http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/resources/archives/three/luzena.htm
Chapter One - Paragraphs I, II & III.5.
Luzena Stanley Wilson was a gold rush entrepreneur who traveled with her husband and two small children from Missouri to California by land in 1849. In the first chapter of her memoirs, Wilson describes the motivations for her quest and takes us through the first few days of her expedition. Her perspective on the movement westward is unique and valuable by definition due to her status as a woman, granting a voice to those who had typically been a minority in this social phenomenon. Her perspective might also be implicated in a point about ideology, as it is relatively easy to pause here and draw out a narrative between Wilson's defiance of society's expectations and the progressive and liberal nature of the West today.
She begins by simply stating that 'The gold excitement spread like wildfire'. and that she and her husband 'early caught the fever'. In describing the excitement as a 'fever', Wilson seems almost critical of the hysterical hope that the desire for gold instilled in Americans of the East. She continues with a tone of defiance, asserting that when her husband went to search for gold, she 'would not left be behind. I thought where he could go I could'. It is perhaps this kind of courage, both in response to the huge task at hand and to 19th century gender stereotypes, that reinforces our notion of the kind of mentality associated with the movement Westward and indeed to the West's modern character. In reflection, Luzena believes that she 'little realized the task I had undertaken' but it would be worthwhile as upon arrival, 'fortune, of course, would come to us.' This last statement is particularly interesting as on a superficial level, it is an archetypal representation of 'manifest destiny' and supports the naive collection of theories revolving around classic ideas of automatic prosperity, property and individualism. The wording used to state that the fortune 'would come to us' could almost be interpreted as a minor case of personification, adding a tone to her statement that further reflects the idea that simply moving westwards was enough to deserve wealth and success, epitomising the idea that this migration was somehow initiated under divine instruction or at least with some form of celestial protection. Alternatively, in light of her comment regarding her own naivety, we might interpret Wilson's tone as being slightly self-critical and satirical. If this interpretation is truthful, it would constitute an interesting attitude towards the migration westwards and perhaps reveal some remarkable foresight on Wilson's part in terms of the future failure of many mining communities and comparable expeditions.
Luzena then describes her preparation for the expedition, resulting in a 'strange but comprehensive load which we stowed away in our "prairie-schooner". She explains how 'some things which I thought necessities when we started became burdensome luxuries', demonstrating a physical representation of some characteristics associated with the Westward migration that Wilson previously articulated in relation to her mental experience. The way in which 'necessities' become discarded as 'luxuries' acts as both a literal representation and a metaphor for the tribulation encountered in these journeys, the effects of which are invariably transformative. The idea of achieving prosperity through sacrifice does of course figure consistently in the Western story and is allied to the most significant aspects of national identity and aspiration such as the American dream, a concept which is many ways rooted in the experiences of those like Luzena Wilson. In brief, becoming accustomed to hardship and adjusting your standards of living according to the challenges of this new territory is critical to the overarching legacy of survival, endurance and finally: happiness.
After the first day of travel, the family camped in 'Indian Territory, which spread on one unbroken, unnamed waste', an assessment that offers an important insight into American perceptions of the Indians and is worthy of an analysis in itself. Briefly then, the 'unnamed waste' alludes to the perceived savage nature of these tribes and the fact that they do not deserve any kind of recognition in the way that has characterised all other examples of Westernised society. Wilson's use of the adjective 'unbroken' is perhaps a subconscious reflection of her own fear of this territory and its inhabitants who are united in their hatred of the white culture and bent on delivering destruction to her own kind. Wilson states, 'Here commenced my terrors.' in a notably short sentence that marks a contrast from her descriptive style and consequently, illustrates her abject fear through drastically slowing the pace of her account, forcing the reader to focus upon simple ideas of 'terrors' and their root in this 'unnamed waste'. Of the Indians, Wilson had 'read and heard volumes of their bloody deeds,the massacre of harmless white men, torturing helpless women', provoking a maternal response of care for her children in the camp. From a privileged position with historical hindsight, we know that while Wilson's description is incredibly subjective and misleading in its content, it does nonetheless reflect some truth and accurately maps the reasoning behind her 'terrors.' However, that night passed without incident and Wilson later admits that 'The Indians were friendly, of course, and swapped ponies for whiskey and tobacco'. This exchange did not sufficiently alleviate her concerns however as Wilson still 'in the most tragi-comic manner, sheltered my babies with my own body, and felt imaginary arrows pierce my flesh a hundred times during the night'. This vivid phrasing describes, amongst many other things, the kind of ignorance and subjectivity to which the Indian peoples were condemned. Even upon proving their peaceful intentions and willingness for cooperation and constructive relationship, they are perceived by Wilson as a consistent threat to her own familial instinct and sophisticated, capitalist intentions. Even after acknowledging the 'imaginary' nature of the arrows, they metaphorically pierce her skin nonetheless and instill within her a natural and perpetual conflict with the Indians. The idea of Wilson sheltering her children with her own body also appears dramatic in the sense that, she portrays herself as a helpless victim, disempowered to the point where her only defence is to sacrifice her own flesh as a futile shield against her aggressors. Evidently, the entire history of the Indian-American relationship is clear that the reverse of Wilson's account is true, and that it was largely the indigenous peoples who were left without proper defence of their families.
