41 pages • 1 hour read
Elisa CarboneBlood on the River
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2006A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Themes
Emotional Maturity
The reader can trace Samuel’s development as a dynamic character from the moment he is introduced as a rough and ready London street urchin to the last moments of the novel, when he is living happily and peacefully with the Laydon family in Point Comfort. From the earliest chapters, the reader learns that Samuel has not enjoyed a stable childhood: His father was abusive, and he lost his mother much too young. Thanks to his difficult experiences as an orphan, he has developed some habits that inhibit his life progress; for example, Samuel tends to let his emotions control his behaviors, and he lives by a personal philosophy that shuts out other people. When Samuel is offended, insulted, or threatened, accidentally or intentionally, he finds himself unable to think before acting; typically, a fight ensues, which means that any hope for a positive relationship with the person who made the unwanted comment evaporates with every difficult exchange. As well, Samuel’s tendency toward extreme self-reliance means that he does not understand the notion of cooperation. Only when Samuel matures is he able to understand that he is, in fact, deserving of respect from others; as well, when Samuel grows up, he is also able to see the value in personal qualities like thoughtfulness and cooperation.
By the end of the novel, Samuel has become a mature, open-minded person who understands the complexities of human nature and the value of kindness and cooperation in the context of relationships. He has benefited from the teachings and the support of great men like Captain Smith and Reverend Hunt, both of whom take a genuine interest in Samuel. Also, while working with the other colonists to create a safe settlement in the New World, Samuel must learn to live as a fully active member of a community; together, the colonists share successes and suffer great losses, and this process also enables Samuel to grow up into a resilient and reliable young man.
The Value of Different Perspectives
Under the guidance of Reverend Hunt and Captain Smith, Samuel learns a great deal about the value of different perspectives. From both men, for example, Samuel sees that there are many ways to manage conflict, whether the conflict is internal or external. Reverend Hunt teaches Samuel a different approach to decision-making, advising him to think about his feelings and to choose a positive emotion like love over negative emotions like fear or anger. Captain Smith teaches him both literally and by example, taking the time to talk with Samuel about his own life strategies and showing Samuel how much there is to learn from the native people they encounter in the New World. As well, Samuel receives an education in dishonesty and a lack of integrity, and the consequences of mistreating other people; the selfish and entitled behavior of many of the gentlemen colonists are a lesson to Samuel in how he should avoid behaving if he is to grow up into a man of integrity.
Samuel also learns from his experiences talking with and observing others who are different from himself, like the natives that he meets in the New World. From his time in the Warraskoyack village, Samuel learns that the natives live well and comfortably, and he grows to prefer their mode of living over his own. Prior to this experience, he believed, naturally, that the English way was the only way to live. Samuel’s unconventional education proves to be extremely valuable and essential to his survival later in the novel; from his Native American friends Namontack and Kainta, he learns how to hunt and how to protect himself from the harsh weather of the New World. Thanks to Samuel’s respect for the knowledge of the native Indians he meets, he can help himself and others with the insight he gains from their expertise. Samuel’s learning processes and his appreciation for different perspectives demonstrate that knowledge truly is power. From all the different individuals he meets, he learns something important about life and survival, and Samuel becomes a more open and compassionate person thanks to his acceptance of these varying perspectives on life.
Culture, Identity, and Power
The most significant conflicts in the novel focus on power struggles between men from different cultures. Captain Smith, representing the common man, conflicts with the gentlemen. This conflict threatens the safety of Captain Smith as well as his self-respect, and the settlement of James Town as a whole community suffers as a result; this situation demonstrates the broad effects of clashes that exist between individuals.
While Captain Smith is fighting with other Englishmen for his own survival and that of the other members of his community, the colonists conflict with the natives of the New World. Some of the English settlers believe that they are entitled to make a new life for themselves in the New World because their culture has taught them that faraway lands are theirs for the taking. At the same time, the natives of the New World see their land as sacred; their tribal identities are closely linked with the land desired by the English settlers, making the natives protective of the land that their culture values. Many of the encounters between the natives and the colonists lead to death and violence as each group involved fights for what they believe belongs to them.
Everyone in power carries different signifiers of their culture and their identities. Chief Powhatan, for example, rejects King James’ attempt to crown him a prince of England, understanding that becoming a prince reduces his power. Captain Newport tricks the chief into kneeling, a gesture that confirms the exchange of power between the English and the Powhatans and leads to war. Reverend Hunt’s message of Christianity contains another cultural signifier: When the reverend tries to proselytize to Namontack, the Powhatan youth talks of his people’s very different creation story; these two individuals do not come into conflict with each other, but the contrasts in their world views demonstrate the potential for conflict when such glaring differences exist.
