Christopher Columbus Perceptions Of American Literature

1. First, we must ask ourselves what constitutes reading material as American Literature. Simply put, it is literature that assesses the copious literary history of the United States (the American experience). Therefore, the reading assignments such as Williams Bradford’s Of Plymouth’s Plantation, excerpts from the Journal of Christopher Columbus, “First Voyage”, Fourth Voyage”, and “Second Voyage”, and the “Story-Telling Stone” are perfect examples of American Literature. All of these stories depict life in America, whether written on paper, or communicated orally from generations to generations. However, the Native American Period, 1620–1840, refer to the period of Native American dominance in the New World. Native American literature consists of only oral tradition of song and stories.

Consequently, there were many incidents in Columbus ' writings which caused much awe and flabbergasting opinions of him, thus creating a different perception about him that was not learn in any of the history classes. To begin with, I did not know that Christopher Columbus had departed for the New World more than once. Also, two islands had names that were significant. For example, the first islands name was Santo Domingo, since he discovered it on Sunday, and the second island Santa Maria la Gallante for the love of his ship the Santa Maria. The following incidents caused me to form a different perception of Christopher Columbus: his first voyage, he (Christopher Columbus) took six natives of the Bahamas in which the Indians called it Guanahani back with him for the King and Queen to basically make in their image, transform and transmogrify the six natives of Bahamas into what would be pleasing to them. He was to visit these newfound places and gave accounts of what he saw and the people there, not to have some go with him back to his homeland. Another incident that tainted my view of him was on the second voyage, that he took 12 beautiful and