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Essays on pocahontas
Essays on pocahontas
Research documents on pocahontas
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Even Though Smith provides a truthful perspective of his experiences and explorations, others wish to embellish his story to introduce emotion into early American history. Pocahontas’ age is raised to make the story rich with romance and compatibility between her and Smith. It brings together two different cultures. Frances Mossiker, the author of Pocahontas: The Life and the Legend views the romanticized version of John Smith and Pocahontas as “[t]he tableau vivant at the alter-stone—the death-defying embrace, white man and red woman aswoon with love and terror—seems fixed, frozen in time, indelibly imprinted on the mind’s eye, reminding us that at least once in our history there existed the possibility of interracial accommodation” (337).
The myth’s historical contribution shows how the strong and honorable forefather embraced the native culture and blended it with his own. It makes future generations believe that the colonists were more open to different traditions and ways of thinking than they really were. Although this myth is untrue, it rounds out Smith as an exceptionable leader embracing different cultures. While some individuals invent stories to enhance early American history, Smith sticks to reporting the truth as he perceives it. He frankly speaks about the incompetence of the Virginia Company’s leadership, causing animosity against him. In Percy’s writings, he “corroborates and even adds to Smith’s criticisms of the colonists and other leaders in order to make himself seem less responsible for the colony’s misery” (Lehman 237). Additionally, Smith spoke out about the company’s main goal of seeking gold and abusing the undeveloped land without much regard for the consequences. Alden Vaughn describes Smith’s characteristics as, “a hard-working, hard-fighting soldier who cared deeply about his nation’s expansion into the forests of America and who recorded its progress as faithfully as he could” and because of this “America found a prototype of itself: bold, energetic, and optimist; at the same time brass, intolerant, overly proud of its achievements, and overly solicitous of approval” (190). Surprisingly, Smith was only in America for two years, but in those few years while he was there, he managed to establish a surviving colony and create an ongoing legacy which shows him to be one of the best representatives of America’s forefathers
As a young child many of us are raised to be familiar with the Pocahontas and John Smith story. Whether it was in a Disney movie or at a school play that one first learned of Jamestown, students want to believe that this romantic relationship really did occur. As one ages, one becomes aware of the dichotomy between fact and fiction. This is brilliantly explained in David A. Price's, Love and Hate in Jamestown. Price describes a more robust account of events that really did take place in the poorly run, miserable, yet evolving settlement of Jamestown, Virginia; and engulfs and edifies the story marketed by Disney and others for young audiences. Price reveals countless facts from original documents about the history of Jamestown and other fledgling colonies, John Smith, and Smith's relationship with Pocahontas. He develops a more compelling read than does the typical high school text book and writes intriguingly which propels the reader, to continue on to the successive chapters in the early history of Virginia.
The main plot of the film focuses on the relationship between John Smith, Pocahontas and John Rolfe. The film was a romantic film and had a lot of romantic scenes that were probably not portrayed in actual historical events. For example, the two main characters in the film were of course John Smith and Pocahontas, and there were many scenes in the movie that implied their romantic relationship. Scenes, such as when the two are connecting with one another, spending time together and learning about each other mostly through touch and sign language, after Pocahontas had saved John Smith from execution. In these few scenes each character narrates and discusses their idea on love and expressing their feelings on one another. Although, entertaining, John Smith and Pocahontas weren’t actually romantically involved with each other as the film portrays in these few scenes. It is uncertain what the relationship John Smith and Pocahontas actually had. Most likely, it was a beneficial relationship between the two, since there was a lot of trading between the Native American tribes and the colonists. (Read, 2005)
The essence of Pocahontas’ history is debatable, with very few documented facts. Pocahontas lived over four hundred years ago, and the known facts may also be manipulated. The story John Smith recounted of his own ordeal may have been altered to suit his own needs. The truth of the story may not be the facts given of the story. The essence of Pocahontas’ legend is really what is argued. Some may object to Disney’s version of the tale; however, it is Disney’s version to tell.
Alexie's poem "How To Write the Great American Indian Novel" blends several dilemmas at once. Underlying to the poem and the act of writing the `Great American Indian Novel' is the awareness in all Colored people of a catch-22: that they are seen solely as a reflection of how White America views them. In the case of the Native American they are either seen as a less-than-articulate `Noble Savage'/ mystic, a caricature who greets white men with a monosyllabic `How', or a brute savage/ reservation drunkard. Likewise, the Native American is expected to feel shame for the stereotypes that have been thrust upon him; regardless of whether individuals of the dominating culture take stock in the accepted stereotypes or not, the Native American still feels critical eyes on him always, and senses the act of be labeled. If he tries to configure himself into the dominating culture, and comply with the set standards of Whites he is then seen as a `a credit to the race', an `apple Indian`, and a `sellout`, poorly imitating White culture without truly fitting in. Similarly, any Native American who does not try to comply with the standards of White culture is at risk of playing into the brutish, reserv...
There are many reasons and motivations behind Hurston’s compilation of African-American folktales, but one that is often overlooked is her personal need to reconcile her intellectual, White, Barnard-educated life with her traditional roots in Eatonville, Florida. In her introduction Hurston writes:
The Americans had many problems with the Native Americans during the Colonial period. Sometimes the Americans were even taken as captives by the Indians. In New England alone, an estimated 1,641 with captives were taken between 1675 and 1763. Among two of these were Mary Rowlandson and James Smith. Mary Rowlandson was a reverend’s wife from Massachusetts during the seventeenth century and James Smith was cutting a wagon trail in Pennsylvania during the eighteenth century. Even though they were both taken to be used in the Indian villages, because of their gender, their time with the Indians differed greatly in how they were treated and how their thoughts of the Indians were influenced.
