The Ursuline Nuns in America, Free Essay Example

1. The Adventure Opens

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This chapter recaptures the episodes in which Nuns, fishers, Madeleine, shopkeepers and others shift to France with a view of starting a new life there. Everyone thinks that they will make history by crossing to the strange new world, passing the wide Atlantic Ocean. As the story continues, Madeleine fears to lose her family, which she has known from birth. She is forced to marry a young merchant of Rouen. However, she declines the marriage proposal and pledges never to marry. In this case, she thinks of joining the Ursuline band that would travel to France, a place that stretched the Gulf of Mexico but is reminded by the mother that no nun has ever visited the place.

2. Death Rides the Water

Madeleine succeeds in joining the Ursuline band and travels together with twelve other women in the band across the Atlantic. Their ship was a "Gironde" meaning it was powerful and dark. However, during their sail, the ship hits a rock, and only one nun recognizes it as the others only felt a jolt. She goes around sprawling to the planks. As the ship is capsizing, every nun kneels down to pray. The strong winds make them run and grab anything that will save their lives. With persistence and prayer, the Virgin Mary saves their voyage.

3. Strange Land Strange Scenes

The nuns are so excited to see France after five full months of sailing. On the island, where they stop, makes France seem a small country. A sailor invites them to a small house. However, in their arrival, some men start shouting of an arrival of a new boat within the vicinity. In their stay, they encounter weird voices at night as they settled their camps at the riverbanks. Louisiana was a flat, marshy lowland made up of green-yellow grasses with the sun's reflection. Additionally, if one was found stealing in Louisiana, he or she was hanged which made the nuns fear and scream every night.

4. Massacre

Terrible news concerning deaths are becoming normal and mother St. Augustin informs the nuns of the comeback of father Doutreleau after escaping death several times. The father comes back wounded and scarred, and before he begins the Kyrie Eleison, bullets are heard in the air. He is shot in the arm, and the man beside him is shot dead. The entire scenario occurs because of rivalry between them and the Indians, and failure to collaborate with them would cause more trouble. However, in the end, they become friends and embrace each one's culture.

5. Thorns and Roses

Living with the Indians become tiresome, and sister St Stanislaus declares the life of a nun as presenting thorns every time. However, later on, she adapts, and life becomes smooth and sweet. In the book, one who struggled from the beginning observed the good heart of the Ursulines. They forgave the people who did terrible things to them and what they did in the New Orleans was enough to occupy different institutions and several communities. The hatred that new nuns have towards each other changes as time progresses due to the culture the Ursulines have and it turns to love and care.

6. Spaniards- Overnight

The dramatic changes in Louisiana make the kingdom of Europe to suffer consequences. The new convents that the nuns shift to become too small as the number of orphans increase gradually. The houses that are made of wood are destroyed by rain, and they become weak, rotten, and crumbled. In addition, the Ursulines try to get rid of the Spaniards in every possible way by trying to fight them by the good French flag, but the Spaniards persist on destroying them. The action makes Louisiana a no man's land. Neither France nor Spain.

7. Tears in the dark

The Ursulines are colonized by the Spanish and are forced to adhere to the Spanish rules. Failure to do so might lead to misunderstanding and interference between the French and the Spanish. Also, the nuns become annoyed and are forced to consider themselves as part of the New Orleans. It was painful for the Ursulines to see their land prosper in the hands of the Spanish but they could do nothing, as the land was to stay in the Spanish hands for thirty-five years.

8. Three flags in three weeks

The Ursulines find themselves under three different governments; The French, the Spanish and the New American banner where they cannot state their stand. However, they struggled to take back Louisiana through the French. The action happens when the French come and seize the convent, forcing them to leave the colony. The New Orleans plead with them not to leave because of their good faith, but they decline as they want to go home and are fed up with suffering.

9. The day New Orleans was saved

War had made the New Orleans be in more danger than their state, and if the British could win, then the nation would change again. Suffering was going to increase. But the nuns are reassured of freedom by Andrew Jackson if they trust in their faith. On the evening of January 7th, New Orleans is saved, and many women turn to the Ursulines for comfort and aid. In the war, the British wound themselves until pity is felt for them. Later, the Ursulines start their businesses in their land.

10. Mother Ste. Seraphine and a changing century

Andrew Jackson is celebrated for setting free the Ursulines. The first order of nuns is given a warm welcome by the Ursulines to the Mississippi banks with mother Philippine Duchesne as their leader. The slaves, people who are suffering, unemployed people, et cetera all cry for mother Ste. Seraphine to save them and she understands their plight. Also, people begin learning new courses by venturing into science and its related fields advancing their education and the nations.

11. The last Transfer

The Ursulines eat the fruit of their labour and end up in galleried structures and sturdy that are in fine condition. However, with all these, the Mississippi River becomes their enemy by its unexpected tides. The nuns left the convent that served as their residence, for the bishop of Louisiana as a remembrance of their hard work. The building was then called the "Old Covenant" which serves as a tourist attraction site up to date.