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Daniel Ha
November 3, 2013
AP Language and Composition
Bradford Essay
The American Profit
Indian Relations, Bradford shifts from impudent to conniving using
dark diction, manipulative tone, and biased syntax proving that the nave
Indians quickly turn to tools that become abused by the superior American
hand of greed.
In the beginning of the passage, Bradford sets a tone of impudence.
Describing the Indians as skulking, which means sneaky or hiding in the
shadows, Bradford demonstrates how the Americans show little to no respect
for the Indians. Skulking does not come with a positive connotation. In this
context, the Americans infer an attitude of mystery, cowardice, and
disrespect towards the Indians. Bradford uses this description of the Indians
to further his idea that the Indians trustworthiness wore thin. Trustworthy
people do not hide in the shadows. The tone shifts when Bradford describes
that the Americans marveled at the Indians when they spoke English.
Bradford uses the word marveled to show the Americans unexpectedness
when they began to converse with the Indians. Bradford does not use
marveled to show that the Americans saw the Indians as equals, but to

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distinguish how much the Americans underestimated the Indians. Bradford

showed the Indians useful intelligence through their speaking skills, but not
quite enough intelligence to see the conniving evils the Americans have in
store for the Indians.
The nave, yet somewhat sophisticated, Indians have turned into
expendable tools for the white mans convenience. Described as a special
instrument sent of God in the last lines of the passage, Squanto, an English
speaking Indian, decides to stay with the American people. Bradford
specifically focuses on Squantos existence as an instrument rather than
existing as a human being. Existing as an instrument means the purpose of
the Indians existence based itself off of the benefit towards the American
profit. Using the word instrument really shows that Bradford saw the
Indians as nave to manipulation by the immoral hands of the white man.
The American people show a very abusive interaction towards the
Indians. During one of the terms of the peace agreement, the Indians would
have to fight any war the Americans got involved in. While the Americans
would have to only fight any unjust wars. The meaning of any war really
emphasizes how much Bradford shows the superior American abuse of the
Indians. The Indians have to fight every single war, while the Americans
obligate to only fight unjust wars. Bradford really uses this to show how
much the Americans took advantage of the nave Indians through this peace
agreement. Due to the superiority of the American people compared to the

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Indians, Bradford believes in the manipulation of the Indians. Bradford

describes the Indians as very profitable in the first paragraph of the
passage. Bradford shows that the Americans do not consider the Indians as
their equal or their friends but consider them a way to make profit and reap
benefit. By using the word profitable, Bradford objectifies the Indian
people as tools the Americans use as a beneficial gain. The Americans do
not even acknowledge the Indians existence as equals to them. Bradford
believes in the Indians manipulation for the benefit of the Americans, caused
from the superiority shown from the American people.
As seen through Bradfords eyes, the Americans describe the Indians
as skulking which leaves a mysterious and sneaky mood. Bradford then
switches to a more conniving attitude towards the Indians when surprised by
their almost superior English speaking skills. Bradford also describes the
Indians as instruments, which means their existence is only to serve the
benefits of others. The Americans, with a very objectifying manner, describe
the Indians as profitable, which is a claim that proves the Americans allow
themselves to use these Indians for their beneficial capital. Bradford thinks
of the Indians as nave and easily able to manipulate, and emphasizes the
Puritan belief that the Indians free will did not exist. The Americans did not
allow for the Indians to have free will, since if the Indians helped Gods
people, the Puritans, then the Indians became tools for God himself.