Sophie Beasley

Cooper
AP Lang p 4
25 September 2018

The Mission​ Film Guide

1) What is the historical setting of this film? From whose point of view is the film made? (In
other words, who is the speaker of the film?)
The film is set in the 1750s in the region of Northern Argentina, Paraguay, and Southern
Brazil. The Jesuit Order is building missions among the Guarani Indians and the ​Treaty
of Madrid ​is interfering with this plan because is states that the area will be transferred
from the Spanish to the Portuguese. The speaker of this film is Altamirano.

2) What is the Role of each of the following groups? Who are the heroes, the villains, the
victims? With which group do you sympathize?

The Spaniards Wanted to convert Indians to Christianity and not use them as
slaves. Villain.

The Portuguese Wanted to turn Indians into Slaves and get the land the missions are
on. Villain.

The Church Want to convert the Indians but also decided to tear down the
missions for the Portuguese.

The Jesuits Help in building the mission for the Guarani tribe. They are heroes
because they fight for the Guarani people when Altamirano decides
to close the missions.

The Guarani Play the victims.

a. With which group do you sympathize? What Pathos was used to bring
about this sympathy?
I sympathize with the Guarani people. They showed scenes of the children
playing and one scene where a child watches an older Guarani get shot.
They also showed a scene of Guarani babies being drowned in mud.

b. How accurate do you think the film’s portrayal of these groups is?
This film makes the natives seem very eager to give up their own culture
to be in the mission, which probably isn’t how it really was. However, the
 mass slaughter and treatment of natives by the Spaniards and Portuguese
was accurate.

3) What is the role of the mission? How has the mission changed the lives, actions, dress,
and thoughts of the Guaraní? Why don't the Guaraní want to go back to the forest?
The mission serves a purpose to protect the natives from slave traders. They also learn
Christianity but still speak their native language. If they went back to the forest they
would be more vulnerable to slave traders because the Jesuits protect them.

4) Does this film portray the Guaraní as having an active role in the development of their
history? Do their kings matter and make big decisions?
The film does not portray the Guarani as having a very active role in the development of
their history. They were forced into the missions and even though they like being there, it
doesn’t stop the Spanish and Portuguese from tearing them down. The king says the
Guarani want to stay in the mission but it is irrelevant in the decision making for the
cardinal.

5) What is the role of music in the life of the Guaraní?

Music plays a large role in the life of the Guarani. When Father Gabriel plays the flute,
that is what first attracts the Guarani and shows they can trust him. In the mission, they
make many European instruments as well. One of the final scenes is a native picking up a
broken violin from the water, symbolizing the importance of music.

6) Examine power relations as depicted in this movie. How do the church, state, and
indigenous peoples interact?
The Church has power above the state and the state has power over the indigenous
people. The Cardinal was in charge of making the final decision on whether to keep the
missions. The Portuguese and Spanish exerted their power over the Indians by killing
them. The Church doesn’t want the natives to die, however, but wants them to practice
Christianity.

7) What is the Argument being made by this film? How does the argument address the
purpose? List 3 Reasons the filmmaker offers to support the argument and one piece of
evidence for each reason.
The argument being made by this film is that it is important to stand up for what one
believes and sometimes violence is justified. The purpose was to show what happened
between the Spanish, Portuguese, and Indians during this time and the argument fits into
this because the Jesuits and Indians stood up for they believed and ended up resorting to
violence that was justified.
Three reasons:
● Important to stand up because it builds respect
○ Although when the Guarani king said he wanted to remain in the mission
it had no effect, it still showed that the Guarani have an opinion
● Sometimes violence is the only way to stand up for what one believes
○ Mendoza organized a fight against the Spanish and Portuguese to protest
the mission being torn down. Even though the violence didn’t stop the
them it was better for them than giving up without a fight
● Important to stand up because it changes views
○ When Portuguese and Spanish started killing natives when the natives
began fighting changed the Cardinal’s view on his decision