Monday, October 11, 2010
What dream . . .
After class Wendy and I continued our conversation about Pocahontas. It had started with my question: Is Pocahontas better understood as a historical figure, as a character (as in a film), or as a symbol. Our class discussion explored this, paying attention to what each of the options entailed and how Pocahontas might be moved from one to another. All this was preparing us to carry our argument to our consideration of images of her and poetry about her later in the week.
But, Wendy's remarks led me to wish that we'd also asked this question: what sort of dreams for America are stimulated by Pocahontas? This question can be asked of any of the three: the young girl described in John Smith's General History, the "princess" in Disney's movie, even the symbolic bridge. (Thanks Tou.)
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What a great question! As the young girl described by John Smith, Pocahontas emulates a cherubic Godsend for the English-Americans. As Disney's princess, Pocahontas exemplifies bravery, independence, and irony ("savage" vs. the savageness of the English). As the symbolic bridge between the English and America, as well as the bridge between the "civilized America" and the "wild America", Pocahontas embodies our most vital American value: freedom. Symbolically, Pocahontas liberates the English Americans to find the idyllic balance between the civilization and wild, empowering freedom.
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