Lewis Hyde’s book Trickster Makes This World contains an excerpt called “Slipping the Trap of Appetite” in which the first line reads, “The trickster myth derives creative intelligence from appetite.” During the time of William Bradford, separating from the Church of England by law is considered an act of treason. Bradford will become part of a group, known as the “Separatists,” who did not wish to follow the national church. This group will encounter many difficulties in their escape of religious persecution and search of freedom. William Bradford reveals the Pilgrims’ appetite for religious freedom and displays their creative intelligence in escaping persecution in his book, In of ...view middle of the document...
They know what the end of this truce means and what might happen to them if they choose to stay in Holland; therefore, they begin to think of an alternative.
The “Separatists” use their creative intelligence to escape the persecutions and hardships around them. They begin to weigh the reasons and causes for their need to search for a new start. In Holland, they endure “great labor and hard fare” (124) as Bradford states, that few are comfortable taking on. Those that do endure the hardships have begun to age before their time and will not be able to withstand battle against the Spaniards when the truce comes to an end. As Bradford states, “…so they like skillful and beaten soldiers were fearful either to be entrapped or surrounded by their enemies, so as they should neither be able to fight nor fly; and therefore thought it better to dislodge betimes to some place of better advantage and less danger, if any such could be found” (125). So the Pilgrims think that it is best not to fight the battle against the Spaniards and find new ground to call home. The hardships of Holland have broken down the bodies of the elder “Separatists” and they will not withstand a war. These same hardships and persecutions have also played a role on the children of the “Separatists.” Their children are being drawn away from religion by “evil examples into extravagant and dangerous courses” elects Bradford (125). Some have become soldiers or sailors. Others have just dishonored God altogether! They believe that going to America will preserve their religion and save their youth from evil. These same hardships that many face also discourage many and keep them from practicing the religion. Many that do choose to practice take the risk of prison instead of enduring the hardships of Holland. They reason that moving to America will bring more followers that seek freedom of religion without the hardships. “Yea, their pastor would often say, that many of those who both wrote...
