Cartographies of Desire: Captivity, Race, and Sex in the Shaping of an American Nation

Explore the captivating intersection of captivity, race, and sex in the formation of American identity with Rebecca Blevins Faery’s “Cartographies of Desire.” This insightful study delves into early American captivity narratives, examining how accounts of encounters between European settlers and Native Americans shaped the nation’s evolving self-perception. Faery analyzes iconic figures like Mary Rowlandson and Pocahontas, revealing how their stories were used to construct and reinforce notions of American identity in contrast to the perceived “otherness” of Indigenous populations. The book unveils the underlying currents of desire, anxieties surrounding race, and the strategic deployment of these narratives to solidify a white, Christian identity. Discover how the captivity narrative served as a tool for justifying colonial expansion, and explore the representation of women within these narratives. A must-read for scholars and students of American literature, history, and gender studies, “Cartographies of Desire” offers a nuanced understanding of the complex forces that shaped the American nation. 275 pages. ISBN: 9780806131504.