captivity narratives

Captivity narratives are stories that recount individuals’ experiences of being captured or held hostage, often by a group different from their own, typically during conflicts or frontier encounters. These accounts, common in early American history, explore themes of survival, cultural clashes, and personal resilience. They serve as both personal testimonies and cultural artifacts, providing insight into historical relationships, perceptions, and conflicts between groups such as settlers, Native Americans, and others. While sometimes dramatized, they offer valuable perspectives on the complexities of cultural encounters and the human experience of captivity.