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The Not So Pocahontas

             The story of Matoaka is based on actual facts and is a bitter sweet tail that depicts the struggle between two worlds. Obviously the famous animated movie has introduced a different way of looking into the story of Pocahontas which makes the daughter of Powhatan and the colonial settlers seem amusing. .
             The dominant characters in the settlers" side is John Smith a handsome captain who allegedly was send by the Virginia Company of London to conquer develop and colonize the Virginia territory. A man of adventurous nature Smith finds out about the Indians when meeting with Pocahontas. In the movie this comes as a life changing experience for the warrior Smith who in an instant forgets the true reason of his presence in the new found land and discovers the beauty of his Indian counterpart as well as the fruits of Indian cultivation. In fact this is the gold of the Indians, the fields of corn which makes John Smith to forget the precious metal. He is so convinced for the goodwill of the Indians that tries to convince his superiors and colleagues that the Algonquin are a friendly tribe with so much to offer to the settlers; certainly way more than slave manpower and gold.
             John Smith came under fire though from the English lord who claimed the land as British soil in the name of his King. A member of the upper class he is not at all interested in the friendly Tribe or for the crops. Probably the only character with a true correlation with the actual story is from the beginning negatively positioned against the Indians and has one option if confronted with them. He is here to take over the territory the inhabitants and the resources in the name of the British Empire and no romance nor the Indians are capable to derail him.
             Pocahontas is depicted as the beautiful heir of the tribe, a tomboy who is fascinated by the English captain. She believes in the good nature of Smith and risks her life and status in the tribe in order to release him.


Essays Related to The Not So Pocahontas

1. Pocahontas

... own ambitions to consider her anything but a child."3 In October 1609 Pocahontas was told that her friend John Smith was dead. What apparently happened was that he was badly injured by a gunpowder explosion and was forced to return to England. According to the legend, Pocahontas thought the love of her life was dead so she married an Indian "pryvate Captayne" named Kocoum in 1610. After ... her marriage some settlers under the order of Captain Samuel Argall kidnapped her and held her for ransom. The settlers did have some help from the Japazaws, lesser chief of the Patowomeck Indians, w...

  • Word Count: 1806
  • Approx Pages: 7
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

2. Pocahontas

... the English which allowed the successful founding of the Virginia Colony and lead ultimately to the birth of a new nation. Many people have a false image of Pocahontas because of the way she was portrayed in the Walt Disney film, but in actuality, she was very much different. Without Pocahontas" help, the Virginia Colony would not have survived. The daughter of the powerful chief, Powhatan, of the Algonquian Indians, Pocahontas ... , was born around 1595. She was born to one of Powhatan's many wives most likely in Werawocomoco (chief's town). Her true name was Matoaka, which was only used...

  • Word Count: 1288
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Grade Level: High School

3. Pocahontas

... go through her life and explain why she was an important part of history. Pocahontas was born around 1595 as the daughter of Chief Powhatan and one of his many wives. The name "Pocahontas" was not her given name. It was "Matoaka". This name meant "Little Wanton," playful, lively little girl. Pocahontas was thought to have first seen white men in 1607 when Englishmen came to ... the New World and made the first successful settlement, Jamestown. The one that she found most pleasant was Captain John Smith. There is ... whose name was John Rolfe in July 1613. After a while she began to enj...

  • Word Count: 700
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

4. Pocahontas " History, Stereotype and Truth

... -fetched at best. Most of us know of or have seen the movie, and know of the "romance" between Pocahontas and John Smith, the dramatic interludes between Colonists and Pocahontas' tribe, and the comic antics of various characters within the story, including a talking tree and a pet raccoon. This is not to say that the cartoon is not amusing and clever. It is, in fact, highly entertaining, especially ... called her "Amonte" and her secret clan name was Matoaca. Pocahontas was a nickname which meant "playful one" or "little wanton." Her father controlled a confederacy of Algonquin tribes co...

  • Word Count: 1375
  • Approx Pages: 6
  • Has Bibliography

5. Pocahontas

... literature that was also researched supported the story of Mossiker except for the one written by a member of the Powhatan Nation. It was located on the internet under the title The Pocahontas Myth. This individual's version really did not match up with any other stories found during the research. The rescue of John Smith was refuted as was the love relationship between Rolfe and Pocahontas. The writer said she was held captive and ... time." Food was so short that the colonists were eating rats and a couple of famished settlers resorted to eating their recently deceased neighbors. (J. ...

  • Word Count: 1387
  • Approx Pages: 6
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6. Walt Disney Fudged The Truth!

... as the voices of the characters and British colonists were made to be the villains instead of the Indians. The controversy that ensued after the release of the movie came up through critics' responses to both the movie and to comments made by Disney executives and cast members. For the most part, Disney movies that preceded Pocahontas all accommodated American audiences' expectations so as to not cross ... over peoples' "comfort zones." In trying to make Pocahontas different ... ended up happening was yet another typical Disney movie that not only angered many critics, but also fell in...

  • Word Count: 925
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

7. Pocahontas: Native American stereotypes in a Disney Movie

... with every movie - and even more so in animated Disney productions - the story told in the movie is not necessarily true to the historical facts. When watching Disney's Pocahontas, one can immediately see that the producers have adapted the history of Pocahontas to the likes of the - American - audience. For the purpose of this paper, the storyline of Pocahontas needs to be compared to the actual facts of the Native American girl's life and her encounter ... . As a result, the image of the Indian Queen emerged, representing the exoticness the Europeans associated with the new land. As in...

  • Word Count: 5972
  • Approx Pages: 24
  • Has Bibliography

8. Pocahontas

... an abundance of gold. The Indians lived a peaceful life and also one that was very simple. John Smith and the rest of the colonizers however, felt that the Natives did not use their land properly and that there is so much more that they can do with the land. The Europeans were only interested in the land and as said by Richard Haklutt the purpose of the voyage was to "plant ... the Christian religion, to traffic, to conquer- (Haklutt 129) . They ... I know every rock and tree and creature, has a life, has a spirit, has a name"(Pocahontas) . The lack of respect by the Europeans was the ...

  • Word Count: 1062
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: High School

9. Pocahontas

... the marriage, for the good of the colony, religion, and possibly love. Rolfe first states "at the dreadfull day of judgement to condemne me herein, if my chiefest intent and minde, in the undertaking of so mightie a matter, no way led with the unbridled desire of carnall affection: but for the good of the plantation (Rolfe 1)". He is saying that his marriage with Pocahontas was not made for the ... purposes for self gratitude but for the good of the colony, even though he was saying that he could not control his affections. His marriage with Pocahontas did affect the colony. The English ...

  • Word Count: 851
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

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