In the Defense of Pocahontas

Pocahontas

Becky: So Pocahontas is an interesting princess. And yes, she is a princess. Her dad is the chief, she’s a princess. She’s not poorly treated, she’s not unhappy, her life is pretty good. But she’s curious and intelligent and wants to know what else the world holds. She wants to explore and have adventure. “What’s around the riverbend?” She yearns for change, but she doesn’t know what change she wants. She has the option of marrying a warrior her father wants for her, who she acknowledges to be a good man and a fine warrior, even if he doesn’t smile very much. He is a steady man, and there’s nothing wrong with that. She doesn’t yearn for a great love or anything of the sort. She just wants...more. More out of life. Enter John Smith. The strangest Englishman to land on Virginia’s shores. He opens her eyes to a world she didn’t even know about, and he’s just as fascinated by her. To a girl who’d always had the same sort of looks and expectations and plan for life, that must have been pretty exciting. They risked safety and security to keep meeting, and after John gets captured, she has a huge internal battle about what to do. Saving him and possibly risking her life, or his, or both...or letting things take their course and go back to the way things were. She chooses to take a chance, and winds up being the change she wanted. Now, John leaves at the end, but Pocahontas is changed. And I doubt anyone would say that she lost anything in the process.

Whitney: Totally agree. Pocahontas’s story is a little different because she DOESN’T end up with the “prince” in the end. But she still has a choice to make: should she forsake her family and culture for the new life and excitement that John Smith can promise her? In the end, she kind of chooses both. She decides to save John, which may have resulted in banishment or death. Fortunately, her father was wise enough to see the goodness in his daughter’s actions and calls for peace. Then when John Smith is hurt and has to go back to England (which I never quite understood--the boat ride back to England seems much more dangerous to an injured man than staying in an “uncivilized” country, but that’s against the point) she chooses to stay with her people and family, to create a bond between them and the new white men.

Becky: Pocahontas somehow defies the princess stereotype and yet is the epitome of it as well. She’s proof that you can have both… It’s not HER fault the “prince” sails away. I’m a bit biased, I’ve never really liked John Smith that much. Sue me.

Whitney: I always preferred Thomas myself.