Thomas Morton Journal

Tanya Barragan
Scott Lankford
English 48A

Thomas Morton

11/24/2011

AUTHOR’S QUOTE

“that they fell upon him as if they would have eaten him; some of them were so violent that they would have a slice with scabbed, and all for haste, until an old soldier (of the Queen’s as the proverb is) that was there by accident, clapped his gun under the weapons and sharply rebuked these worthies for their unworthy practices.” (145)

INTERNET QUOTE

INTERNET QUOTE

“Morton and his men began to trade firearms for furs with the local Algonquians, which angered his Pilgrim neighbors in Plymouth. Even worse in the Pilgrim's eyes, Morton celebrated folk traditions such as Maypole dancing, crowned himself the Lord of Misrule, and encouraged fraternizing between the English settlers and the Massachuset. The Maypole of Merrymount was an enormous cedar tree, crowned with antlers and dedicated as an altar to Bacchus, the Roman god of wine and merriment. Over time, Merrymount attracted other settlers who were unhappy with the Puritans.”

http://newenglandfolklore.blogspot.com/2010/05/thomas-morton-and-maypole-of-merrymout.html

SUMMARY

Thomas Morton writes in the New English Canaan, about a New life for English settlers. But his story is about the Puritans wanting a new life in the new place that they had found. The Pilgrims and new settlers to the land wanted something different; they were about having rules and things set in their ways. He writes about the Ma-re Mount which was a place with trade and learning for the Indians. But it seemed that the Pilgrims and New settlers were against it; however they did it also. The story is based around the Maypole which was symbolization to Morton. But the story sets itself is about the Separatist and their domination of things and how they wanted to make it their way and no other way.

YOUR IDEAS/REACTIONS/RESPONSES TO THE AUTHOR’S IDEAS

I didn’t get too many ideas because I really didn’t know what to think about Morton’s work. I actually had to go and read more about him on the Internet to get a better understanding of his work. What I got, is that Morton came to a new land and wanted more of a peaceful life but the Pilgrims and new settlers wanted domination and power and for things to run under their control. I got that Morton was getting across the differences in which he thought and from the Pilgrims and new settlers and that made him an outcast.

I reacted to Morton’s work as a very sad but true story. I wasn’t really that interested in his work but the fact is that he tells things that really happened and I find that honest and heartfelt. I am used to hearing how about the English and the horrible treatment toward the Indians and if anyone tried to help them; they were looked at as different and not wanted and this is what happened in New English Canaan. I think that Morton tells a story about cruel and evil people. They called the Indians savages but they were the savages.

I responded to Morton’s ideas as good but I was a little confused at first. The quote that I chose that gave me a better understanding of his work, explains exactly what the Pilgrims and new settlers were about and I found them to be evil. I was upset that they would celebrate a capture of torture and cruelty to a man for not wanting what they wanted. I think that if they wanted a better life or things their way, why did they leave England, to only do and act the same. It was interesting to read about there evil acts because they were doing it to someone who they thought was evil, a savage for practicing something different, when they themselves were the ones acting in an evil way. But not only that, they too did some of the practices, like trading with the Indians but were out casting one for the same; kind of hypercritical if you ask me.

The internet quote that I chose also explains Morton and his work. It seems that he worked well with the Indians and came to an understanding. He taught them dances, traded with them and was at peace. But the New settlers and Pilgrims were not happy and stared to act cruel to Morton and those who were doing the same. It seemed that they wanted things to be under their control. I think it had a lot to with power because why would they get mad about trading with the Indians and teaching them new things, when they did the same. But I think as new settlers came in with more power and they wanted to make things like England, where they had to run things. They seemed to want to rule and take control which made things hard for those who didn’t follow them.