To conclude, Wilson's account acts largely as a re-affirmation of elements which we already view as being inextricably connected to the Westward migration as an event. These elements are diverse and range from the ideological aspirations of her journey to the specific events of her journey such as her stay in Indian Territory. It is the legacy of these elements which, when graced with a perspective on the current prosperity of the American west, add such a sense of value, validity and respect to the accounts of early pioneers such as Luzena Stanley Wilson.
Sources
Wilson, Luzena Stanley, Her Memoirs as taken down by her daughter in 1881. Retrieved from <http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/resources/archives/three/luzena.htm> last accessed 29/01/2017
The Gold Rush of 1849, Retrieved from <http://www.history.com/topics/gold-rush-of-1849> last accessed 29/01/2017
The Gold Rush - Luzena Stanley Wilson, Retrieved from <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/goldrush/peopleevents/p_wilson.html> last accessed 29/01/2017
After the first day of travel, the family camped in 'Indian Territory, which spread on one unbroken, unnamed waste', an assessment that offers an important insight into American perceptions of the Indians and is worthy of an analysis in itself. Briefly then, the 'unnamed waste' alludes to the perceived savage nature of these tribes and the fact that they do not deserve any kind of recognition in the way that has characterised all other examples of Westernised society. Wilson's use of the adjective 'unbroken' is perhaps a subconscious reflection of her own fear of this territory and its inhabitants who are united in their hatred of the white culture and bent on delivering destruction to her own kind. Wilson states, 'Here commenced my terrors.' in a notably short sentence that marks a contrast from her descriptive style and consequently, illustrates her abject fear through drastically slowing the pace of her account, forcing the reader to focus upon simple ideas of 'terrors' and their root in this 'unnamed waste'. Of the Indians, Wilson had 'read and heard volumes of their bloody deeds,the massacre of harmless white men, torturing helpless women', provoking a maternal response of care for her children in the camp. From a privileged position with historical hindsight, we know that while Wilson's description is incredibly subjective and misleading in its content, it does nonetheless reflect some truth and accurately maps the reasoning behind her 'terrors.' However, that night passed without incident and Wilson later admits that 'The Indians were friendly, of course, and swapped ponies for whiskey and tobacco'. This exchange did not sufficiently alleviate her concerns however as Wilson still 'in the most tragi-comic manner, sheltered my babies with my own body, and felt imaginary arrows pierce my flesh a hundred times during the night'. This vivid phrasing describes, amongst many other things, the kind of ignorance and subjectivity to which the Indian peoples were condemned. Even upon proving their peaceful intentions and willingness for cooperation and constructive relationship, they are perceived by Wilson as a consistent threat to her own familial instinct and sophisticated, capitalist intentions. Even after acknowledging the 'imaginary' nature of the arrows, they metaphorically pierce her skin nonetheless and instill within her a natural and perpetual conflict with the Indians. The idea of Wilson sheltering her children with her own body also appears dramatic in the sense that, she portrays herself as a helpless victim, disempowered to the point where her only defence is to sacrifice her own flesh as a futile shield against her aggressors. Evidently, the entire history of the Indian-American relationship is clear that the reverse of Wilson's account is true, and that it was largely the indigenous peoples who were left without proper defence of their families.
To conclude, Wilson's account acts largely as a re-affirmation of elements which we already view as being inextricably connected to the Westward migration as an event. These elements are diverse and range from the ideological aspirations of her journey to the specific events of her journey such as her stay in Indian Territory. It is the legacy of these elements which, when graced with a perspective on the current prosperity of the American west, add such a sense of value, validity and respect to the accounts of early pioneers such as Luzena Stanley Wilson.
Sources
Wilson, Luzena Stanley, Her Memoirs as taken down by her daughter in 1881. Retrieved from <http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/resources/archives/three/luzena.htm> last accessed 29/01/2017
The Gold Rush of 1849, Retrieved from <http://www.history.com/topics/gold-rush-of-1849> last accessed 29/01/2017
The Gold Rush - Luzena Stanley Wilson, Retrieved from <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/goldrush/peopleevents/p_wilson.html> last accessed 29/01/2017
No comments:
Post a Comment