Anti Pastoralism in Apes Work Discussion
William Apess introduces his writing by vividly explaining his family background to the reader. Firstly, William introduces one of the fundamental arts of life that presents him as a descendant of the bloodline of the royals. More precisely, William points out that he was of white origin and had married a lady with family ties to the royal family of King Philip, who ruled over the Kingdom of Pequot, comprised of the Indian tribes (Apes & O’Connell, 1992). William’s grandmother was the king’s daughter and was perceived as one of the most beautiful daughters of the king. William’s introduction compels the reader to discern a lavish lifestyle that William would have been living, as portrayed by the royal tires that William enjoyed.
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Having ties to the monarch is viewed as a direct entitlement to the luxuries of life, such as adequate food, shelter, and power. However, William plunges the readers into a self-reflection path following his assertions about the life he was living. Firstly, he questions what difference it makes to anyone’s lifestyle in belonging to the kingdom. William interrogates what the primary connotation of royal blood entails and what would warrant one to boast as one of the royals. According to William, all human beings are descendants of Adam and, to the very extreme, worms to the earth. Throughout the writings, William introduces the doctrines of pastoral life and conventions as envisaged in ancient works.
Pastoral poetry involves a conscious attempt to explore the relationship between nature and human beings and brings out the enthusiasm for the simplicity of country life. Williams’ grandfather had married a royal princess and would be deemed to have enjoyed the trappings of power. However, Williams’s father had decided to marry from a different background. William’s father was from a mixed bloodline, while his mother was a red woman. In essence, the dictates of the whites would compel William’s father to marry from white origin, but nevertheless decided to marry from the Pequot tribe. William laments that in contrast to what many would perceive the royal family to be a peaceful family following pleasure and power, the royal family from which the grandmother had come was an ever-violent family setting (Apes & O’Connell, 1992). The fighting did not only persist between the grandparents but spilled over to the punishment of children (Apes & O’Connell, 1992). William remembers his resentment over the introduction of liquor in his family, which led to deplorable living conditions, lack of food, proper clothing, and the affection that children need from their families. In particular, William defines liquor as a curse that has messed up the family setting.
Lastly, William likens pastoral paradigms to parents and Christianity. Christianity instructs those who subscribe to the religion to preserve the problems and pain caused by their offenders till such a time that the gospel is fulfilled. In particular, Christianity promises those who undergo persecutions and tribulations here on earth greater peace and rewards in heaven. In this regard, the individual is not supposed to avenge the ills and should actually find pleasure in them since the reward in heaven is directly proportional to the tribulations here on earth. Similarly, in some instances, parents punish children and promise them that they shall grow disciplined as a result of the punishment and that after they grow up, they shall have the opportunity to punish those who are indisciplined.
References
Apes, W., & O’Connell, B. (1992). On our own ground: the complete writings of William Apess, a Pequot. University of Massachusetts Press.
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Question 
Anti Pastoralism in Apes Work Discussion
Read the assigned selections from William Apess’s A Son of the Forest
The chosen paragraph must be from one of the following chapters 1-3 and 6-7.
Anti Pastoralism in Apes Work Discussion
For CR 2, choose one of the paragraphs from the Close Reading Practice to write about as you answer the following questions:
1) How does Apess develop or undermine pastoral tropes or conventions in this paragraph?
2) How does Apess use pastoral or anti-pastoral tropes to respond to his context? In other words, what rhetorical purpose does his description serve?
You may compare Apess with Thoreau, if you find it helpful.
Your goals for this exercise are to:
- Develop your understanding of pastoral conventions and what it means to call something “anti-pastoral”
- Practice rhetorical analysis, especially how context influences rhetorical choices
- Practice effective paragraph development and transitions.
- Practice integrating evidence and key ideas into your writing
- Develop some potential ideas for your RA essay
Your response should be at least 500 words long (two double-spaced pages), written in clear and precise academic prose.