329:question:329--week_2_questions_comments-2018
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| 329:question:329--week_2_questions_comments-2018 [2018/09/06 01:43] – [Errors in fact] 174.204.3.40 | 329:question:329--week_2_questions_comments-2018 [2018/09/06 14:57] (current) – [Things the movie got right] 192.65.245.79 | ||
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| ====== Errors in fact ====== | ====== Errors in fact ====== | ||
| - | In the movie, they made Pocahontas much older than she really was at the time of meeting John Smith in 1607. Which in a way, could be considered a ' | + | **In the movie, they made Pocahontas much older than she really was at the time of meeting John Smith in 1607. Which in a way, could be considered a ' |
| Pocahontas did not have a romantic involvement with Captain John Smith, and would have been much younger during the 1608 timeframe. | Pocahontas did not have a romantic involvement with Captain John Smith, and would have been much younger during the 1608 timeframe. | ||
| - | //To add onto that point, | + | **To add onto that point, |
| - | // | + | |
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| - | One of the errors that stood out to me the most was that Pocahontas wasn’t close to Smith’s age-she was around 10 and he was in his late thirties. According to Indian Country Today, Disney knew that she wasn’t a teenager or a young woman but decided to increase her age in order to give the film an emotional romantic impact (Schilling, V. 2017). | + | |
| + | One of the errors that stood out to me the most was that Pocahontas wasn’t close to Smith’s age-she was around 10 and he was in his late thirties. According to Indian Country Today, Disney knew that she wasn’t a teenager or a young woman but decided to increase her age in order to give the film an emotional romantic impact (Schilling, V. 2017). | ||
| Mansky, J. (2017). The True Story of Pocahontas. Smithsonian. [online] Available at: https:// | Mansky, J. (2017). The True Story of Pocahontas. Smithsonian. [online] Available at: https:// | ||
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| At the end of the movie Pocahontas has the hard decision of leaving with her love John Smith or staying, she ends up staying with her tribe. In real life, she was taken by the English back to England and married off to this guy John Rolfe who wanted to teach her all about the cool times of Christianity. Together they eventually moved to Brentford in Middlesex, then she died though in her early twenties, they’re thinking is was the good old tuberculosis that got her in the end. If you want to watch the Disney inaccuracies of this ending, there’s always Pocahontas 2. -Amiti Colson | At the end of the movie Pocahontas has the hard decision of leaving with her love John Smith or staying, she ends up staying with her tribe. In real life, she was taken by the English back to England and married off to this guy John Rolfe who wanted to teach her all about the cool times of Christianity. Together they eventually moved to Brentford in Middlesex, then she died though in her early twenties, they’re thinking is was the good old tuberculosis that got her in the end. If you want to watch the Disney inaccuracies of this ending, there’s always Pocahontas 2. -Amiti Colson | ||
| - | Other than the obvious things that Disney got wrong on this movie, Disney forgot to mention the fact that Pocahontas was not an only child. Like mentioned in class, she had many siblings that she had to fight with to obtain favoritism from her father Chief Powhatan, which did not last long. Also, as noted by another student in class, the first settlers in Jamestown were in fact soldiers, except for Thomas, John Smith’s friend in the film who was afraid of a gun most of the time. Also, another thing Disney got wrong; No such thing as talking trees. –Alyx Wilson | + | **Other than the obvious things that Disney got wrong on this movie, Disney forgot to mention the fact that Pocahontas was not an only child**. Like mentioned in class, she had many siblings that she had to fight with to obtain favoritism from her father Chief Powhatan, which did not last long. Also, as noted by another student in class, the first settlers in Jamestown were in fact soldiers, except for Thomas, John Smith’s friend in the film who was afraid of a gun most of the time. Also, another thing Disney got wrong; No such thing as talking trees. –Alyx Wilson |
| + | **Was the portrayal of Governor Ratcliffe being better off than the rest of the men (living in his own tent, getting to miss out on physical labor, and having better possessions) accurate to the actual living conditions of the men at Jamestown? Were all of the men in the fort regarded as equal, or did rank and class affect the experiences of the settlers?** -Maddie Shiflett | ||
| - | Was the portrayal of Governor Ratcliffe being better off than the rest of the men (living in his own tent, getting to miss out on physical labor, and having better possessions) accurate to the actual living conditions of the men at Jamestown? Were all of the men in the fort regarded as equal, or did rank and class affect the experiences of the settlers? | + | One thing that I kept thinking about after Dr. McClurken’s lecture is **how successful John Smith’s revisionist history was. Smith’s memoirs were already quick to posture himself as the hero, creating |
| - | One thing that I kept thinking about after Dr. McClurken’s lecture is how successful John Smith’s revisionist history was. Smith’s memoirs were already quick to posture himself as the hero, creating | + | **Do you think that the love story and the fictional peace that ensued as a result |
