The Unredeemed Captive was a brilliant attempt to pull together both an interesting story with many
historical facts. I ultimately believe that Demo's main purpose in writing this piece was to write
a story. This book, I believe is about finding your self identity and where you belong through diff
erent life experiences and situations. From John Williams being held captive, and going back to Pur
itanism when released to Eunice whom stayed with the Indians her whole life, the book shows many vie
wpoints from different individuals. The Unredeemed Captive shows the path of abduction and adoption
of American settlers by Indians. The book starts in 1704. The Mohawk Indians are allied with the Fre
nch in Canada and attack Deerfield, a small village in Massachusetts. Reverend John Williams, the mi
nister from Deerfield, was the main target for captivity because Boston held Jean-Baptiste Gayen who
m the Canadians wanted returned. Two of Williams' children were murdered the night of the raid and t
he minister along with his wife and other children were marched to Canada with the rest of the Deerf
ield captives. The family was separated and they all realized that it might have been the last time
they would ever see each other again. Indians assigned captives to a family, and were considered mem
bers of the family almost immediately after their captivity. After some years Reverend Williams retu
rned home, began to focus on reassembling his original life and remarried Abigail Bissell, a widow f
rom Connecticut. All of his children that were still alive were redeemed except for his daughter Eun
ice. Eunice, captured at the age of seven, matured and forgot all of her English and was converted t
o Catholicism. Although her captors were unwilling to release her, she did not want to leave her new
family and return to her old. AT sixteen Eunice married an Indian boy and became A'ongote. Her fam
ily pleaded with her to come home. However, after numerous attempts to redeem her accompanied with m
any visits to Canada she still remained quiet. We see many pleas and prayers for Eunice's safety alo
ng with her safe return home from Steven's journal, which was kept up-to-date his whole life. Why do
es Eunice refuse to go home? The people she used to know and loved missed her so why would she choos
e to remain a "savage" for the rest of her life? I feel that there were numerous conflicting feeling
s running through this young girl's head, but would have to agree with her reason(s) for staying. Wh
y SHOULD she go home? Pages 108-109 gives us a description of the feelings Eunice was feeling at the
time. One passage describes the time when her father came to visit her when they both were in capti
vity. "She had begged him...take her away...failed her utterly" (Demos 108). Was her decision to no
t return due to the mere fact that she wanted revenge against her father for disappointing her? Perh
aps not, but I do feel she was upset that her father remarried another woman so soon after the India
ns killed her mother. 'Had he really taken another wife, so soon after his return? 'Faithless, forge
tful father, protector who could not protect, comforter who would not comfort, caretaker who did not
care.' She was so desolute and silent towards her visitors the first time, she had "steel in her br
east" (Demos 108). She was so transformed to the Indian customs and way of life, she had nothing to
say to her friendly visitors. There is more underneath all of this. I believe she was happy and th
is was the life she new, lived and choose for herself. English was now a forgotten language and Puri
tanism was no longer her life. Since family and religion were basically the back bone of the Puritan
s' self-existence, they had a hard time living in captivity. Eunice was converted to Catholicism bec
ause she was too young at the time to keep up on her catechism and prayers alone. These young ones
were too immature to realize what was happening to them. Another possibility that was not mentioned
in the book is what young children went through living as savages. They had chores just like the Pur
itans, although the Indians treated their children with more leniency. Indian children had more time
to be kids and maybe Eunice enjoyed this feeling of freedom which helped her forget about her Purit
an family. After Eunice and Arosen had children and they were "baptized the following day" (Demos 15
7), why should she return after she had made a complete family for herself. I feel this quote shows
how serious she was about her Catholicism, as to baptize her children so soon after birth AND being
from Puritan background. If all of these possibilities are taken into consideration it may explain
Eunice's reason for not returning to Deerfield. John Williams returned home some years after his cap
tivity to find himself more in spirits with God than even before. During his time with the savages,
he always had faith and never forgot the Puritan way of life. He remained strong, both for himself
and for his fellow captives. When, after some years of realizing Eunice wasn't going to return, he b
ecame discouraged and confused with her decision of staying, for his religion and way of life was al
tered differently than hers by his captivity. He grew closer to God and his redemption was an act o
f God while Eunice went the complete other direction and stayed with her captors. I will say again,
can you blame her though? He refers to Eunice's husband as "An Indian. A Catholic. A savage" (Demo
s 99). This shows how he feels about the people who captured him and his family and how his sweet d
aughter is being transformed into their way of life. He couldn't believe how his daughter can go fr
om a nice Puritan way of life with a house and a Puritan family to "An Indian "cabin" of essentially
...rude "cots"...straw mats...rugs..." (Demos 146). And yet, he still prayed for the safe return of
his "unredeemed" daughter. I came to the conclusion that The Unredeemed Captive was a fascinating b
ook on both the narrative and the historical level. The author takes you into the lives of people wh
o experienced truthful events and bring you on a path that helps you understand what it was like for
these families during the 18th century. Although the book was drawn out at times with sporadic his
torical facts thrown in at random times, the narrative part was interesting to me. It helped me un
derstand how life was back then and how many dramatic changes a person can undergo. The book did a
good job painting a clear picture of both John and Eunice Williams thoughts and feelings, which is w
hat the theme of the book is based around.
