The Disney Representation of Pocahontas

Many years after the release of many successful fairy-tale princess movies, Disney animators took on their first historical figure, Pocahontas. Many movie-goers would’ve expected to find a predictable Disney princess plot, only to find a gender role swapped story which teaches children the importance of racial equality and speaking up for your own opinion. This animated drama features the Indian Powhatan princess Pocahontas and European sailor John Smith’s journey in making peace between the Native Indian-American people and the Europeans, earning a well-deserved, 4 out of 5 stars.

Disney’s Pocahontas is a free-spirited, independent young woman. She’s the daughter of a powerful Powhatan chief and is expected to marry Kocoum, one of the village’s renowned warriors. Pocahontas is seeking to find her own path though; she would much rather “run the hidden pine trails of the forest” or “paint with all the colours of the wind.” Soon after, she stumbles upon a group of English sailors. Curious, she follows one of the men until their paths cross and Pocahontas accidentally meets face-to-face with John Smith.

Shortly after meeting, both characters fall in love with each other. Soon, war strikes between the Powhatan tribe and the colonisers. Pocahontas stands up for what she thinks is right, which is to resolve the conflict without violence, as we should all accept one another regardless of skin colour. In the end, Pocahontas and John Smith’s unity bring a bond of peace and harmony between the Europeans and Native-Americans, leading to a heart-warming, happy ending.

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Compared to other Disney princess movies, Pocahontas was a breath of fresh air, a new concept for Disney with an intriguing plot, stunningly aesthetic visuals that overall highlight the importance of racial acceptance, standing up for your own opinion and the value of protecting nature. The special effects used to represent the flowing leaves embodies Pocahontas’ mother’s spirit, which is a reminder to children that nature is alive and we need to protect it, just like we protect our families. In the resolution of this movie, we see a major gender role switch where Pocahontas saves John Smith’s life. This scene in the movie contradicts the stereotype that men overpower women, and teaches kids that men and women are equal. Popular Disney movies such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs as well as Sleeping Beauty, have set a common expectation that women depend on men. However, Pocahontas defies this idea, showing children that women and men are in fact equals, as Pocahontas saves John Smith’s life and not vice versa. Along with the values this movie has to offer, many well-placed, light-hearted comedic scenes, exquisite visual effects that mimic real life and a rich soundtrack, provide a delightful experience for the whole family.

Although overall quite entertaining, the down-side for this movie would be its G-rating. This film includes an inconvenient amount of violence, which is not suitable for young children. There are also many close-up shots where John Smith and Pocahontas are shown as quite intimate, which is inappropriate for children to watch by themselves. A PG rating would be more suitable for this movie.

Even still, Pocahontas is a Disney classic for the whole family to enjoy. It teaches significant values, has aesthetic visuals, exceptional humour, a beautiful soundtrack and is overall a delightful movie to watch, with a rightful 4 out of 5 stars.