| - | Do you think that the love story and the fictional peace that ensued as a result was an irresponsible portrayal of history or a message that two groups can get along with one another in a way that the movie demonstrated? | + | I thought it was really interesting |
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| - | I thought it was really interesting how they chose to depict the Jamestown settlement. What was the purpose of adding waterfalls, cliffs, and mountains? It seems silly to change the geography of the land for aesthetic purposes. Also - the colonists and Native Americans would not have been able to communicate with one another, and especially not in American accents. --Maryanna Stribling | + | |
| John Ratcliffe was not a governor of Virginia. He was a captain like John Smith and sent to build a fort at Point Comfort only to be found later at Nansemond tortured to death. --William Roszell | John Ratcliffe was not a governor of Virginia. He was a captain like John Smith and sent to build a fort at Point Comfort only to be found later at Nansemond tortured to death. --William Roszell | ||
| - | I have not watched Pocahontas in years, so watching it now, as an adult, I had a completely different take on it. For starts the geography of that area was incorrect. As Maryanna stated above, what was the purpose of adding the waterfall and mountains? Also, Grandmother Willow was depicted as a Weeping Willow tree which are native to China and not America. So if the colonist in the movie were the first ones to settle there, there was no way a non-native tree got to the area over 200 years ago (Grandmother willow said that was how old she was in the movie). --Caroline Collier | + | I have not watched Pocahontas in years, so watching it now, as an adult, I had a completely different take on it. For starts the geography of that area was incorrect. As Maryanna stated above, what was the purpose of adding the waterfall and mountains? Also, **Grandmother Willow was depicted as a Weeping Willow tree which are native to China and not America. So if the colonist in the movie were the first ones to settle there, there was no way a non-native tree got to the area over 200 years ago (Grandmother willow said that was how old she was in the movie). --Caroline Collier** |
| "Salix Babylonica - Plant Finder." | "Salix Babylonica - Plant Finder." | ||
| - | I thought it was interesting that even though from what we learned in class, the Powhatan people were a matrilineal society, in the movie you really only saw two female characters, Pocahontas and her friend Nakoma (who is barely mentioned by name in the film). Even in the group shots, it shows mainly a male dominated population. Was that just a misinterpretation of fact or a direct choice by the director? --Ellora Larsen | + | **I thought it was interesting that even though from what we learned in class, the Powhatan people were a matrilineal society, in the movie you really only saw two female characters, Pocahontas and her friend Nakoma (who is barely mentioned by name in the film). Even in the group shots, it shows mainly a male dominated population. Was that just a misinterpretation of fact or a direct choice by the director?** --Ellora Larsen |
| During the song that Ratcliffe sings about mining for gold after the settlers land, they seem to use barrels containing some kind of explosive to displace the earth more quickly and expeditiously, | During the song that Ratcliffe sings about mining for gold after the settlers land, they seem to use barrels containing some kind of explosive to displace the earth more quickly and expeditiously, | ||
| - | This movie depicts John Smith in a very wholesome and good light. At one point, John Smith argues with Ratcliffe, telling him that where they had landed was the land of the natives and not theirs. He is depicted very pro-native when in reality he was proud of his attacks on the natives and wanted to find riches in the new land as much as the next settler. -Erin Andrewlevich | + | **This movie depicts John Smith in a very wholesome and good light. At one point, John Smith argues with Ratcliffe, telling him that where they had landed was the land of the natives and not theirs. He is depicted very pro-native when in reality he was proud of his attacks on the natives and wanted to find riches in the new land as much as the next settler**. -Erin Andrewlevich |
| - | It was interesting to note that while there are obviously a lot of historical errors, they seem to be rooted in some factual evidence. Historically we know Pocahontas married Kocoum, so Disney' | + | **It was interesting to note that while there are obviously a lot of historical errors, they seem to be rooted in some factual evidence.** Historically we know Pocahontas married Kocoum, so Disney' |
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| + | In the movie, Pocahontas and John Smith are portrayed as having more than just a “friends” relationship. They are shown to have a serious relationship. For example, in the movie, Pocahontas and John Smith kissed and Pocahontas tells her father that she loves him. When in fact, Pocahontas and John Smith did not have any sort of romantic relationship. Importantly, | ||
