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After reading the book “Pocahontas and the Powhatan Dilemma” by Camilla Townsend, I realized that the Disney movie “Pocahontas” is very historically inaccurate. Many people might recall seeing this movie in their childhood but many do not take the time to see who Pocahontas really was as a person and what actually happened in her lifetime. In the book Townsend argues that Pocahontas was a stouthearted and keenly intellective woman who sacrificed and dared to forfend her people. She also argues that the Powhatans and the other Native American people were not oblivious savages but were sophisticated and clever people utilizing their own subtle cunning to fight against the English’s immense technological advantage. Townsend confronts the myths …show more content…
Townsend believes that the name Pocahontas, meaning “Little Playful One”, came from her interactions with the villagers. She was one of dozens of children born to Powhatan, whose proper name was Wahunsenacawh. Since Pocahontas was a woman in the tribe, she learned a lot from the other women when they all made trips to the wilderness to pick greens and berries. A lot of the information that Pocahontas learned from the tribe not only helped her but most likely helped the colonists too when she would share information with …show more content…
The occasion depicted Pocahontas cautioning John Smith of the plots amidst the night in the downpour. Townsend assumes this myth can be misrepresented in light of the fact that the English would have had their suspicions and been vigilant. The English additionally knew they had the high ground with weapons and shield, so Pocahontas would have known the English didn't require her redeeming quality. At this point Pocahontas does not see John Smith until years after the fact in
Pocahontas Powhatan Opechancanough, tells the story of the interactions between the Jamestown settlers and the Powhatan Indians, and how the European arrival changed the lives of the natives. the book focuses on the three Indians it is titled for and tries to explain the story of Jamestown through a less Anglo-biased view. At many times the book contradicts the story most people know of the Jamestown settlement and the major players involved. Throughout the book, author Helen Rountree goes to great lengths to tell the whole story truthfully, and when she can't give the whole story she makes it clear as to what is accepted to be true.
The Disney movie Pocahontas is not historically accurate. There are many differences in the plot and characters. A few are that there was no love story between Pocahontas and John Smith, Pocahontas was 12 not 20 when John Smith came, John Smith was not tall and blond, and in the movie, they came to Jamestown in one ship. There are much more ways that the Movie is not historically accurate, but you can already see that it was very different from what actually happened.
Source D is an account written by Paul Lewis about what happened during and after John Smith traveled to the americas in a third person's point of view. This source was created in 1966, it is about what Paul lewis believed happened when John smith traveled to the americas. Lewis is skeptic that Pocahontas actually saved John Smith because “[Why would] a chief who had been so friendly before, suddenly decide to kill John Smith”? The author also suggests that Smith added in the fact that Pocahontas saved him to make it seem like she was a hero once she was becoming a well known Native American who has switched to christianity and had started treating the King and Queen of england as her King and Queen. This source was created in 1966. During
Pocahontas and the Powhatan Dilemma, provides a vivid and brutally honest account of the atrocities committed against Pocahontas and her people, unlike the popular animated film released by Disney. We will never know the absolute truth behind Pocahontas and her people, or the early settlers who emigrated to Jamestown, but one truth, however, remains evident. The English had succeeded in destroying an entire culture, rich with diversity. This may not have been what the English had intended at first, but it untimely was the result of their actions against the Powhatan people and the other tribes of the surrounding region. They imposed harsh conditions which included abduction, conversion, violence, and tributes which practically impossible to
Smith, on the other hand, describes his account in a boastful manner. His account of Indian life reads like a fantastic adventure novel in which he is the glorified hero. He continuously refers to the Indians as “savages” (Smith 46) or “barbarians” (Smith 48) throughout his account. He even describes them as “devils” (Smith 51). At one point, he thinks that the Indians are trying to “fat him to eat him” (Smith 50). Smith’s account is so incredibly dramatic that he expects “every hour to be put to one death or other” (Smith 52). Also, the incident with Pocahontas saving Smith appears to be highly romanticized. Smith’s manner of writing, in which he writes of himself in the third person, only adds to the boastful tone of this account. It makes the entire account seem impersonal. It also makes Smith appear self-important and frivolous.
To conclude with “The General History of Virginia” and Disney’s version of Pocahontas, the two stories had two different opinions and views. Although, Disney’s portrayal of Pocahontas was perceived as an offense to the Native Americans, no one really knows the actual events that took place during that time. People will continue to think that John Smith’s version was a bit hysterical, while the Native Americans will take the Disney movie Pocahontas to an offense. John Smith and Disney both gave their own versions of their story. Others will continue to do the same.
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.
Pocantahs is problem the most famous American Indian woman ever. She was the daughter of Wahunsenacah. The most important Powhatan Indian was Chief Powhatan. His real name was Wahunsonacah. Chief Powhatan was his title as the leader of the Powhatan Confederacy. Chief Powhatan was actually more like a European king than a traditional Algonquian chief.
