Question

Why does Rowlandson allude to Genesis 42:36 when she sees her surviving daughter, Mary? Me have ye bereaved of my Children, Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin also, all these things are against me.

A) She is grieving the loss of her child.
B) She is distraught that her home has been destroyed.
C) She has one child dead, another in the wilderness, and the other she can't get close to.
D) She has decided only God has the power to save her and her children from the natives​

Answer 1

Mary Rowlandson alludes to Genesis 42:36 to express her personal grief and loss, mirroring the biblical narrative of Jacob's sorrow over the loss of his children, which resonates with the shared religious experiences of her readers.

Step-by-step explanation:

When Mary Rowlandson alludes to Genesis 42:36 in her narrative, it reflects her deep identification with the biblical Jacob's profound grief over the loss of his children. This allusion specifically resonates with her situation because, like Jacob, she has suffered the death of one child, another is out of her reach, and a third is in a precarious situation. Just as Jacob felt overwhelmed by his losses and expressed that everything was against him, Rowlandson is expressing her intense sorrow and the feeling of being besieged by misfortunes during her captivity.

Rowlandson’s use of this biblical reference is not only a way to articulate her grief but also serves to connect with her readers, who would likely be familiar with the Bible and its teachings. It positions her personal tragedy within a context of shared religious understanding and experiences. The narrative becomes compelling through Rowlandson’s vivid personal accounts, her description of overcoming hardships, and her reflections on faith, which have resonated with readers since its publication.