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| + | My first problem is the every shift proportion of huge waterfalls, hills, rivers, and huge trees that tower above the people. These are not geographically accurate at all and seem to show a lack of research or care by Disney. Disney messed up a part of Native American villages when Powhatan said that Kocoum would build Pocahontas a good house as the women of the tribe normally built the house. This would be a more anglicized cultural view that detracts from the historical accuracy of the film. **The finery that John Ratcliff carried with him would not have been brought at Ratcliff was not a governor and luxury was not paid for by the Virginia Company. Ratcliff also mentions that he is reporting to King James but that is not what the expedition was about as it was the companies who tried to set up in the New World not the English government, at least not at first.This villainization of a higher class or more aristocratic persona as well speaks to how the Americans viewed English power, English upperclass, and monarchy or Disney thought they did.**--Jack Hagn | ||
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| ====== Things the movie got right ====== | ====== Things the movie got right ====== | ||
| - | The movie got right the name of the ship “Susan Constant” that Smith, and Ratcliff sailed on. The general years of the interaction with the Powhatan Indians, the names of some of the characters, and the use of the Algonquin language spoken by the Powhatan Indians. (they actually used an Algonquin native as advisor) They got right the name of The Virginia Company that first colonized Jamestown, and a lot of the indigenous tribe names and places in the region. | + | **The movie got right the name of the ship “Susan Constant” that Smith, and Ratcliff sailed on. The general years of the interaction with the Powhatan Indians, the names of some of the characters, and the use of the Algonquin language spoken by the Powhatan Indians. (they actually used an Algonquin native as advisor) They got right the name of The Virginia Company that first colonized Jamestown, and a lot of the indigenous tribe names and places in the region. |
| John Smith was in fact a well-traveled explorer and did come to Virginia around 1607, where he did work with a man of the name John Ratcliff, so in this aspect, the movie was accurate. Also, Pocohontas' | John Smith was in fact a well-traveled explorer and did come to Virginia around 1607, where he did work with a man of the name John Ratcliff, so in this aspect, the movie was accurate. Also, Pocohontas' | ||
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| Disney did not go as far as adding Pocahontas’ mother, which history knows little about. The only time her mother is mentioned in the film is when her father, Chief Powhattan, bestows Pocahontas a necklace that belonged to her mother as a wedding gift/ | Disney did not go as far as adding Pocahontas’ mother, which history knows little about. The only time her mother is mentioned in the film is when her father, Chief Powhattan, bestows Pocahontas a necklace that belonged to her mother as a wedding gift/ | ||
| - | One interesting detail I noticed they got right was in regards to who actually first arrived when Jamestown was founded. People seem to believe there were some women who joined the men on the initial excursion to Jamestown when in fact, it was an all-male operation. This is likely because when the Virginia Company of London first sent people out to settle what would become Jamestown, the need for women was not yet necessary (most likely because the Virginia Company wanted to know if it would actually be possible for a colony to be settled there before they sent women and children over). In the film, they held true to the lack of women who initially arrived to settle Jamestown, which is a small historically-accurate detail I can appreciate. -Robert Dallas | + | Though Disney did not do the story of Pocahontas justice, in my opinion, they did get a few things correct. Disney seemed to have done their research on characters names in the movie. John Smith was in fact an explorer, Chief Powhatan was Pocahontas' |
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| + | One interesting detail I noticed they got right was in regards to who actually first arrived when Jamestown was founded. People seem to believe there were some women who joined the men on the initial excursion to Jamestown when in fact, it was an all-male operation. This is likely because when the Virginia Company of London first sent people out to settle what would become Jamestown, the need for women was not yet necessary (most likely because the Virginia Company wanted to know if it would actually be possible for a colony to be settled there before they sent women and children over). In **the film, they held true to the lack of women who initially arrived to settle Jamestown, which is a small historically-accurate detail I can appreciate**. -Robert Dallas | ||
| - | I thought it was interesting how the movie actually pays a certain amount of lip service to the inherently brutal nature of colonization. It would have been easy to make all the Europeans romantic heroes, as western culture had for centuries, but Disney (likely inadvertently) depicts European colonists as the victims of an inherently corrupt system, displaying more awareness than one might expect. Of course, whether the movie squanders this in the end by having the entire system redeemed by love between cultures is something that deserves some debate. --Justin Curtis | + | **I thought it was interesting how the movie actually pays a certain amount of lip service to the inherently brutal nature of colonization. It would have been easy to make all the Europeans romantic heroes, as western culture had for centuries, but Disney (likely inadvertently) depicts European colonists as the victims of an inherently corrupt system, displaying more awareness than one might expect. Of course, whether the movie squanders this in the end by having the entire system redeemed by love between cultures is something that deserves some debate**. --Justin Curtis |
