Dunbar’s Identification with Indians in the Film, Dances with Wolves

Dunbar’s Identification with Indians in the Film, Dances with Wolves

In the film Dances with Wolves, the settlers view the Indians as primitive and uncivilized creatures. Dunbar, played by Kevin Costner, needs a change of pace so he decides to go to the "furthest outpost." Upon arriving at his post, he gradually realizes that the Indians are just as scared of him as he is of them. Soon Dunbar identifies with their way of life and in the end has to choose to live either as a settler or as an Indian.

The first scene in which we are introduced to the Indians, Timmons and Dunbar are making their way to the post. Along the way they find a human skeleton with an arrow protruding from it. The next morning when Dunbar wakes up Timmons, he jabs him in the rear with an arrow. The irony in it is that when Timmons is returning to town he is attacked by Indians and the first arrow that makes contact with his body hits him in the rear.

Kicking Bird is the first Indian that Dunbar comes in contact with. After bathing one day Dunbar sees an Indian (Kicking Bird) trying to steal his horse. Dunbar, not realizing that he doesn't have any clothes on, runs after Kicking Bird to try to rescue his horse. Needless to say both Dunbar and Kicking Bird were scared of the other. This scene is followed by, several braves attempting to steal Dunbar's horse, but every time his horse returns to the post.

After a period of time, Dunbar decides it is time to meet the Indians. On his way to their camp he runs into a woman who has slit her wrists and is bleeding to death. The woman, who he later finds out is Stands with a Fist, is scared of the white men because she believes that the white men will take her captive. The irony in this is that when she was a child, Indians had killed her parents, taken her captive and raised her as their own. Out of exhaustion and blood loss Stands with a Fist collapses and Dunbar carries her on his horse to the Indian village. Upon entering the village, Dunbar attempts to convey to them that he means no harm by stopping his horse and carrying Stand with a Fist to the man who appeared to be the chief.