LITR 4231 Early American Literature Sample Research Posts 2014 (research post assignment) Research Post 2

Isabella Nunez 

A Texas Captivity Narrative

            In my first research post I chose to research the captivity narrative in regards to gender with my focus being on that of John Smith. When first introduced to the captivity narrative, the story of Cynthia Ann Parker was briefly mentioned in class. I had initially chosen to research and write about her for my second research post; however during my research I uncovered information about her cousin Rachel Plummer, who was also captured by the Comanche Indians during what later came to be known as the “Fort Parker Massacre”.  Rachel Plummer’s narrative hit close to home for many reasons, so instead I turned my attention to her.

            Rachel Plummer was captured at the young age of seventeen, while she was also three months pregnant with her second child. She was kept in captivity for the following 21 months and what ensued is a heart-wrenching horror story. In Rachel’s narrative she recounts as many details as possible about Comanche culture and mindset. I find her narrative much more significant than that of Cynthia Parker, since Cynthia was captured at the age of nine and it appears as though she adapted and embraced the Comanche lifestyle as her own because of her young age. Rachel, however, was only in captivity for 21 months and although she gives a biased account of their lifestyle, she later finds somewhat of an understanding and acceptance of it as well.

            The most interesting detail of Rachel’s capture is that at one point, after months of servitude and the horrifying death of her son, she is infuriated and just snaps. She lashes out at both of the woman who had enslaved her to a point where she nearly kills one of them. It is after this event that Rachel realizes that the rest of the tribe respects her actions when initially she had expected punishment or even death for her retaliation. She finds that it is her bravery and courage that had earned their respect and subsequently she began being treated as an equal. It is with heartbreak that she finds if she had realized this much sooner she would have kept her son from death.

            I found this event highly significant because it is through this epiphany of understanding of their culture that Rachel is able to make strides regarding her captivity. She ended up being released, or rather sold, almost a month later but to finally be regarded as equal must have been highly rewarding for her.

            This captivity narrative in particular hits so close to home because obviously her age and gender, but also more literally because of its resonance in Texas. Her accounts depict a part of Texas history that was never taught in 7^th grade Texas history classes. This captivity narrative gave me a deeper understanding and appreciation for not only our Early American culture but the Native American Culture as well.

Works Cited

Indian captive reunited with husband. (n.d.). Texas State Historical Association (TSHA). Retrieved May 4, 2014, from http://www.tshaonline.org/day-by-day/31235

PLUMMER, RACHEL PARKER. (n.d.). EXLEY, JO ELLA POWELL. Retrieved May 4, 2014, from http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fpl09

Rachel Plummer. (2014, April 5). Wikipedia. Retrieved May 4, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_Plummer