Pocahontas was the daughter of Chief Powhatan which made her an Indian Princess. When she was 12 years old, she saved a colonist named John Smith from being clubbed to death. After this, the relationship between the colonist and the Indians were at peace. Captain Smith sent many presents to Powhatan and the Indian woman gave food to the colonist. When John Smith left Jamestown because of a gunpowder accident, the peace between the Indians and the colonist weaken. In 1612, Governor Thomas Dale ordered for Pocahontas to be kidnapped, held for ransom that would be paid in corn by Chief Powhatan. While she was held captive, Pocahontas was baptized Christian and given the name Rebecca. Also while she was imprisoned, Pocahontas fell in love with John Rolfe, who then asked for her hand in marriage. Sir Thomas Dale and Chief Powhatan gave their consent and they got married in Jamestown on April, 1613. This marriage brought peace between the English and the Indians for many years. On 1615, John and Pocahontas had a child named Thomas. Pocahontas became the center of English society’s attention. She had then become Lady Rebecca Rolfe. Before going back to Virginia, Pocahontas became sick. She died on March, 1617, at the age of 21 in England. She was buried in the chapel of the parish church in Gravesend. Rolfe returned to Virginia, where he manufactured tobacco. I liked Pocahontas because she was the kind of person who was willing to do new things and she did the right thing even if no one would agree with her. She is famous for her actions (even if Disney exaggerated them) and I admire her strength and courage to stand up for what she believed in.
The General History of Virginia, New England, and the Summer Isles by John Smith, portrays the enormous troubles the settlers were faced with by the Native Americans. He explains how he was captured by Indians and also saved by a young Native American girl, Pocahontas. He vividly describes the ceremonies and rituals of the Natives performed before his execution. However, the execution never occurred due to the tremendous mercy showed by the king’s daughter who blanketed John Smith’s body her own. Pocahontas went on to persuade the Native Americans to help the settlers by giving them food and other necessities. Despite her efforts to reach peaceful grounds, her people were still bitter and planned an attacks on the colony. Nevertheless, Pocahontas saved them once again by warning the settlers of attacks. Pocahontas went on to marry an Englishman and traveled to England. She resembled the prosperity and good that was to be found in an untamed land.
After examining the sources, I strongly believe that Pocahontas did not save John Smith from the urgent, deadly circumstance that legends speak of. Although history textbooks such as The Americans: A History write that Pocahontas “rescued Smith when he was captured”, it refers to her rescue as a legend. While some legends may be exaggerated versions of partial truths, many are purely just stories. Although Pocahontas may have “saved” John Smith from a less dire circumstance, the odds of her rescuing him from a desperate, violent capture is probably not true. Furthermore, Smith did not mention any threat or capture in his book written a year after the “actual” event. However, in order to gain more fame and money, he included an epic, detailed description of her rescue in the Generall Historie of Virginia. If Pocahontas truly tried to “save him from death” (Smith), John Smith would’ve had to mention her rescue in his first book.
Indian women had played roles in the beginning of American history. The two famous women were La Malinche and Pocahontas. Both of them were not educated, that’s why their stories were written by others. Bernal Diaz, Spanish conquistador and Cortez’s companion, wrote about Malinche. Whereas, John Smith, English soldier wrote about Pocahontas. Malinche played the role of translator, advisor and lover of Cortez, while, Pocahontas played the role of peacemaker. There are also some contradictions in Smith writings about Pocahontas saving his life. Malinche and Pocahontas made the link between colonist and native population, they married to Europeans; but Malinche was from South America (Mexico) and she had contacted with the Spanish, whereas, Pocahontas lived in North America (Virginia) and related to English. Both of them very intelligent women, Malinche had the skill of speaking multicultural languages and Pocahontas was the peace creator between Indians and English.
After reading about 200 pages including the footnotes of this short novel of the life and journey of Pocahontas I believe that Townsend really did a great job of portraying the in depth details of her life. It had to have been tough to do it since she was born in the mid 1500’s. A great point I could make is that even though Townsend made everything seem so real using the sources she had we still have to realize it is kind of like the telephone game. One person can come up with a sentence and once it gets around to everyone the story has completely changed. One of our biggest sources was John Smith and the biggest story about him was that he was one of the biggest liars and not everything he recorded was true. So going off of the majority of his stories may not be very reliable. The book kind of sounds like Pocahontas was trying to describe her life from her own eyes.
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)
Disney’s intentions were more than to captivate young children. They were ultimately to retell the original story of Pocahontas and the settlers and to address social issues of lifestyle and acceptance depending on race and the way they are being treated, proving that marriage isn’t all that important and addressing familial gender roles in society based on having a mother figure. Since 1995, the story of Pocahontas serves to entertain the young minds of children, but none the less the messages for seen in the movie, are mentioned to stress the issues of a series of systems in which maintain the imbalance of power among society’s social organization.