H - Historical context: This letter was written by John Rolfe during the beginning of the English colonial period in North America. John Rolfe was established in a colony in Virginia, he was an English explorer and tried to produce agricultural products for the British crown in American territory in 1614. During this period, conflicts between Native Americans and European explorers were common. Europeans saw the natives as impure and impious beings, who should be converted to Christianity in order to achieve salvation. they believed that this was their duty and the responsibility that God had placed in their hands. In the letter we can see that John assumes this thought, since he justifies that he wants to marry Pocahontas not out of love or sexual desire, but to save her from iniquity through Christianity, in addition to making her a civilized person, which would be a favor for she. This source is important because it reflects a lot on the explorers' thinking about Indians, as well as showing how the will of the Indians was ignored and suppressed.

I- Intended audience: the letter was written to be read by Sir Thomas Dale, governor of Virginia. John wanted to justify his actions in order to maintain his reputation and so that no one saw him as a savage who could not control himself, or as someone who had succumbed to the natives.

P - Purpose: The purpose is to find the governor's approval and get the governor to talk about him as a man committed to the gospel and the advancement of the colony, shaping all his plans to achieve these principles.

P - Point of view: The letter is written with a first person point of view, which may indicate that John was not sincere in his justifications (first person narrators are not to be trusted). He was a man of power and influence and was in favor of colonialism and European exploitation in America.

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2 years ago