Themes in "The Unreedemed Captive"

Important Themes in “The Unredeemed Captive”
“Most of all, I wanted to write a story” (Demos, 1) In The Unredeemed Captive, John Demos, the author, wanted to write a story about the beginnings of America. John Demos’ “story” explains the life of Reverend John Williams and his family. In 1703, French and Indians raid the city of Deerefield, and take most of the citizens captive, including John Williams and his family. His family is split between the Indian and French captors; some go to Montreal, and some go to Native American villages and tribes. The story focuses on Eunice Williams, one of John Williams’ daughter, and her story of marrying a Native American. The rest of the book explains the strife between the English, French, and Native Americans; and the problems created by the captives taken from each side. Eventually, most disputes are settled and captives are “redeemed”; except for Eunice, who chooses to be with her foster Native American family and her husband, “The Unredeemed Captive”. John Demos, in The Unredeemed Captive focuses on how the religious and cultural influences of Europeans on Native Americans, and differences between the Native Americans and the Europeans influenced early America.
The English set out to help the natives from the “darkness of heathenism” to the “bright light of Protestant Christianity”. Eventually, their newfound cities and villages run into obstacle such as lack of resources and authority, natural disasters, and “Indian Wars”. These obstacles cause the English to, ironically, “un-civilize” themselves. Lack of authority and resources cause the English to give up on civil methods and start ‘riotous living’, living without education and rules. Some villages are forced to obey brutish laws by their Indian captors. Eventually, few people start to prefer the Indian ways of life, and refuse repatriation to the English community, “Civilized people willingly turned savage, their vaunted ‘Old World’ culture overwhelmed by the...