Who Is Pocahontas True?

Pocahontas’ story has been changed throughout history. Her story has been subverted because people wanted to make it more interesting so that they could make more money and fame of off it. Townsend explains the choices that Pocahontas and her father made as well as the trajectory of her life by using other people’s accounts of her and how they perceived her. There were no documents recorded from Pocahontas.

“...two great stones were bought before Powhatan: then as many as could layd hands on him, dragged him to them, and thereon laid his head, and being ready with their clubs to beate out his braines...” (book). John thought he was about to be put to his death, by being beaten to death. He writes, “… having fested him after their best barbarous manner they could a long consultation was held...” (book) He thinks the Natives fed him his last meal and was about to kill him. Pocahontas must have thought so to, according to, Stebbins “the famous rescue of John smith by Pocahontas…” If John’s life was not in any danger, there would have been no need to rescue it. Wolfinger writes, “Pocahontas was at the center of her father’s decision to spare his life...” Therefore, John Smith’s life was in danger, and Pocahontas saved his

One of the things Pocahontas is most known for saving John Smith’s life. It all started when one day, the Pamunkey tribe caught a white man. The man was to be presented to Pocahontas’ father, Chief Powhatan, that night. The village prepared large feasts, and Pocahontas was thrilled to finally get the chance to see one of the mysterious outsiders who had come to their homeland. When the man was finally brought out, many villagers screamed in horror when he glanced at them, although Pocahontas didn’t understand why everyone was afraid of this man to be called “John Smith”. Pocahontas’ father declared that the handsome man with the blue eyes was to be killed! The toughest warrior poised his arms above his head with a club in hand and… Pocahontas

The Jamestown landing in 1607 was the first English settlement to be established in North America. In the movie “The New World” Hollywood attempted to tell the story of the Jamestown settlement and the relationship between John Smith and Pocahontas. The movie’s portrayal of their relationship was one of two people falling in love. The historical facts of their relationship, however, paint a completely different picture. Hollywood failed to represent the truth and romanticized their relationship which was not one of love, but one of an acquaintance or friendship.

After reading both of John Smith's accounts, I think that Pocahontas never saved John Smith. Both his pieces of writing give many clues to why this is true. From background information, it is known that the Virginia Company censored what writing was being sent back to Europe and England. They were instructed to write

In the beginning the men if the boats had different theories what they will find in the new world mostly they wanted a new place where they can build a new life but john smith was looking for adventure and was experience with unfamiliar land that’s why he was on the ship he also was captain of the ship and the voyage leader and who’s only concerned was the riches of the new world was Governor Ratcliffe thinking he will get position at the British court.

With this policy, the survival rate grew to nearly ninety percent that year. He organized successful trading with the Native American Powhattan. Smith was however captured by him and only spared when Powhattan’s daughter Pocahontas pleaded for his life. This is where the story of Pocahontas comes from. Smith wrote a letter about this encounter to Queen Anne when he heard of her coming to England years later. He wanted to ensure that she would not be treated as someone that could not be trusted. He wanted to show her loyalty to him and to England.

Pocahontas was connected with English colonists through Captain John Smith. He arrived in Virginia on April 1607. John Smith was captured by a group of hunting men led by Powhatan’s relative while exploring

Latter Smith went back with the colonists and the relationship with the Powhatan was better they exchanged copper, beads, and tools for grains and other goods. Pocahontas frequented John Smith and had a good relationship. Although from time to time they had altercations due to the Englishmen acquiring more land and expanding more and more, the Powhatans refused to continue to provide food for them and the Englishmen in return burned the Powhatan villages. At other times, they would try to agree peace. One time Chief Powhatan threatened to kill John Smith, but Pocahontas warned him and once again she saved his life a second time and Smith was grateful to have her friendship. John Smith had an accident he was badly injured when a store of gunpowder exploded during a fight with the natives and was sent back to England, when Pocahontas went back to visit him they told her that he had

Savages!” (songlyrics.com). There was an imaginary form of ideology being represented for the real conditions of existence by the Native American’s during this time (Althusser 155). “The starting-point is the simple one that ideology is read from film texts, consciously or unconsciously, and the relationship between each text and its culture are traceable to ideological roots.” (Turner, 1999, p.171) Pocahontas gives viewers a different picture of the Native Americans role during this time. In addition to Native American’s being criticized and misrepresented from their actual history, they were also portrayed as a Willow tree, Meeko, and Flit, whom were all objects in nature or animals. Because all Native American characters were the animals and the objects in nature, their heritage and people get pushed to the edge of society because they are made out to be different [to be objects and animals]. They are marginalized because they are different from the westerners. This impacts the ideology of social exclusion and misrepresentation of a social group. The Native American’s are misinterpreted through society today due to movies like Pocahontas portraying their people as animals, objects, or misinterpreting their role in history with negative connotations in the text. “Importantly ideological approaches reject the view of the film text as ‘unitary’ in meaning; that is, as making only one kind of sense, without considerations, exceptions, or variations in the

The colony had many problems, one of them were the Powhatan Tribe, who were not quite friendly with the colony. Another problem was the supply of food. They were running out of food. John Smith took action. He went to the Powhatan Tribe with caution, hoping to be able to trade for food. This was when Pocahontas played a big role in the colony’s survival. If it weren’t for her, the trade might’ve not been successful. She didn’t just help with the trade, but because of her curiosity of the

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.

The passage on John Smith mentions “he neglected to mention his timely rescue by the chief’s daughter, Pocahontas–a tale that would become a staple of American folklore.” Why do you think John Smith failed to mention the story about Pocahontas? Do you think he did not mention her story because she was a female Indian?

Noticeably, this is at the time when the Southerners started to create a separation. This case was a demonstration of the role that Smith and Pocahontas had played in the transformation of the United State. Despite the cases of prejudice that existed in Pocahontas society, it is noted that the there was a strong association between the two individuals. Markedly, this relationship was pivotal to the creation of these characters. The role of Pocahontas in the development of the United States is also observed in the case where Smith moves to England and he later dies.

John Smith and Pocahontas did, in fact, meet and they did develop a kindly relationship. It is said that his love for her is what helped her negotiate the release of two Indian prisoners that John Smith had caught and he stated that “not only for feature, countenance, and proportion,” she “much exceeded any of the rest of Powhatan's people.” [4] It