| - | What I found interesting is how they did play up the racism of the colonists. John Smith maintained a racist attitude until a " | + | What I found interesting is how they did play up the racism of the colonists. |
| - | The movie held true to the fact that the Colonists were attempting to follow the Spanish' | + | **The movie held true to the fact that the Colonists were attempting to follow the Spanish' |
| The film sort of accurately portrayed the British interests in going to the New World. The drive for gold and glory were real motivations for the British after the Spanish were successful in bringing back gold from Latin America. The Virginia company and the settlers who went to Jamestown were expecting to find gold to make themselves wealthy back in Britain. Pocahontas’ first husband being the native American warrior Kocoum was also accurate.-Kyle Moore | The film sort of accurately portrayed the British interests in going to the New World. The drive for gold and glory were real motivations for the British after the Spanish were successful in bringing back gold from Latin America. The Virginia company and the settlers who went to Jamestown were expecting to find gold to make themselves wealthy back in Britain. Pocahontas’ first husband being the native American warrior Kocoum was also accurate.-Kyle Moore | ||
| - | There were a few things that I noticed that Disney got right in this film, but most of them were general ideas rather than specifics. The first thing I noticed was that they did emphasize how dangerous it was for these settlers to sail across the ocean. I also noticed that when introducing the Native Americans they showed the women farming and the men fishing. They also emphasized that the Governor’s motivation was to find gold and get rich, which was the main motivation for the English going to the new world. – Carolyn Stough | + | There were a few things that I noticed that Disney got right in this film, but most of them were general ideas rather than specifics. The first thing I noticed was that **they did emphasize how dangerous it was for these settlers to sail across the ocean. I also noticed that when introducing the Native Americans they showed the women farming and the men fishing.** They also emphasized that the Governor’s motivation was to find gold and get rich, which was the main motivation for the English going to the new world. – Carolyn Stough |
| - | Though Disney did not do the story of Pocahontas justice, in my opinion, they did get a few things correct. Disney seemed to have done their research on characters names in the movie. John Smith was in fact an explorer, Chief Powhatan was Pocahontas' | + | **In the interaction John Smith has with Pocahantas just before she sings " |
| - | + | ||
| - | In the interaction John Smith has with Pocahantas just before she sings " | + | |
| ~Will Everett | ~Will Everett | ||
| - | This part wasn't exactly accurate but it wasn't wrong how in the end John Smith had to travel back to England because of an injury. The injury wasn't the same and their longing goodbyes most likely did not happen but the fact that John Smith had to travel back and movie Pocahontas probably doesn' | + | Disney got the greed of the Englishmen as the primary motivation for travelling to the new world as well as the entitlement that they felt in their right to just take whatever land. The view of Englishmen looking at the Native Americans as “savages” that shouldn’t be thought of anything except obstacles was another accurate portrayal. **There was also one a view shown by Smith about how much the Western culture could help improve the Native American' |
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| + | This part wasn't exactly accurate but it wasn't wrong how in the end John Smith had to travel back to England because of an injury. | ||
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| + | A few small details about Pocahontas' | ||
| + | **One of the things the move got right was the portrayal of the gender diversification between the male and female Indians. It showed the women working in the fields, where they would be considered farmers. While the men were portrayed as hunters and fisherman. –** Courtlyn Plunkett | ||
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| ====== Questions about interpretation ====== | ====== Questions about interpretation ====== | ||
| - | The Disney film actually skews favorably towards the native Americans in depicting the English settlers as conquerors intent on colonizing and killing the natives in the name of the King of England. But is significantly inaccurate the romantic relationship between Smith and Pocahontas, and her age. Ratcliffe is portrayed as a villain but there is not mention of that in the primary source letter by Smith. | + | The Disney film actually skews favorably towards the native Americans in depicting the English settlers as conquerors intent on colonizing and killing the natives in the name of the King of England. But is significantly inaccurate the romantic relationship between Smith and Pocahontas, and her age. |
