Avatar V.S Pocahontas Essay

Disney not only fictionalizes accounts from American history, but romanticizes them as well. Since the film is directed towards children, many of them do not learn the real history of Pocahontas before watching the film thus believing the scripted story to be factual. The European men in the film all look like individuals whereas the Native Americans all look the same making it harder to differentiate between them. This could symbolize the idea that all Native Americans are the same in personality and behavior. Pocahontas was the only one in the film that stood out from the pack, she was the exception. Great emphasis is put on imagination and emotions to assist in decision making as the older neoclassical approach of using intellect is rejected.

Walt Disney’s film Pocahontas is not historically accurate, but there is value in creating cartoon interpretations of American history. As a child, cartoons are mostly important for your development, both physically and mentally. Fairy tales help children understand the complexity of life. These visions use various symbols to teach morals and cognitive skills. Walt’s film was based off the legends and folktales surrounding Pocahontas, it was not meant to be historical but to promote racial tolerance.

My personal goals are centered on healing. In this world of decreasing resources and increasing and ever diverse populations, there are unmet needs, confusions, and misunderstandings—the very stuff of conflicts and wars. It has been my experience and observation that what the world (and especially me) needs most is a transformation that involves healing, which I believe can lead to a greater measure of peace. That is to say, I have come from a heritage that is troubled with addictions and the abuse and generational cycles of violence that so often accompany addictions. However, I am a survivor, and I continually strive to go forward healing from this past. In time, I came to acknowledge my need for skills in conflict transformation and peace

Sophie Gilbert says that the “environmentalist message” was powerful and unique. The facts, sadly, are not so positive. The movie would have still been great, even if names where changed, but would it still have appeal? Many people, children and adults alike, grow up thinking that they know the story of Pocahontas. A Powhatan Chief, Roy Crazy Horse, stated “It is unfortunate that this sad story, which Euro-Americans should find embarrassing, Disney makes ‘entertainment’ and perpetuates a dishonest and self-serving myth at the expense of the Powhatan Nation”, although creators of the movie may have thought that it would be harmless, people could still find offense to Pocahontas. James Allen, who knew the history of Matoaka, decided that “turning a story like that into something fluffy and “empowering” is just uncomfortable” and if the real history was ever made known among the public, people would most likely agree.

It goes without saying that The Hero's Journey is an intriguing path for a story to follow. The Hero's Journey is a narrative pattern created by Joseph Campbell. James Cameron’s Avatar is a story about Jake Sully. Jake's brother was killed and because the two share the same DNA, Jake must take his place as an Avatar. Throughout this movie, friendships are formed, enemies are made and many lives are lost. In this essay, the path of The Hero's Journey will be looked at. Specifically, the Ordinary World, Meeting the Mentor, Tests, Allies and Enemies and the Ordeal. Avatar perfectly captures The Hero's Journey throughout the movie. From the Ordinary World to the Returning with the

Ponyo and The Little Mermaid have reflected important societal views on the individuality and standards for women during their time period. Both Ponyo and Ariel display promising female characters within a society where they did not value the individuality of women. The Little Mermaid (by Disney), and Ponyo (by Hayao Miyazaki), share similar storylines. They are both about women trying to become a part of the human world in order to be with the men they love. In order to do so, they make some mischievous and dangerous decisions.

In the year 2009, James Cameron wrote and directed one of the most remarkable films I have ever seen ‘Avatar’. This science-fiction saga has a story line that is engaging and captivating for its audience. Avatar took place on a moon called Pandora. Humans discovered very valuable natural resources on Pandora and did whatever it took to obtain what they needed from Pandora. The people of Pandora are Na’vi’s, a 10 foot tall, blue-skinned humanoid alien group that lived in the rainforest or Pandora. The Humans found a way to interact with the Na’vi’s by artificial yet organic avatars that were controlled with a human mind and conscience. Jake Sully, a paraplegic marine who was given the task to manipulate the Na’vi’s into leaving their home. Sully entered

[1] Disney’s Pocahontas has understandably received a lot of flak about the historically inaccurate story that is told about the legendary Pocahontas and Captain John Smith. There is a good reason for that. The movie does little that can be construed as historically accurate, yet Disney claims that was never their intent. Disney, in their previous movies, has been attacked for being racist and unsympathetic to racial minorities. Their answer was a movie whose sole purpose, as stated by Disney, was to promote racial tolerance. The question is, then can a movie promote racial tolerance when the issue is built on false history, history that if told accurately would depict the exact opposite?

Avatar uses a variety of film genres and styles. One of the styles is the Cowboys versus Indians theme. It is clear that Avatar is a product of post-colonialism: it shows the Na'vi as the relatively harmless yet environmentally respectful and spiritually in tuned indigenous population, while the humans are a corporate military whose only goal is mine the resources of Pandora. The film presents an anti-military narrative. The soldiers are portrayed as cruel, violent, and brainless brutes, with only mercenary intentions. They are the stereotype of the ultimate warrior. They perpetuate the “might is right” myth. All of them are males, except for a female helicopter pilot, who ultimately defects to the

Dances with Wolves and Avatar are alike in plot and cultural significance. These two films are alike in plot because in both films, two men, John Dunbar and Jake Sully, willingly put themselves into a completely new culture and lifestyle. They learn to adapt to the differences and learn a new way of life in order to survive. For example, in the movies Dances with Wolves and Avatar, John Dunbar and Jake Sully had to learn each tribe’s way of life, such as their language, hunting, and self-defense. Eventually, the two men are recognized as part of a tribe, for John the Sioux Indian Tribe and for Jake the Na’vi Tribe.

John Smith's tales of the Indian princess, Pocahontas, have, over time, encouraged the evolution of a great American myth. According to this myth, which is common knowledge to most Americans, Pocahontas saved Smith from being killed by her father and his warriors and then fell in love with John Smith. Some versions of the myth popular among Americans include the marriage of Smith and Pocahontas. Although no one can be sure of exactly what happened almost four-hundred years ago, most historians agree that the myth is incorrect. Pocahontas did not save John Smith's life from "savages" and never showed any affection for him. The events of her life differ greatly from the myth Americans have created.

These are so many influential people in the world we live in. These many people positively change the world by their actions such as putting other lives before theirs, leading the path for others, and remembering to stay kind and helpful. Pocahontas, a friendly Powhatan Indian, and a brave friend, is one of those influential people. Pocahontas is influential because of her accomplishments, legacy, and her character.

The animated Walt Disney movie Pocahontas is based on a true life story of a young Powhatan Indian girl named Pocahontas who falls in love with John Smith. In the making of the movie, Walt Disney, attempts to relate to the early 17th Century historic event of Europeans settling in Jamestown; however, Disney did not portrait the true story. Disney rewrote the story by making it a beautifully romantic and animated love story like a Cinderella fairytale.

The similarities and differences between the myth and movie are very important to decipher because it helps one understand which representation is the myth and which one is Disney.

The movie Avatar takes place in a world that is inhabited by the Na’vi called Pandora. Avatars are human minds, transferred into the body of the Na’vi species’ so that the humans are better equipped when dealing with the world of Pandora. Humans infiltrate this land to take away this precious stone that is locked away underground. To get to this stone they must take away the homeland of the natives living there. The setting Pandora is a very mystical place and has many animals, or monsters, from a human’s perspective. It is such a foreign place that humans are slowly adjusting to better understand it. The Matrix deals with the human setting of the dystopia, and