Pocahontas And The Powhatan Dilemma Summary

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Recommended: Disney pocahontas in a sociological stance

Corrin Rhodes
History 221
Dr. Fergeson
Pocahontas and the Powhatan Dilemma

Analytical Essay The fist thing that crossed my mind when I heard the word myth was the myths that I know about Pocahontas by watching the Disney movies as a child. The entire love story of Pocahontas and John Smith that played out a lot differently then portrayed in this book. When reading Pocahontas and the Powhatan Dilemma, you immediately come out with knowledge about many historical characters involved in the New World. This books looks at myths developed about Pocahontas, and Pocahontas as historically significant. Pocahontas was born in 1597 to Powhatan and her mother. When she was born, she was given the names Amounte, but this was a name only her mother and father knew. As she grew older, she was more of a, “mischievous, little playful person” (14) which is why they started calling her Pocahontas. In the book, Pocahontas tells people that her real name is Makoaka the day that she gets married. Townsend says that Pocahontas most likely helped her mother with the children, and also helped the women of the tribe picking …show more content…

Townsend writes, “Powhatan also made his intentions clear. He could not force the settlers to leave, but he could withdraw his people and his corn and attack the settlers who strayed beyond the confines of their forces. The message was clear: he wanted them to abandon the site. (96-97)” There was an acknowledgment that Pocahontas warns Smith in the middle of the night. Townsends argues this myth by saying if that was true, the Indians would have had no chance of beating the Englishmen. They had better weapons and more modern armor, so Pocahontas would have known she didn’t have to warn them because they had the upper hand all along. Little did Pocahontas know that she wouldn’t see John Smith for along time after that

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