Exploring Ontological Truth in Mrs. Rowlandson's Captivity Narrative

This study aims to explore the social implications of ontological truth as a distinct concept in our post-truth era, where traditional, epistemologically grounded notions of truth are increasingly challenged. To this end, the study analyzes Mary Rowlandson's 17th-century captivity narrative from an ontological perspective. During her captivity, Rowlandson redefines the beings she encounters—namely, Native Americans and God—through her interactions and the unfolding of new experiences. This process yields two contrasting conceptions of these figures, highlighting the coexistence of two worlds, each with its own ontological truth. Rather than serving to dismantle or correct existing prejudices about Native Americans and God, the tension between Rowlandson's conflicting descriptions points to an encounter between two distinct worlds. Here, the central concern is not to reject one perspective in favor of another but to consider how these two truths—these two worlds—might find a way to understand each other.