| - | Camilla Townsend, who spoke to the Smithsonian Magazine, is a history professor at Rutger | + | **Camilla Townsend**, who spoke to the Smithsonian Magazine, is a history professor at Rutgers |
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| - | This movie makes it look like they were out for gold but reading the text from John Smiths journal it appears that they were more concerned with trading for food than finding metals. I know the movie and the general reason for going was gold but the original contact and meetings was about food and safety. --William Roszell | + | **This movie makes it look like they were out for gold but reading the text from John Smiths journal it appears that they were more concerned with trading for food than finding metals.** I know the movie and the general reason for going was gold but the original contact and meetings was about food and safety. --William Roszell |
| - | I wonder why Disney made the choice to show the story of Pocahontas when they were deciding what movies to make. Pocahontas was an interesting character but it definitely seems like the did not do background research other than to get basic names. Were they just trying to increase their diversity of their Disney " | + | **I wonder why Disney made the choice to show the story of Pocahontas when they were deciding what movies to make. Pocahontas was an interesting character but it definitely seems like the did not do background research other than to get basic names. Were they just trying to increase their diversity of their Disney " |
| + | In response to Ellora' | ||
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| + | **I wonder how well known the John Smith revisionist history was in the United States at the time? Was this tale one that was welcomingly familiar Americans? | ||
| ====== The movie as a primary source of its time ====== | ====== The movie as a primary source of its time ====== | ||
| The film could be considered an accurate representation of a primary source of historically based fantasy animation for the mid-1990’s. And, is the first time a female native American princess is in a Disney film. The movie takes liberties to incorporate some of the lore-based details to portray Pocahontas as a heroine. It is also an example of Mel Gibson and Christian Bale as actors in 1990's animation. – Andrew Mullins | The film could be considered an accurate representation of a primary source of historically based fantasy animation for the mid-1990’s. And, is the first time a female native American princess is in a Disney film. The movie takes liberties to incorporate some of the lore-based details to portray Pocahontas as a heroine. It is also an example of Mel Gibson and Christian Bale as actors in 1990's animation. – Andrew Mullins | ||
| + | ** | ||
| + | The movie showed the nicer side of how people might want the story of Pocahontas to be portrayed**. The message in the movie was about two racially different groups of people who feared the other because of their differences and this was only overcome by the love and compassion shown in Pocahontas’s love for John Smith. This is not how the history actually played out and instead there was bloodshed that stained this crucial part of American history. | ||
| - | //The movie showed the nicer side of how people might want the story of Pocahontas to be portrayed. The message | + | **This |
| - | The movie rewrites history in a way that shows how people in the 1990’s wish to view their past. The openness and acceptance that they felt in the 1990’s is imposed on the 1600’s which is detrimental because it makes it seem like these were lessons learned long ago and not modern reform that is still ongoing. | ||
| - | If we believe that Native Americans and European settlers got along after Pocahontas | + | The film Pocahontas |
| - | This movie corrects past stereotypes that appeared in films from earlier | + | **There is a reason people refer to these stories as being “Disney-fied” especially the ones during the time this film was made. Disney has never been a company that wants to rock the boat or get involved |
| - | + | The movie acts as a good representation | |
| - | The film Pocahontas is a good source on the evolution a story can have overtime when retold over many years. It is also a good source on how Disney uses source material in their movies. What is presented by Disney is more of a Romeo and Juliet story with the setting and characters of John Smith’s story. This tactic | + | |
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| - | There is a reason people refer to these stories | + | |
| ====== Comparing the reading to the movie ====== | ====== Comparing the reading to the movie ====== | ||
| - | I found that reading was very detailed and at times was challenging to follow due to its use of 1600’s Kings English. | + | **I found that reading was very detailed and at times was challenging to follow due to its use of 1600’s Kings English.** The reading doesn’t substantiate the relationship between Smith or Pocahontas as romantic and there is no mention of her ‘saving’ his life by intervening when the father of one of the men killed by Smith comes to take revenge. – Andrew Mullins |
