Analysis of Illness and Death of the Sister of the Above
Despite all the arguments and evidence that points toward the introduction of Christianity in the West Indies as a period rife with colonialism and oppression of the natives, based on the passage titled Illness and Death of the Sister of the Above (135-138), Christianity brought peaceful thinking to the West Indies, especially in Bartica Grove.
In the passage titled General View (74-89), a very somewhat negative view is given of the influence of the Christian missionaries and their role in the West Indies. Some of the white people had brought with them not only western culture, but also alcohol (79). This is analogous to when Europeans brought alcohol to natives in the Americas in the 1500s, creating a dependency on alcohol for many natives, and thereby creating a dependence on the foreigners.
However, this viewpoint is a stark contrast to the information brought forth by the passage, in which the author proffers a vignette of a young girl of only twelve years old who dies. Though her life had been short, because she had a religion to give her hope, she had no trouble accepting that her death was soon. The introduction of Christianity to her island allowed her to have a peace of mind, despite her circumstances that would be normally viewed as sad. (135-138)