Calico Captive

Calico Captive introduces the primary external conflict of the story, which is that Miriam and her family are living within an ongoing conflict between the French and the British for control over the North American territories. Each side had Indigenous allies, but Indigenous groups mostly allied with the French, whom they saw as less of a direct threat to their lands. The novel focuses on one significant aspect of the war, which involved the capture of English colonists. Capturing prisoners was a common practice during this period, often for ransom, sale, political leverage, or to disrupt the enemy’s ability to sustain their settlements and military campaigns. Both the French and their Indigenous allies took English colonists as prisoners during raids on frontier settlements like those in New Hampshire. These prisoners included men, women, and children, as the novel depicts. The prisoners’ conditions varied: Some were treated relatively well, especially if they were perceived as valuable for ransom, and Miriam’s fear about how she and the other prisoners will be treated is a source of tension and suspense in the novel.

The novel uses Miriam as a limited third-person narrator. Miriam’s narration allows the reader to feel the discomfort and fear that she experiences, as well as the extreme bigotry and distrust she has for Indigenous peoples. At the same time, there are moments when Miriam seems drawn to the same customs she is repulsed by. She is involuntarily drawn to Mehkoa, a young brave who at first taunts her, and then seems to respect her after she saves Captive. When she sees the Indigenous women that she lives with in St. Francis sewing moccasins, Miriam admires the craft and wants to participate.

This section introduces the theme of Survival and Resilience, as the family is marched through the wilderness with little food and clothing. Susanna in particular embodies resilience because she gives birth to her child on the march. Miriam feels a deep admiration for Susanna and worries that she does not measure up to her sister. It is only when Miriam saves the newborn baby Captive from drowning that she stops thinking about herself as just “tagging along” starts believing in herself (48). This is a crucial moment in Susanna and Miriam’s evolving relationship and illustrates Miriam’s personal growth.

This section introduces the theme of Cultural Clashes and Assimilation. Repeatedly, Miriam talks about the stories she’s heard about what Indigenous tribes do to the English, but her experience as a captive does not support this. The stories she’s heard are grounded in fact: Those captured during brutal raids might suffer harsher conditions. Even though the Abenaki do not harm the prisoners, the colonists must endure forced marches, exposure to the elements, and limited food and shelter. This causes an internal conflict: Miriam must grapple with the fact that the Abenakis do not hurt their captives on the journey despite their hardships. Instead, they share their food equally with the captives and then adopt them into the community. Even under relatively good conditions, the psychological impact of captivity is severe, and Miriam must adapt to dangers of the wilderness and unfamiliar Indigenous ways of life.

While most of the family shuns the Abenaki customs, six-year-old Sylvanus embraces them and states that he wants to become a brave. Miriam is furious at what she considers Sylvanus’s disloyalty, but Susanna and James view it more optimistically. They seem to realize that Sylvanus’s favor with the Abenakis could ensure his survival. This conflict between remaining loyal to their Puritan culture and surviving their captivity is a continuous struggle through the novel.