| - | One thing that I noticed in the reading was that Captain Smith had a strong relationship with many native tribes. They knew who he was and welcomed him when he arrived; many natives also ventured into the English fort with him. In the reading, Smith also had many encounters with Chief Powhatan. Yet in the movie, Smith and the English settlers do not have conversations with the natives and stay to themselves. Of course relations between the English settlers and the natives did eventually break down, but the film denies that John Smith interacted with the natives. | + | **One thing that I noticed in the reading was that Captain Smith had a strong relationship with many native tribes. They knew who he was and welcomed him when he arrived; many natives also ventured into the English fort with him. In the reading, Smith also had many encounters with Chief Powhatan**. Yet in the movie, Smith and the English settlers do not have conversations with the natives and stay to themselves. Of course relations between the English settlers and the natives did eventually break down, but the film denies that John Smith interacted with the natives. |
| - | I thought that the movie altered the true personality of Captain Smith that we see in the reading. In real life, Smith seemed to be very dedicated to his men and his purpose of colonizing for England. Yet, in the movie, Smith is cast as a day-dreamer who sneaks off and leaves his men to manage without him while he goes to spend time with Pocahontas. -Maddie Shiflett | + | **I thought that the movie altered the true personality of Captain Smith that we see in the reading. In real life, Smith seemed to be very dedicated to his men and his purpose of colonizing for England.** Yet, in the movie, Smith is cast as a day-dreamer who sneaks off and leaves his men to manage without him while he goes to spend time with Pocahontas. -Maddie Shiflett |
| - | As stated in the reading and this Youtube video (https:// | + | As stated in the reading and this Youtube video (https:// |
| - | The reading definitely emphasizes the difficulties faced by the colonists when they arrived, whereas the movie hardly mentions them, other than the lack of food. However, this could be because Miko ate all their biscuits. The historical John Smith is somewhat similar to the film John Smith, in that he seems to be more willing to work with the Natives than his counterparts. However, we can't know that for sure, since this is Smith' | + | **The reading definitely emphasizes the difficulties faced by the colonists when they arrived, whereas the movie hardly mentions them, other than the lack of food. However, this could be because Miko ate all their biscuits.** The historical John Smith is somewhat similar to the film John Smith, in that he seems to be more willing to work with the Natives than his counterparts. However, we can't know that for sure, since this is Smith' |
| ====== The "So, what?" question ====== | ====== The "So, what?" question ====== | ||
| - | Was it right for the authors of the film to have portrayed Pocahontas as the love interest of John Smith and subsequently the savior of her people at the expense of historical accuracy, especially when so much is known about her age and actual marriage to John Rolfe? – Andrew Mullins | + | **Was it right for the authors of the film to have portrayed Pocahontas as the love interest of John Smith and subsequently the savior of her people at the expense of historical accuracy, especially when so much is known about her age and actual marriage to John Rolfe?** – Andrew Mullins |
| At the beginning of the film, there was a map that Ratcliffe was looking at and I wonder if it was accurate? Mexico was Mexica and everything North of that was Virginia. There were places that had a treasure chest drawn next to them and I don’t know if that meant he knew for a fact there was gold and had been there or if they were assumptions that gold was there. - Johana Colchado | At the beginning of the film, there was a map that Ratcliffe was looking at and I wonder if it was accurate? Mexico was Mexica and everything North of that was Virginia. There were places that had a treasure chest drawn next to them and I don’t know if that meant he knew for a fact there was gold and had been there or if they were assumptions that gold was there. - Johana Colchado | ||
| - | So, what’s the point of this movie? Why did Disney go out of their way to pour millions of dollars into animations and voice actors to create this film? Well I’m sure Disney was searching for their next big movie of the time and Director Gabriel brought this movie to life. Or maybe Disney was just itching to release further content teaching the youth of America that we should love each other, hold hands and sang songs. It plays with the theme, that if we don’t learn to live with one another, we will destroy ourselves. Disney is all about that feel good, happy ending movie. This movie was ever meant to be an accurate portrayal of those earlier events in history, it’s just supposed to be a movie that teaches people to be kind human beings and to learn from one another. | + | **So, what’s the point of this movie? Why did Disney go out of their way to pour millions of dollars into animations and voice actors to create this film?** Well I’m sure Disney was searching for their next big movie of the time and Director Gabriel brought this movie to life. Or maybe Disney was just itching to release further content teaching the youth of America that we should love each other, hold hands and sang songs. It plays with the theme, that if we don’t learn to live with one another, we will destroy ourselves. Disney is all about that feel good, happy ending movie. This movie was ever meant to be an accurate portrayal of those earlier events in history, it’s just supposed to be a movie that teaches people to be kind human beings and to learn from one another. |