Venture Smith’s narrating of his experiences in the revolting slavery system of the 1700’s, serves as a valuable primary source. Smith’s retelling of his experience
The Disney movies of Pocahontas tell a plot of a Native ¬American tribe and English colonists that fight for the land the Native Americans live on though war ultimately creating moderate peace. While keeping to their own sect, the imbalance of power between the two social groups is prevalent throughout much of the story. Walt Disney’s Pocahontas is more than a classic children’s movie. It is a thoughtful, well contrived narration that portrays a message that in order to fit in, you must be a certain race and born into a specific culture. Disney’s Pocahontas suggesting that the color of our skin shouldn’t matter when being accepted into social groups as well as the idea that arranged marriage should be rejected. Thus, treating people right could ultimately have a positive outcome and lastly, the film also suggests that family roles change without a mother figure.
In Chapter 4, the English settler’s relationship with the Powhatan tribe took a turn for the worse. John Smith became greedy for corn and food, but he wasn’t making a thorough effort to produce food himself. Smith often became violent with the Powhatan people. After being generously helped by the tribes, he responded by turning guns people and forcing them to give him food. His self-centered greed for corn made Chief Wahunseneca angry. The Chief expressed his anger to John Smith. He was especially angry because he had trusted the English colonist and even made him a werowance. However, Wahunseneca stayed calm, and he encouraged peace. Smith recounted the story by saying he was in danger, and he was saved again by Pocahontas. He claimed that
As children we have innocent minds, we just want prince charming to find a princess we usually don’t see the full meaning of the films. In the Disney film Pocahontas (1995) the deeper meaning is equality in every living organism on the earth. The directors, Eric Goldberg and Mike Gabriel show this in the soundtrack, story line, and theme of the movie. They use real life based events of the settlers coming to America and a star crossed love story to demonstrate how we are all equal no matter the color of our skin, our opinions, or way of life. We all come from mother nature and we are all connected in the circle of life.
Creating a generalization of people, and although the literature has changed over the years, Wilson states that media involving natives has set the record straight by allowing a Native American’s perspective on the colonization (xxi). This allows people to feel better about the history of the colonization, despite the horrors that the nation endured. The raping of native women by English men was left out to alleviate “the Indian’s story that had been one of stolen lands, and sadness” (Takaki 45). This was because, from the settler’s point of view, it was either civilization or murder. Since Pocahontas and John Smith were portrayed as lovers, she was perceived as the stereotypical native woman. She is depicted as a woman who white men see as sexually desirable. She is also perceived as a sexual being, since once Smith left, she quickly captures the heart of Rolfe. She is also shown helping white men when she defends Smith on multiple occasions, which in the end, caused her to be kicked out of her tribe by her father. Pocahontas “must be a good partner, and a lover” (Green 204). She captivates the image of the romanticized native women by saving Smith and going against her father. She was also the favorite daughter out of his many children and attracts two men in the movie; Smith and Rolfe. The movie does a good job of portraying Pocahontas as a native woman by giving her emotions and feeling felt by the audience to “set the record straight” (Wilson xxi). Although she is perceived as the stereotypical good Indian woman by having her be a beautiful exotic, and conforming woman, she was more willing to conform to society than the vast majority of the indigenous
Sure, Smith might not have wanted to say anything bad about the natives while living near them. However, Smith’s story “True Relation” (published in 1608) has no mention of Pocahontas at all. If Pocahontas was such a relevant character in the event, why was she not even mentioned at the publishing of the story? Also, “Why would a chief who had been so friendly before, suddenly decide to kill John Smith?” (Lewis A). Because the stories just don’t match up correctly, the credibility of what he wrote in England is severely
In an article that echos Robart Bard’s piece “Going Indian”, Pauline Turner’s article on “Playing Indian in the Nineties” highlights the juxtapositional messages that are imposed in the 1995 films Pocahontas and The Indian in the Cupboard. The piece uses several examples to highlight the way both films support the idea of looking beyond differences and critiquing the objectification of human beings while reinforcing opposing notions in underlying scenes throughout both films or in the form of promotional material. The author poses questions that bring to light the contradictions found in these films by connecting it to his own life and family. The piece ends with a reflection on these themes and a call to action in the future.
The real Pocahontas was a the daughter of the Chief Powhatan, leader of the Algonquin. She was originally named matoaka but in her tribe they were granted multiple names which later turned to Amonute and then into Pocahontas because of her free and curious spirit. What made her well known was her meeting John Smith. Although not certain when they first met he writes about a young girl in 1608 when she saved him from being captured by a relative of Pocahontas. Others say it was when her father tried to kill him and Pocahontas saving him by risking her own life. It is know for a fact that Pocahontas had a relationship with the people of Jamestown and even kept them from starving but as the town grew so did the conflict
Rebecca Rolfe or better known as Pocahontas remains one of those figures in history whose story still remains an enigma; that which to this day is veiled in the mist of diverse and often antithetical opinions and accounts of various writers including that of (Capt. John Smith). Many believe that Rebecca Rolfe ( Pocahontas) married the man of her dreams , warded off the threat of a colonist invasion through negotiation with King James IV and painted her way into her happily ever after with the colors of the wind; we can thank Disney’s brutally morphed representation of Pocahontas’ life in the movie “POCAHONTAS” for that . In Disney’s version of the tale Pocahontas is a vibrant, cheerful, chirpy, coming of age girl who is striving for answers