Brébeuf's Narrative Of The Jesuit Relations
The explorer narrative of The Jesuit Relations written by Jean de Brébeuf, shows the unique clash of two disparate cultures. Brébeuf’s narrative takes on a condescending tone toward his Huron hosts. It also shows a facetious approach the Jesuits had in their interaction with the Hurons in the contact zone. The narrative’s sole purpose serves to reaffirm the intended reader’s European superiority. The contact zone where the Jesuits and Hurons meet is described by Mary Louise Pratt as a social space where two cultures interact with each other without much prior knowledge of the other. This zone is often marked by asymmetrical relations of power and disingenuous consideration of the other’s culture (Pratt). At the outset of Brébeuf’s narration
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Brébeuf’s diction does not at all help his narrative logic of expressing his superiority over the Hurons to an astute reader. In several instances, Brébeuf describes Huron beliefs as “fables,” especially when they tell him their creation story. What struck Brébeuf was the close similarities between their origin story and that of the bible’s. These similarities threaten the Eurocentric ideology of being the chosen people of God. Immediately following the first instance of Huron narrative semblance to the bible from a people without a writing system (Bright & Campbell), Brébeuf begins to mock them. Brébeuf makes it his purpose at every occasion to attempt to disavow Huron beliefs. He criticizes the Huron’s narrative dissimilarities to the bible’s “correct version” and admitting that perhaps they had the word of God, but since then have obviously “become worse than beasts in his sight” (Brébeuf, 59). Brébeuf uses the story of the clock bell as a form of devaluing Huron intelligence and dignity to illustrate their apparent inferiority. Playing with the information given to the Hurons as a joke shows a lack of respect for their relationship and therefore illustrates the asymmetrical power structure. The ones in power have no problem toying with those considered less than them because they have nothing at stake but laughter of the consequences of misinformation. The
Brébeuf’s diction does not at all help his narrative logic of expressing his superiority over the Hurons to an astute reader. In several instances, Brébeuf describes Huron beliefs as “fables,” especially when they tell him their creation story. What struck Brébeuf was the close similarities between their origin story and that of the bible’s. These similarities threaten the Eurocentric ideology of being the chosen people of God. Immediately following the first instance of Huron narrative semblance to the bible from a people without a writing system (Bright & Campbell), Brébeuf begins to mock them. Brébeuf makes it his purpose at every occasion to attempt to disavow Huron beliefs. He criticizes the Huron’s narrative dissimilarities to the bible’s “correct version” and admitting that perhaps they had the word of God, but since then have obviously “become worse than beasts in his sight” (Brébeuf, 59). Brébeuf uses the story of the clock bell as a form of devaluing Huron intelligence and dignity to illustrate their apparent inferiority. Playing with the information given to the Hurons as a joke shows a lack of respect for their relationship and therefore illustrates the asymmetrical power structure. The ones in power have no problem toying with those considered less than them because they have nothing at stake but laughter of the consequences of misinformation. The