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| + | **What is the significance of the film's ending? Why did Disney dissatisfy viewers by separating John Smith and Pocahontas in the end? It is not like Disney had issues with making things up that did not really happen**. -Maddie Shiflett | ||
| - | What is the significance of the film' | + | I ask Maddie' |
| - | There are multiple questions that can be taken from this movie, and all of them relate back to the fact that this film was released in the middle of what is known as the Disney Renaissance period; a period in Disney' | + | **There are multiple questions that can be taken from this movie, and all of them relate back to the fact that this film was released in the middle of what is known as the Disney Renaissance period; a period in Disney' |
| - | How does Disney’s Pocahontas change the American public’s perception of Native Americans? Along with a celebratory enthusiasm for Columbus Day in public schools when we were children and portrayals of imperialists as riveting adventurers, | + | **How does Disney’s Pocahontas change the American public’s perception of Native Americans? Along with a celebratory enthusiasm for Columbus Day in public schools when we were children and portrayals of imperialists as riveting adventurers, |
| - | So why is Disney starting to use Pocahontas again in their advertising of the princesses? Pocahontas is appearing in Wreck it Ralph 2 as a part of the Disney princess cast. When I was a child, after her movie, Pocahontas was not advertised or marketed much. I find it interesting that she is becoming more popular again as Disney is scrambling to diversify its films. However, I think using Pocahontas as a marketing tool is equally as offensive as her movie, because it feels like pandering. If Disney wants to use her, they should correct her past with a reboot film, in which she is a child and not in love with John Smith. Perhaps they could even tell her story with John Rolfe better than her story with Smith (and her straight-to-VHS movie). This would be the only Disney reboot that may be worth the money. -Erin Shaw | + | **So why is Disney starting to use Pocahontas again in their advertising of the princesses? Pocahontas is appearing in Wreck it Ralph 2 as a part of the Disney princess cast. When I was a child, after her movie, Pocahontas was not advertised or marketed much. I find it interesting that she is becoming more popular again as Disney is scrambling to diversify its films. However, I think using Pocahontas as a marketing tool is equally as offensive as her movie, because it feels like pandering.** If Disney wants to use her, they should correct her past with a reboot film, in which she is a child and not in love with John Smith. Perhaps they could even tell her story with John Rolfe better than her story with Smith (and her straight-to-VHS movie). This would be the only Disney reboot that may be worth the money. -Erin Shaw |
| - | The history of English settlement and relationships with Native Americans is so important in our nation’s history, and I find it very concerning that there is a children’s movie so popular that is so inaccurate to this history. I know now as an adult that this is not how it really happened, but if I had watched this movie a million times as a child instead of "The Aristocats" | + | The history of English settlement and relationships with Native Americans is so important in our nation’s history, and **I find it very concerning that there is a children’s movie so popular that is so inaccurate to this history. I know now as an adult that this is not how it really happened, but if I had watched this movie a million times as a child instead of "The Aristocats" |
| - | This movie came out when I was 7. I had never heard the story, or anything involved with it. It wasn’t until eighth grade that as a class we re-watched it and discussed the inaccuracies and discovered the truths in the story.I think it’s great that Disney can plant these little seeds of knowledge to get people to dig deeper into history. There is a key point in the film where its at 44:48 where Ratcliffe is talking to his aide and asks, “Why are they trying to attack us” and the aide says, “because we took their land, cut down their trees, and dug up their earth.” That is for the adults. We know this film is inaccurate, but it does well to start to introduce children to history. | + | **This movie came out when I was 7. I had never heard the story, or anything involved with it. It wasn’t until eighth grade that as a class we re-watched it and discussed the inaccuracies and discovered the truths in the story.I think it’s great that Disney can plant these little seeds of knowledge to get people to dig deeper into history.** There is a key point in the film where its at 44:48 where Ratcliffe is talking to his aide and asks, “Why are they trying to attack us” and the aide says, “because we took their land, cut down their trees, and dug up their earth.” That is for the adults. We know this film is inaccurate, but it does well to start to introduce children to history. |
| - | Tackling Native American storylines in movies accurately consistently becomes a challenge for most directors, screenwriters, | + | Tackling Native American storylines in movies accurately consistently becomes a challenge for most directors, screenwriters, |
329/question/329--week_2_questions_comments-2018.1536198191.txt.gz · Last modified: 2018/09/06 01:43 by 174.204.3.40