A Girl Called Samson

Throughout the novel, the ubiquitous presence of war transforms Deborah Samson’s relationship with her own identity and with broader societal roles. At first, she regards her womanhood as something that she needs to escape. Before she enlists in the army, she faces intense pressure to marry due to a combination of societal expectations, gender roles, and economic factors. Even though she has been working since she was 5 years old, Samson has few savings and little social mobility because of her indentured servitude. Her mother arranges a match with a potential husband as an attempt to ensure that her daughter is provided for, and Mr. and Mrs. Thomas are incentivized to support the arrangement because Mr. Crewe’s purchase “of the deacon’s land was contingent upon [Samson’s] agreement” (85). Another factor in Samson’s lack of interest in marrying Mr. Crewe stems from his habit of assessing her as though “he was inspecting a cow” (76). This dehumanizing treatment shows that he wants a wife who will fill a societal role, and he clearly has no interest in establishing a genuine and loving relationship. As a result, the protagonist decides to renounce her identity as Deborah Samson in order to pursue a new societal role that fits her existing desires and ambitions.

Thus, the act of fighting in the American Revolutionary War allows Samson to create a new identity tailored to her dreams of independence and adventure, and she comes to see Robert Shurtliff as her true self. In a pivotal moment for this theme, Samson declares, “I do not want to be a wife [...] I do not want to be a woman [...] I want to be a soldier” (86). This decision emphasizes the fact that Samson wants to escape her gender because the societal roles of women are far too restrictive for her. Although Samson fabricates Shurtliff’s age, name, and sex, she does not create a different personality for him; instead, the same traits that people criticize in Samson, such as confidence and her patriotic wish to fight, garner praise as soon as people think that she is a man.

Unlike Samson, however, some of the novel’s characters feel that war has a damaging impact on their identities and their ability to fulfill their societal roles. For instance, Paterson feels that his work as a general has led to failure in his duties as a husband and father, and he laments, “We are all changed. And none for the better” (298). By contrast, Samson is an exception to this perspective because war opens new opportunities for her to reinvent herself. Becoming Shurtliff allows Samson to realize her goals and take on daring roles that are normally denied to women.

Paterson’s discovery that Samson is a woman initiates the couple’s romantic relationship and ushers in new changes for Samson’s identity and societal roles. Being Robert Shurtliff has allowed her to gain freedoms that are only allotted to men in her society, but now, she ironically finds herself restricted once again, for Robert Shurtliff cannot wed John Paterson. To take on the societal role of wife, Samson must also take on a new identity. Although she loves Paterson, she is initially fearful when he insists that she return to society as a woman, and she feels torn between her love for Paterson and her love of her own autonomy. As she asks Paterson in dismay, “And Robert Shurtliff will just…disappear?” (331). Samson’s verb choice and sense of loss make it clear that the assumed identity of Robert Shurtliff has come to represent a fuller, freer version of herself. Now, she is faced with the fact that marrying Paterson and taking on the societal role of wife will transform her into “a new creature” (348) who is distinct from both Deborah Samson the indentured servant and Robert Shurtliff the soldier. In time, Samson embraces the roles of wife, mother, and grandmother. Her relationship with these traditional roles is more positive than it was at the start of the novel because she actively chooses them instead of being forced to assume them. By the end of the novel, the protagonist’s identity is unified rather than fragmented. As she declares, “I was a soldier, and I am proud of that. I am a mother too, and a wife [...] I have embraced every role, played every part, and made my mark on the world” (393). This final passage therefore celebrates the many facets of Deborah Samson’s identity and summarizes her journey as she goes from rejecting her womanhood to embracing it. Ultimately, Samson’s experiences in the war help her to reimagine her identity and engage with societal roles on her own terms.