Ever since the colonization of the American continent, the Native Americans and their culture have concerned and often fascinated the Euro-American population. This is shown clearly by the facts that the Indian captivity narrative became the first truly popular genre of American literature and that by the beginning of the 19th century Indian American characters had become central characters in theatrical plays and on American stages throughout the country. After the invention of motion picture in 1895, North American Indian characters made an entrance into plenty of American movies. Unfortunately, in most cases it was not of great concern to the producers to depict the Native Indians in a realistic way, but rather to appeal to a broad audience, which was best to be achieved by using popular stereotypes, which had been around for 200 years. Up till today, stereotypical conceptions have dominated American motion picture, and only very few movies have tried to depict Native Americans in a more realistic and sensitive way.
Keeping this history of American Indian movies in mind, it becomes apparent that Walt Disney’s animated movie Pocahontas, released in 1995, stood in a long tradition of movies, of which only in the recent past a few had broken with the traditional stereotypes. The Disney Company, too, was severely criticized for reusing stereotypical conceptions in their depiction of Pocahontas and her tribe and for being historically inaccurate and insensitive to the Native Americans’ past.
The following paper will first give a brief summary of the historic Pocahontas’ life, which is necessary in order to understand how far Disney kept or changed historic facts, and then depict the origins of the Pocahontas myth. Afterwards, the most important aspects of the movie will be described and analyzed with special regard to the depiction of colonists and colonized. The final chapter will deal with the criticism on the movie and try to conclude whether Disney has indeed failed to be sensitive to Native American culture or if the critics have been too hard on an, after all, animated children’s movie.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Pocahontas: Origin and Creation of a Myth
3. Roy Disney’s Pocahontas (1995)
a) European societas vs. Native American communitas
b) Smith and Pocahontas as the New World’s Adam and Eve
c) The Perception of the Other
d) Pocahontas as a Teacher of Philanthropy and Respect
4. Pocahontas and its Critics
5. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper examines how the 1995 Disney animated film "Pocahontas" engages with the historical Pocahontas narrative and its subsequent myth-making. The central research objective is to analyze whether the film effectively breaks with traditional cinematic stereotypes regarding Native Americans or if it perpetuates a sanitized, historically inaccurate, and self-serving myth under the guise of political correctness.
- Historical versus mythical representations of Pocahontas.
- Comparative analysis of European "societas" and Native American "communitas".
- The cinematic construction of Smith and Pocahontas as the "New World’s Adam and Eve".
- The portrayal of "otherness" and ethnocentrism in animated film.
- Ethical implications of distorting historical trauma for commercial entertainment.
Excerpt from the Book
Pocahontas: Origin and Creation of a Myth
Although plenty of books and films have dealt with Pocahontas, we do in fact not know much about the historic person. Only some facts may be taken for granted: Pocahontas (originally named “Matoaka”) was born around 1595 as the daughter of chief Powhatan in the Chesapeake region in Virginia. After the foundation of Jamestown in 1607, she came into contact with the English settlers, especially with the governor Captain John Smith, who named her “Pocahontas” (‘Little Mischief’). In 1612, the colonists took her hostage for ransom and kept her after it was partly paid in Jamestown. In 1613, she converted to Christian faith, was baptized “Rebecca” and married the English settler John Rolfe one year later. In 1615, their only son Thomas was born. In the following year, Pocahontas and her family traveled to England, where they were received at the court of King James I and where the Dutch artist Simon van de Passe portrayed Pocahontas, creating the only visual representation of her produced during her lifetime. In 1617, she died from tuberculosis or pneumonia and was buried in Gravesend.
Pocahontas remained silent throughout her life and never produced her own narrative, as Karen Robertson points out. The central descriptions of the historic Pocahontas appear in stories by the Virginia colonists John Rolfe, Ralph Hamor and John Smith. Smith claimed in his Generall Historie of Virginia (1624) that Pocahontas saved his life after he had been captured by the Powhatan tribe.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter outlines the historical context of Native American representation in American cinema and introduces the Disney film "Pocahontas" as a target for critical analysis regarding its historical accuracy and usage of stereotypes.
2. Pocahontas: Origin and Creation of a Myth: This section provides the limited historical facts known about Pocahontas and traces the evolution of the "Pocahontas myth" through literary and historical retellings across the centuries.
3. Roy Disney’s Pocahontas (1995): This chapter provides a detailed analytical breakdown of the film, focusing on social structures, the character dynamics between the protagonists, the portrayal of cultural differences, and the film's moralizing message.
4. Pocahontas and its Critics: This section examines the controversy surrounding the film, highlighting how the distortion of historical events and the use of "noble savage" stereotypes sparked severe criticism regarding the film's political and ethical impact.
5. Conclusion: The concluding chapter synthesizes the arguments, ultimately arguing that the film's attempt at "benign colonization" and its disregard for the historical reality of Native American suffering is deeply problematic.
Keywords
Pocahontas, Disney, Native Americans, Myth, Colonization, Stereotypes, John Smith, Historical Accuracy, Political Correctness, Societas, Communitas, Ethnocentrism, Cultural Representation, Foundational Romance, Noble Savage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The work focuses on the intersection of historical truth and the mythical representation of Pocahontas, specifically within the 1995 Disney animated production.
What are the primary themes discussed?
Key themes include the cinematic depiction of Native American cultures, the impact of historical distortion in children’s media, and the ethics of retelling colonial histories.
What is the main research question?
The research asks whether Disney's interpretation of the Pocahontas story serves as a genuine step toward unbiased representation or if it merely repackages historical stereotypes in a modern, politically correct framework.
Which methodology is employed in this analysis?
The author uses film analysis and cultural studies, comparing historical records with the visual and narrative choices made by the Disney production team.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main section explores the visual juxtaposition of European hierarchical society and Native American community, the archetypal construction of Smith and Pocahontas as the "New World's Adam and Eve," and the film's pedagogical attempt to teach philanthropy.
Which keywords best describe the paper?
The paper is defined by terms such as Pocahontas, Myth, Colonization, Stereotypes, and Cultural Representation.
How does the film depict the encounter between the British and the Native Americans?
The film frames the encounter through the lens of mutual mistrust and "savage" labels, while positioning the protagonists as the only individuals capable of bridging these cultural divides through love.
What is the author's ultimate conclusion regarding the film?
The author concludes that while the film aims for political correctness, it fails by distorting historical reality and potentially trivializing the traumatic impact of colonization on Native American nations.
- Quote paper
- Rebecca Blum (Author), 2004, The Pocahontas Narrative and Disney's Interpretation, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/39772
