What are the motifs in In the American Grain by William Carlos Williams?

American Grain is a recurring idea. Williams wants the reader to see the Puritans as they really are – based on original sources, and viewed with fresh eyes (his eyes). He believes today’s American does not see their hypocrisy, their shrewdness, their soul-deadening adherence to the common good. The author suggests this is because the Puritans are the starting point of American history as taught through public school which teaches only the resourcefulness and strength of the Puritans. Williams encourages the reader to examine more background information for an understanding of the whole picture.