The Mayflower and the Pilgrims' New World, by Nathaniel Philbrick (winner of the Massachusetts Book Award) is a captivating historical novel that explores the tale of the Pilgrims and the their involvement in the New World. It is the story of the Puritans (who would later become the Pilgrims), as they journey to the New World, a place where they can hope to worship their God in the way they desire without any persecution and/or animosity from their fellow men. for no European nation was safe for them. While reading Philbrick's novel I (and most likely many other readers), compared the historical text of The Mayflower to how we personally see the world today. Furthermore, I learned from the lyrics of The Mayflower, that my opinions were challenged within the confines of the text, and while it may not address my issues on a personal level, it still addresses things that are considered important not only to me, but for people. all over the world. The one thing that was consistently illustrated in The Mayflower was determination. It is with determination that the Puritans managed to escape a life of mistreatment in Europe. They even went so far as to join a troupe called The Adventurers, to raise money for their trip to the New World. Furthermore, it was thanks to their willpower (and the help of local Indians) that they managed to survive in a desolate area, full of unburied bodies of Indians who died from diseases brought by explorers years ago. In this bizarre and somewhat terrifying environment, the Puritans had to try to survive. This affects how I see the world because in my eyes you don't get anywhere without determination and willpower. It was because of these two things (and an investment by The Adventurers), that everything... middle of paper... without anyone getting hurt. I began to wonder if it was really bad to take what you want, to satisfy your sweet tooth even if doing so might cause pain to someone else. For a split second, I thought of evil as an appropriate response to a ruthless and prejudiced world. Although Philbrick's intended audience was most likely "history buffs" (a group of which I am not a member), his book The Mayflower still piqued my interest in the way it demonstrated the value of willpower, whether it is used in the right or wrong way. Willpower is something I consider important because I believe that with it you can achieve your goals, and without it you can achieve nothing, something the Puritans demonstrated throughout the book. Works Cited Philbrick, Nathaniel and Nathaniel Philbrick. The Mayflower and the Pilgrims' New World. New York, NY: Sons of G. P. Putnam, 2008. Print.