Hope Leslie Essay Example for Free

confide Leslie assayIn the novel, fancy Leslie, Catherine Maria Sedgwick uses personal analysis as well as historical training to create an uncannily realistic tale of romance, racial prejudice and religion. Throughout the book, Sedgwick emphasizes relations betwixt the infixed American peoples and the European Americans living in Massachusetts in the 1640s.She is able to do this specifically with the characters of Magawisca, the internal American slave with the will of a lioness, Everell Fletcher, the handsome much wanted sportsmanlike male protagonist, Hope Leslie, a strong headed young woman who symbolizes modernism in the piece and Esther Downing, Hope Leslies literary foil. Through the races between Everell and each of the trinity female protagonists, Magawisca, Esther and Hope, Sedgwick stresses that the relations between native Americans and Americans will never be fully amiable due to religious, societal, natural influences.The first relationship of the three r elationships that be mentioned in the writing is that of Everell and Magawisca. Sedgwick uses the mother, Mrs. Fletcher, to introduce this young love between the white boy and his indigene American impropriety in a letter to Mr. Everell while he is away from their home at Bethel. The boy doth greatly affect the company of the Pequod girl, Magawisca, she writes, He hath taught her how to read (32).This action between the two children shows Magawisca gradually assimilating into the American society and thus, becoming more Americanized and less savage as literacy is considered a civilized ability. As Magawisca dismisses the fundamental principles of Puritanism, however, it is clear that there is a definitive divide between the Native American and her new familys beliefs. As religious tenets are defining features of a person and his or her background, Magawisca can never only assume the American ways without acknowledging the religion.Thus, the relations between her and Everell wil l not be able to endure due to their difference in. Thus, religious differences create adversities in the relationship and ultimately attribute its failure. Mrs. Fletcher directly high swallows the fact that the relationship will inevitably fail when she compares the two adolescents to plants Two young plants that go through sprung up in close neighborhood, may be splitd while young but if disjoined aft(prenominal) their fibers are all intert allureed, one, or perchance twain, may perish (33).This statement implies that nature will undoubtedly separate the Everell and Magawisca in the early and the longer they stay unitedly, the more difficult it will be for each of them to blend in when they are torn apart. The emphasis on the fact that nature will tear the Native American and the white boy apart is particularly interesting because towards the end of the book Sedgwick brings up the relation between nature and love when speaking about Everell and Hope.In the later case, how ever, Sedgwick writes, Nature will rejoice in reciprocated love, under whatever adversities it comes (351). This contradictory statement brings to light the idea that reciprocal love between and American and Native Indian will never last no return how strong the connection is, unless reciprocal love between two Americans will last no matter how many hardships the parallel face. Based on Sedgwicks blatant double-standards, it is clear that relations between the same races are favored, creating to date another issue between Native American and White relations.As the novel progresses, Everell encounters another relationship except this time with Esther Downing. Though this kinship does not directly involve a Native American counterpart, the future diminishment of this bond is directly based on Native American-white relations specifically concerning Magawisca. When Magawisca is apprehended after meeting with Hope Leslie, she is captured on the grounds that she is suspected of being an active agent in create from raw material the conspiracy forming against the white people among the Indian tribes(245).Therefore she is solely arrested on the basis of suspicion, not proof, and only because of her racial affiliations and the skepticism surrounding the Native American peoples at the time. It is this imprisonment of Magawisca that proceeds to highlight the differences between Everell and Esther and future accentuates the fact that relations between the two races will never be completely peaceful. The reactions both Everell and Esther have towards the situation seem to be the same, however the way each of them handle it show that no matter how much the Americans want to have loyal relations with the Natives it will not work.Once Magawisca is imprisoned Everell tried to enlist the help of Esther to free her however, Esther believes that they had not scripture warrant for interfering between the prisoner and the magistrates (292) implying, that she was as well as mo rally and religiously strict to free Magawisca without consent to do so. It wasnt that Esther disliked Magawisca, in fact, she seemingly stated that those who love Everell need no know this maiden to feel that they would save her life at the expense of their own, if they might do it (293).The restriction on the loyal and amicable friendship both Esther and Magawisca could pct was not hindered by distaste for one another, but instead because of strict religious views and moral conduct. This defy between Everells wishes and Esthers duty brings about the notion that there was a painful strife between them (293) and they are evidently not compatible. The final relationship, between Everell and Hope, shed a positive light the fact that white relations with Native Americans could in fact be successful.Magawiscas freedom gave both Everell and Hope a mutual cause to fight for and finally allowed them to express the feelings they had suppressed for so long. She pushed both parties to rev eal their true love for each other. Ask you own heart, Hope Leslie, if any charm could win your affections from Everell Fletcher? (350). These lines not only instigated a relationship between two soul mates but overly affirmed a very close relationship between Hope and Magawisca. This gesture paralleled what Hope did to Esther when she let Esther have a relationship with Everell even though she loved him.It is evident that Magawisca heretofore has feelings for Everell by her reactions to visual perception him An involuntary exclamation burst from her lips and then shuddering at this exposure of her feelings, she hastily gathered together the moccasins that were strewn over the floor, dropped a pair at Hopes feet, and darted away (193). Her burst of emotions and flustered actions rise up she had feelings for Everell and by sacrificing those feelings for Hopes happiness, she is delineating that she is in fact, just as good of a friend to Hope as Hope is to Esther.Thus, the relatio ns between Indians and Americans can in fact occur with the upmost dedication and respect. Though Hope and Everells relationship does indicate that the two races can coexist in harmony, Magawisca still makes it clear that thought the individuals may be on good terms, their society as a full is not by dutifully stating the law of vengeance is written on our hearts the Indian and the white man can no more mingle, and become one, than day and night (349).The revengeful nature the Native Americans still associate with the white peoples of Massachusetts still trumps any possible platonic or loving relations between the two races. Thus, societal influence once again hinders harmony. Through each of the three relationships it is evident that good relations between the Indians and the Americans may only exist if the mindset of all parties obscure is modernist and accepting of all races.In addition, Sedgwick also determines, with the relationship of Faith, Hopes sister, and Oneco, Magawi scas brother, that if one of the lovers in the relationship completely assimilates into the culture of the other, a healthy, loving kinship may blossom. Though Sedgwick does portray Native American people in relatively positive light throughout the novel, through her delineation of veto and accepted love, she makes it evident that the cultural and ideological barriers between Americans and the American Indians cannot ever be completely lifted.