William Bradford

A view of nature and an example of typological thinking

In his journal, William Bradford writes,

Besides, what could they [Bradford's group of pilgrims] see but a hideous and desolate wilderness, full of wild beasts and wild men--as what multitudes there might be of them they knew not.  Neither could they, as it were, go up to the top of Pisgah to view from this wilderness a more goodly country to feed their hopes for which way soever they turned their eyes (save upward to the heavens) they could have little solice or content in respect of any outward objects.  For summer being done. all things stand upon them with a weatherbeaten face, and the whole country, full of woods and thickets, represented a wild and savage hue. 

 from The American Tradition in Literature, Volume 1, Tenth Edition (47-48)

Please note two interesting aspects of this quote from Bradford:

First, note how he characterizes nature as a hideous and desolate wilderness, full of wild beasts and wild men.  Rowlandson echoes Bradford's feelings, referring to the New World as a vast and howling wilderness (132).

This view of nature will change and change rapidly as we read through our anthology.  For example, Edwards and Woolman in their journals provide a far different sense of nature and its meaning in their lives.  Be sure to look for this change as you read Edwards and Woolman's journals later in the course.

In fact, this whole course could be organized around the changing view of nature and its role in the lives of subsequent generations of Americans.  

Second, note Bradford's reference to "Pisgah," the mountain in the Holy Land from which Moses first saw the promised land.  This reference is an example of the Puritan habit of typological thinking.

Here's the deal:  The Puritans firmly believed that they were God's NEW "chosen people."  They believed the Israelites of the Old Testament (whom Moses led) were the first "chosen people," but that the Israelites had lost that distinction through their disobedience to God.

So God chose the Puritans as His NEW chosen  people.  Because of this, the Puritans assumed that they were the same TYPE (typological or typology) of people as the Israelites had been;  thus, the Puritans continually saw their situation as analogous to situations the Israelites had faced, as reported in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible.

This is why the Puritans constantly characterized what they experienced as parallel to what the Israelites experienced.  The difference, according to the Puritans, was that they (the Puritans) were determined not to fail as they believe God's first chosen people, the Israelites, had failed.

This habit of thinking typologically gave the Puritans great comfort and reassurance to endure.  After all, in their eyes since God was treating them in much the same way as his first chosen people, they were, indeed, special and chosen in His eyes.