Avatar Imperialism

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The brutality of colonialism has been represented numerous times in books, essays, and even films. These mediums have all attempted to identify the effects of imperialism in the context of a larger narrative. In truth, “anti-colonialism” art has become a genre unto itself. Audiences have flocked to major Hollywood features, such as Pocahontas, Dances with Wolves and Apocalypse Now. The allure of film – and storytelling as a whole – is the ability to weave complex themes into the personality of characters that are relatable, familiar, and profoundly sympathetic. Thus, James Cameron's 2009 film, Avatar, finds itself in good company with other similarly plotted narratives. However, Avatar differentiates itself by utilizing the methodology of a …show more content…

Jake Sully is disabled; a fact that allows him to immediately recognize the benefits of taking on his new role as an “Avatar.” The film's opening sequence follows Jake's journey to the mining operation on Pandora. He receives a litany of glares and dismissive comments due to his inability to walk. Jake's human compatriots ostracize and determine his worth based on his differences. Yet, Jake Sully recognizes the humanity in the Na'vi people. The Na’vi allow Jake to find purpose, community, and new life. In essence, by taking on an “Avatar,” Jake becomes more like himself. Essayist Claudia Briones contends, “In the long run, the Na’vi are nothing more than a looking glass of ‘our aspirational selves’” (318). Briones argues that the Na’vi represent the best possible version of our society; or at the very least, ourselves. Assuredly, Jake is loosened from the burden of his disability – and the stigmatization he’s encountered – and allowed to reach his true potential. Jake falls for Neytiri (the chief’s daughter) and eventually, leads the colonized people in an outright war against their oppressors. The previously terrorized Jake transforms into a hero by the story’s conclusion. He faces off against (and eventually, kills) Col. Miles Quaritch, representing the end of his journey toward self-actualization and acceptance of his true self. Jake faces deep resentment due to his …show more content…

It’s the Sky People, creepily corporate and militarized in their designs on a precious fictitious mineral, unobtainium, who are the villains of the piece. (179) Starn establishes a curious connection between the Na’vi and Native Americans in American Westerns. Starn claims the Na’vi are, in essence, a repudiation of the outdated Americanized view of native peoples. Starn maintains that the traditional roles have been reversed and native people are now the sympathetic victim of the American West. Certainly, the colonizers view the Na'vi people through the lens of their differences, instead of their similarities. The Na’vi people are marginalized, hurt, and even killed due to the crippling nature of colonialism’s prejudiced nature. The true nature of colonialism is hardly unexplored in today’s modern society. The demystification of imperialistic policies has been the result of the last fifty years’ worth of books, films, documentaries, personal accounts, and so on. Colonialism has proven to be a popular subject in the world of fiction. Numerous films have captured the relentless brutality, corporate greed, and racism of the West’s expansive empire-building. Still, James Cameron’s Avatar is a carefully crafted representation of one of the more egregious aspects of colonialism. Avatar uses the traditional format of a colonial-style narrative to explore the impact of racism in the colonized world. Unfortunately, the specter of colonialism is the stifling quagmire

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