Bernarte, Katherine B.

SED-191
LITERARY CRITICISM

For our homework, let us examine Pocahontas by Disney, using the model of the research article
examining Mulan and Moana.

I. Compare and contrast briefly the original from the depiction/rendition of the movie: you may
use tables in ms word.

Reality Disney adaptation

When John Smith met Pocahontas, she is just When John Smith met Pocahontas, she is
10-11 years old. already adult.
John Smith and Pocahontas never have They have romantic relationship.
romantic relationship.
John Smith is short and chubby. He is depicted as tall, good looking with good
physique man.
Many months passed before Pocahontas and They meet each other immediately after the
Smith met each other. ship reached the shore.
The explorers used three ships. There is just one ship.

1. Research on the true historic account of Pocahontas- basic info, family background, and true
events, and physical appearance of Indian-Americans.

According to many historical accounts, Pocahontas is said to be born about 1596. Her
real name is Amonute and some, who are very close to her, called her Matoaka. Pocahontas was
her nickname which means "playful one" and "ill-behaved child" merely because of her
characteristics (Michals, 2015). Yet, she is the most favorite daughter among 100 children
(according to some scholars) of chief Wahunsenaca or also known as Powhatan who is a very
powerful and influential leader during that time. He is said to be the leader of more than 30
Algonquian-speaking tribes that many English settlers would claim as Jamestown, Virginia
(Rountree, 1989). Pocahontas become widely known due to the narrative or the story of the
English explorer or adventurer, John Smith on which he described Pocahontas as his savior
(History.com, 2018). For instance, the most romanticized event that was always been told to
many generations is the event where Pocahontas saves Smith from the verge of death. It is the
time on which he was going to be decapitated by Chief Powhatan but Pocahontas stop this by
putting also her head on the machine or tool that would cut his head. However, this story is
always been hotly debated since he wrote many versions of it and there are some discrepancies
with these claims. Many historians believe that this story was misinterpreted. On which they said
that this happening can be just some sort of traditional event or more on ceremonial. In addition,
unlike Disney's depiction, Pocahontas was not an adult by the time that Smith met her, many
historians believed that she is just about 10- 11 years old while Smith is 27-28 years old at the
time they met (Mansky, 2017). Moreover, there is no romance between Pocahontas and John
Smith which contradicts the Disney adaptation. She is also believed as the first Powhatan Indian
to be converted as a Christian on which she changes her name to Rebecca. Pocahontas was
always been remembered as a courageous and strong woman. She died on March 21, 1617, due
to an unknown disease and was buried at St. George church in Gravesend. On the other hand,
when it comes to the physical appearance of Indian Americans during the Pocahontas era, Smith
described them as generally tall and has a good appearance. Their hair color is black and for
men, they usually don’t have beards. Meanwhile, women have many tattoos on their bodies with
different shapes and abstract designs which mainly consist of flowers, lizards, and snakes. He
also observed that both sexes paint their faces with a mixture of red paint and nut oil. Lastly, they
also use bear fat to fend off insects.

2. Research on the cultural elements of the native indian-american culture- color scheme, music,
art forms, rituals, clothing, livelihood, housing, etc.?

According to many archeologists, American-Indians were the first migrant from Asia to
occupy the northern part of America which can be dated back more than 16,000 years ago. The
culture or traditional background of the Indian- Americans is indeed abundant. It can be reflected
through many scholarly articles and also from the claims of John Smith. His claims make us feel
and see the cultural elements of the Indian-American culture. One of his most notable
observations is all about clothing. He highlighted that when it comes to clothing, men and
women usually wore an apron and deerskin around their waist. Meanwhile, to highlight the
status, the nobility wore embedded jewelry like bracelets, earrings, and necklaces made of
copper, pearls, and teeth or bones of an animal. On the other hand, when it comes to their art
forms, most of them portray natural forms and some are simple geometric or linear motifs. It is
said to be that the origin of the art of the Indian-Americans are vague since many their art form
can be labeled as too personal since they believe on supernatural phenomenon. Moreover, in
terms of their language, according to Columbus when they first arrived in the northern part of
America which they called the "New World", they have 220 speaking dialects that can be
categorized as part of the family of Eastern Algonquian language. However, in the context of the
language that was spoken by the people during the Pocahontas era, which is Powhatan
Algonquian, this language is now extinct and there is no script or any information that can give
us an idea of what does it sounds like hence, it does not survive. Another cultural element is
religious practices. How do American-Indian people express their religious beliefs? Just like
other cultures, these people are believers of supernatural figures, especially the Powhatan people.
Powhatan Indians have two major Gods who are Ahone and Oke. Ahone is the good God who
gives good things and was seen as the creator. On the other hand, Oke is the evil God. In
addition, they also have divine people who are divided into two classes. The Priests are the ones
who are doing the religious rituals and the keeper of temples. Meanwhile, the Conjurors are the
one who treats illnesses with the use of herbal medicines. To identify in their society, these
people wear bird claws in their ears and headdresses made of snake and weasel skins. In the
hierarchy, Priests are the upper class and the conjurors are the lower class. When it comes to
their houses, it is small and they called it Yehakins. Usually, in their town, they only have 100
or fewer people that is why the houses are scattered. On the other hand, they also have songs and
dances that they usually play for their rituals like ceremonial feasting and mourning. In dancing,
men and women usually form a circle while stomping their feet on the rhythm of the music.

