The New World Movie Analysis

‘The New World’ was an intense movie full of war, love, and blood set in the beginning years of America and colonization. Around 1606 a ground of English people set off to the “New World” in search for a colony. They settled in an area in presently known as Virginia. Furthermore, this area was soon called “Jamestown” after the King of England, James I. Jamestown is located in present day Virginia. In the first place, the group of English pioneers traveled on three boats, named Susan Constant, Discovery, and Godspeed. The group landed around mid 1607 and settled in a safer area than where they had landed. The movie starts off with a Native American girl that is on the main land when these Englishman come to their area. Her name is Pocahontas,

she is the daughter of Powhatan, the chief of her tribe. Pocahontas is a very free spirited and adventurous girl. While this is going on, aboard the ships is a man named John Smith, he was sentenced to deaths for his language and “mutinous remarks” but the Captain of this voyage, Christopher Newport decided to pardon him. John Smith is the hero in this movie to some extent. The group wasn’t necessarily the healthiest and did not live in the best conditions, they were usually sick, had short rations, and there was tension with “the naturals” who were the local Native Americans. When Captain Newport leaves to return to England Smith and a small group of men go up-river in search for trade. While they were on this expedition they were ambushed by Native Americans, and John smith was brought in front of Chief Powhatan. Smith was probably going to be killed, but a beautiful girl saved his life. Pocahontas, stepped in front of her father to save the man’s life. Smith begins to live with the group as a prisoner. Even though he is a prisoner he is treated well and like by the tribe. He learns so much about their culture. While he is there is basically makes a deal with the Chief saying that the settlers will leave and return to England in the spring. Later on, the settlers got hit hard by winter, most of their numbers dying, Pocahontas and a group of people come to their savior and give the food, water, and clothes. When spring comes along the Chief realizes the Englishman have no intent in leaving, so he attacks them. The settlers respond and the altercation ended. Powhatan found out about how Pocahontas helped them during the winter and made her leave the tribe. She was accepted by the people of Jamestown and started to turn into a settler. Not to mention, while this is going on Smith is offered a position by the King on a ship exploring the East Indies. He takes the position leaving his love, Pocahontas. Smith instructs a settler to tell her after a few months that he had died. She was devastated, but later on she settled down with a man named John Rolfe. He taught her a lot and the two had a child. Rolfe had an offer for the two to go meet the Kind, James I, and soon after the offer Pocahontas realizes Smith is still alive. When she goes to England she gets to meet him one on one and he says that going on that expedition was a mistake. She excepts the fact that he left and stays with Rolfe, and when her and Rolfe were going to head back to Virginia she contracts pneumonia and soon days. But, to me she was a great leader throughout the entire movie. I think Pocahontas showed the characteristics of a leader through her adaption, passion, and faith.
Pocahontas shows so much dedication into what she believes and it is infectious. She is devoted to her tribe and everyone loves her, but when the settlers came she was willing to teach and share their ways with Smith while being able to learn from them. With this new relationship between her and the settlers he helps them out during the winter months when they are really struggling. So in full, she puts her mind to what she wants to do, she helps and enjoys her time with the settlers because she believes they can co-exist.
Furthermore, shows her passion through many things throughout the movie. One main one was her passion for John Smith, those two were inseparable and it showed. She also had a passion for the forest and nature, which explains how much of a free spirit she is and her adventurous tendencies. Passion is a very vague term but if her case it is simple, if you are not happy with what you are doing then what is the point. Which to me, shows her passion for life.
Lastly, her faith, there is only one true example in the movie to me.

Furthermore, this would be her faith in the trust between the settlers and “the naturals.” She believes that they can live together and learn from each other. There are many different definitions for faith, but one is “firm belief in something,” which describes her feelings perfectly. There are also some other areas where she shows her faith such as her faith in John Rolfe and believing in her new lifestyle. She learns so much new material and a whole different culture and she has faith in the people that are helping her day in a day out which to me, shows that she is a good leader.

In conclusion, the movie was about English settlers who came to the “New World” in search of a colony. They came upon Virginia and settled down in a small area called, Jamestown. They struggle with the local natives and from this one of the natives that helped them out was exiled and started living with her true love John Smith, who indeed was one of the settlers. But, her love left on another exploration and she married someone else and lived her life with that person. Throughout the whole story Pocahontas showed a great deal of leadership through her faith, passion, and

dedication.