister being chastised by a  Susquehanah Indian chief for his intolerance in refusing to listen to their stories of creation, after theyd listed to his,  it seems your friends have not done you justice in education they have not well instructed you in the rules of common civility. You saw that we, who understand and practice those rules, believed all your stories why do you refuse to believe ours  (228). He shows that the irony is that the people who are called savages are in many ways the most civilized.

Unable to see beyond the differences between European culture and Powhatans tribe, John Smith sees them as barbarians. He can accept them as a part of the new land but does not accept them as his equal. Much later, in his objective look at Native Americans relationship to whites Benjamin Franklin uses the viewpoint of men like Smith to show the true savagery of cultural and racial prejudices that created the basis of Smiths understanding of the Native Americans.