II. How do you think did disney portray pocahontas and the relationship between the natives and
the colonizers? What aspects were accurate, and what aspects were not? How accurate is the
portrayal of the colonizers?
 Disney portrays Pocahontas and the relationship between the natives and the colonizers
somehow inaccurately. Although there are ideas that are real and accurate such as finding gold or
the colonist's mission is to find gold in Jamestown, and when John Smith was captured still, most
of the scenes are romanticized and inaccurate. In the movie of Pocahontas, often the Powhatan
people are described as inferior and barbaric mainly because of their nature. For instance, in a
Disney movie, if we will observe, for the audience to know the distinction between native and
white people, they use clothing. For example, the white people have armor or more advanced
apparatus compare to the bows and arrows with a feather that was used by the tribe of
Pocahontas. It is evident that can prove that this movie still encompasses the traditional mindset
about inferior and superior people. Another one in Disney's movie is the idea that white people
can get rid of the Powhatan people by doing genocide. In the movie, it is being stated, but in
reality, it is not true. It only portrays the so-called 'power' of white people. It's like this idea tells
us that white people are more advanced and more powerful that the Pocahontas tribe cannot fight
them back because of their lowly war apparatus. Lastly is the portrayal of John Smith in the
movie. John Smith is portrayed in the movie as a man with a good physique, with muscles, good
looking and kind. However, in reality, John Smith is not a good-looking man. In many historical
accounts, Smith is described as a short and chubby man. Therefore, Disney's portrayal of John
Smith's character is inaccurate also. Overall, from the evidences above, we can say that the
portrayal of the colonizers in the movie is not the same in reality. Colonizers are often described
as more on the good area and are depicted as superior compare to the tribe people. This will only
prove that Disney's Pocahontas is far from reality.

III. Why do you think was it presented this way? Whatever you think the reason/s is/are and
using the postcolonial lens, do you think these are justifiable? How does it shape the viewers’
minds?

I think it was presented in this way because it reflects the dominant culture which is the
western culture. If we will remember, most of the information that we have that can be linked to
the Powhatan people during that time came from John Smith who is a European. There is no
single western man that will agree that they are inferior to tribe people, and that is the reality.
Upon knowing this, we can say that somehow because this story was based on Smith’s story, it is
already been transcribed in the western lens hence, it is superficial. For instance, in the movie of
Pocahontas, it is very clear that they portray tribe people as barbaric one, that they can
manipulate and that they are superior on them in any perspective which they justify by using a
distinction in the movie such as using advanced tools, their clothes and many more. How can we
say if a certain tribe is barbaric? If it does not have a government system? Powhatan tribe have.
They have chief and hierarchy or classes in their society. If they don’t have language? They have
a language namely Powhatan Algonquian. In that sense, how can white people have labeled them
as barbaric? I think is because of their standard which affects how they perceive these people. I
think it is not justifiable to only use those factors or standards. Remember that these people
colonized Jamestown because they see a rich natural resource. From that very idea, we can say
that these people are not inferior to them in terms of resources. Powhatan people are just being
described like this because they are being seen through the western lens. In connection with this,
sadly, because of the inaccurate portrayal of the real characters, they are shaping viewers' minds
and making them believe in the mindset that was already been debunk decades ago. It is like it
becomes their example of thinking. For example, if they see a man wearing that kind of cloth
they can infer that these people are inferior. If we will observe our society right now, it is
evident. In the context of the Philippines, we see Aeta and Dumagat people as inferior mainly
because of these ideas that were stamped on our heads by these movies.
References

History.com (2018). Pocahontas. Retrieved from https://www.history.com/topics/native-

americanhistory/pocahontas#:~:text=Pocahontas%20was%20a%20Native%20American,the%20
Tidewater%20region%20of%20Virginia.

Mansky, J. (2017). The True Story of Pocahontas. Retrieved from

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/true-story-pocahontas-180962649/.

Michals, D. (2015). How Did Powhatan look and dress. Retrieved from
https://www.historyisfun.org/learn/learning-center/how-did-the-powhatan-look-and-dress/.

Price, D. A. (2021, February 25). Pocahontas. Encyclopedia Britannica.

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Pocahontas-Powhatan-princess.