William Brafdord Vs. Johm Smith

In the selections "A Description of New England" and Of Plymouth Plantation the tone of both writings vary distinctly. John Smith and William Bradford use these certain tones to attract and persuade certain audiences.

In John Smith's selection, "A Description of New England", he appears to be directing his writing towards certain financial individuals wanting to invest in the new colonies. Smith shows this by continually making reference to ways of profiting from daily activities such as hunting or farming. For example, John Smith states: "For hunting ...afford not only chase sufficient for any that delight in that kind of toil or pleasure but such beasts to hunt that besides the delicacy of their bodies for food, their skins are so rich as may well recompense thy daily labor with a captains pay." Persuading any anyone John can to come to the New World it can be seen that he too expects to profit from these new settlers.

First page of "Of Plimoth Plantation" from 1900 pu...

john smith map crop for flickr

John Smith

Like John Smith, William Bradford also describes his take on the early settling of the New World with a persuasive motive. In Bradford's eyes, had not the Puritan Pilgrims been graced by God on their long and demanding exploration, all would have been in vain. Year after year Bradford keeps sight of the signs from God meant to help the pilgrims. Like when Squanto, the Indian, becomes "an instrument sent from God for their good." Or when he compares their journey to the Israelites exodus from Egypt. Clearly these religious references by Bradford are used to persuade his audience to see the purity of the Pilgrim's adventures in Plymouth.

Although the motives of each writer are not clearly represented in both selections persuasion is used on the reader of the text to pull him/her to authors' causes. In conclusion, both writings: "A...