unredeemed captive brilliant attempt pull together both
interesting story with many historical facts ultimately believe that demo main purpose writing this
piece write story this book believe about finding your self identity where belong through different
life experiences situations from john williams being held captive going back puritanism when release
d eunice whom stayed with indians whole life book shows many viewpoints from different individuals u
nredeemed captive shows path abduction adoption american settlers indians book starts mohawk indians
allied with french canada attack deerfield small village massachusetts reverend john williams minis
ter from deerfield main target captivity because boston held jean baptiste gayen whom canadians want
ed returned williams children were murdered night raid minister along wife other children were march
ed canada rest deerfield captives family separated they realized that might have been last time they
would ever each other again assigned captives family were considered members family almost immediat
ely after their captivity after some years reverend returned home began focus reassembling original
life remarried abigail bissell widow connecticut children that still alive redeemed except daughter
eunice eunice captured seven matured forgot english converted catholicism although captors unwilling
release want leave return sixteen married indian became ongote pleaded come home however after nume
rous attempts redeem accompanied many visits canada still remained quiet pleas prayers safety along
safe return home steven journal which kept date whole does refuse people used know loved missed woul
d choose remain savage rest feel there numerous conflicting feelings running through this young girl
head would have agree reason staying should pages gives description feelings feeling time passage d
escribes time when father came visit when they both captivity begged take away failed utterly demos
decision return mere fact wanted revenge against father disappointing perhaps feel upset father rema
rried another woman soon killed mother really taken another wife soon faithless forgetful protector
could protect comforter comfort caretaker care desolute silent towards visitors first steel breast d
emos transformed indian customs nothing friendly visitors there more underneath believe happy lived
choose herself english forgotten language puritanism longer since religion basically back bone purit
ans self existence hard living converted catholicism because young keep catechism prayers alone thes
e young ones immature realize what happening them another possibility mentioned what went through li
ving savages chores just like puritans although treated their more leniency indian more kids maybe e
njoyed feeling freedom which helped forget about puritan arosen baptized following demos should made
complete herself feel quote shows serious about catholicism baptize soon birth being puritan backgr
ound these possibilities taken into consideration explain reason returning john returned some years
find himself spirits than even before during savages always faith never forgot puritan remained stro
ng both himself fellow captives some years realizing wasn going became discouraged confused decision
staying religion altered differently than hers grew closer redemption while went complete other dir
ection stayed captors will again blame though refers husband catholic savage feels people captured s
weet daughter being transformed into their couldn daughter nice house cabin essentially rude cots st
raw mats rugs still prayed safe unredeemed came conclusion fascinating narrative historical level au
thor takes into lives people experienced truthful events bring path helps understand what like these
families during century although drawn times sporadic historical facts thrown random times narrativ
e part interesting helped understand back then dramatic changes person undergo good painting clear p
icture thoughts feelings which theme based aroundEssay, essays, termpaper, term paper, termpapers, t
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