Thomas Harriot 15601521, Of the Nature and Manner of the People, A Brief and True Report of the New

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Thomas Harriot (1560-1521), Of the Nature
and Manner of the People, A Brief and
True Report of the New Found
Land of Virginia I. Background Roanoke
Island 1584-1585 First attempt at
colonization 1585-1586 Second
attempt--Harriot 1587-?? The Lost
Colony (colonists massacred by or
assimilated with natives) II. Biography
linguist, propagandist, naturalist III.
Circumstances of Writing 1588, written to
encourage others to support Raleghs
colonization efforts IV. Genre propagandistic
travel narrative
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VI. Setting A. When? 1585-1586
B. Where? Roanoke Island VII.
Characters anonymous VIII. Point of view
Third person-omniscient IX. Tone extremely
positive toward possibility of changing natives
to English way X. little imagery beyond
sight, no significant symbols XI. Theme
We can colonize and convert the natives easily.
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Thomas Harriot 1. How did Harriot's
relationship with Ralegh influence his life and
his writing? He worked for Ralegh and often
wrote propaganda rather than description of what
actually went on. He ignored most of the
ill-treatment of the natives by both Sir Richard
Grenville and Ralph Lane. He did not acknowledge
the disorderly end of the first colony. Thus, he
wrote an unduly optimistic account of what was
going on. 2. In what ways was Harriot well
qualified to write an account of the natives on
Roanoke Island? He spent much of the time
between April 1585 and July 1856 studying and
collecting, so he probably had much material in
notebooks to draw upon. Just as important, he
had been taught the language of the natives
(perhaps by Wanchese).
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• 3. If you had been a native living on the
  island, how might you have felt about the
  English? Why?
• I would have been very upset by the harsh
  treatment given them by Sir Richard Grenville
  (example of executing three natives for stealing
  a single silver cup) and Ralph Lane (who led a
  surprise raid on Wingina's village and killed and
  beheaded the chief).
• In his general description of the natives (1-8),
  what in his account surprised you?
• Walled towns, that one chief had 18 towns under
  his control and 700-800 fighting men at his
  command.
• What was as you expected?
• Pre-metal culture, dress of deerskins, small
  settlements, different languages..

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5. What was Harriot's opinion of the natives?
He emphasized how easily they could be swayed to
the ways of the English. How, in his mind, did
they compare to the English? A poor people,
valued trifles yet good at what they did do. 6.
In his description of the religious belief of the
natives, what elements in his account might have
upset the average English Protestant of his day?
Many gods, a woman made before a man, first
children the parents of this woman and a god,
idol worship by the ordinary people.
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7. Do you believe the stories the natives told
him? Why or why not? Were they just lying to
him? Is there a reasonable explanation for such
stories? The stories about the wicked man who
went to Popogusso (hell) and the other who went
to heaven are both probably examples of
near-death experiences. The people probably
believed the stories to be literal truths. 8.
In his description of English technology and
native religious practices, why did the natives
consider the English superior to them?
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The English had very advanced technology in
comparison to them. Once they cured a chief
through prayer. Any disaster which the natives
experienced (such as a drought or illness) was
interpreted as resulting from some offense the
natives had done to the English. Because the
English were not sick, did not die, and had no
women, they were considered gods. From a modern
perspective, what is very naive about Harriot's
account? He does not recognize that the reason
the natives die after the English visit them is
because the English are spreading smallpox, etc.
to which they are immune but the natives are not.

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9. Why was Harriot writing this "brief and true
report"? As propaganda for Ralegh, who wanted
more Englishmen to come to the colonies. What
aspects of the natives' personality does he
continually emphasize? How easily the natives
can be governed and changed to the English ways.
Why? So that more Englishmen will come to
Ralegh's colonies. 10. Evaluate Harriot's
writing as a whole. What in it do you find
positive? The straight-forward descriptions of
the natives.
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negative? The constant emphasis on their
inferiority and tractability. questionable? The
two near-death experiences. 11. In what ways
was Harriot a typical Englishman of his day?
His cultural arrogance and imperialistic
attitude toward "savages." Do you find him in
any way atypical for this time period and place?
He was willing to learn the natives' language
and lived among them without personally meaning
to do them harm. 12. From this writing, what kind
of man do you think Harriot was? A faithful
employee of Ralegh.
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If you had met him, would you have liked or
disliked him? Why? Probably liked him because he
was a scientist and a very bright person.