Adv. US History students
Check out this link on the differences between Disney's version of the Pocahantas story and the real Pocahantas story:
Post your thoughts about the myth and reality of this story. In order to obtain particiaption points you must offer some critical analysis about the Pochahantas story. Please avoid comments like this-- That's neat.
Thanks and have a great weekend.
posted by Mr. Carlisle at 7:48 AM
32 Comments:
It was interesting to see a comparison between the Disney Pocahontas and the real one. What's more interesting is that they focus on her life in England as well, not something we really read about.
I do think that the author could have chosen better wording and layout. Until you get to the character bios, I couldn't find anything refuting Smith's claims about being "saved". Anyone not interested in the bios, due perhaps to thinking that they would not offer any new useful evidence, just some background, would come off of this thinking that Smith's story was true.
Overall, though, very interesting read. Beats the textbooks (like that's hard :P).
7:26 PM
I was just wondering... so in the end, did Pocahontas marry Rolfe because she liked him or did she marry him because she just ended up choosing him?
I thought it was funny how Percy was supposed to be human and not a dog. The comparisons offered a lot of information. Disney did portray some aspects right, just that they didn't elaborate enough on the truth. Probably because it was meant to be viewed by kids.
p2
9:15 AM
It was very interesting to look at the table of comparisons between the movie and reality. I was very flatered that only one thing from the movie actually happened in real life even though some parts were based on real life but was tweaked a little bit. To be honest, I was very dissapointed to know that the movie was not exact to the real life of Pochahontas. At least now i know the real facts of Pochahontas.
I'm confused as to why disney made John Smith clean shaven compared to the real John Smith who had a full beard. It would have been more realistic.
12:16 PM
This was very interesting to read since Pocahontas was my favorite movie as a child. I was surprised that Pocahontas was only 11, and Smith was 28. It was also very interesting reading what the characters from the movie actually looked like in real life, and how disney portrayed them. It's crazy that just from seeing the movie or what they have heard, so many people don't know what really happened in Pocahontas' life and who she really was.
12:22 PM
Do they hire historians and stuff when they make these movies? I ask becasue I am pretty impressed with how much the movie was historically correct. Its important to have correct information but it is also important to give the young viewers role models. They do not really want to look up to a short bearded guy who was arrested. They want a tall muscular blonde guy that did great things. They dont want to hear about killing, they want to hear about peace between two different cultures. Plus the animated Pochahontas was much more apealing than the real one. Anyways thats what I think.
Have a Great Weekend, Or I hope you had a Great Weekend.
1:41 PM
I thought the reading about Pocohontas was interesting. I was amazing to see the similarities in the Disney movie and what actually happened. But one thing I am confused about is Pocohontas marrying John Rolfe. In the reading it said she might have liked John Smith but she was then engaged to another native America. But then chose Rolfe instead. So I don't understand if she chose to marry Rolfe or was forced somehow.
3:21 PM
I liked reading the comparisons table between the movie and the real history. I didn't think there would be any matches.
I didn't mind that disney didn't follow what really happened. I just wish that I had known that disney did not portray everything the way it happened so that I wouldn't of been so surprised.
9:16 PM
why is it that disney would choose to make a movie about a story where they have so many inaccuracies? if they were going to tell history they should have at least have taken the time to get it right. i mean i understand why they didnt make pocahantis 11 and john smith 28 cause thats just not right. anyway, interesting read and have a good weekend mr. carlizle.
9:50 PM
I think Disney did a good job of the movie while keeping it appropriate for kids. They did get a lot of stuff right, like locations. I understand why they changed it so much, because their version is a lot cuter than reality. I never saw Pocahontas II (didn't even know there was one...), but it seems like Disney butchered it about the same amount as the first one. Who's Uttamatomakkin, anyway?
The thing that surprised me most was Pocahontas's real portrait. She looks a lot different than Disney's drawing.
By the way, did John Smith and John Rolfe know each other?
10:37 PM
Thanks to everyone for the great comments. Katie, big shout out for finding the "imposter website". I have no idea who did that, however, I think it's hilarious. I wish they would put more content up.
I think the story of Pocahantas shows how Hollywood can alter a story to fit their version of history. Disney made their changes to make a kids' movie that kids would like. History is changed all the time to make a story more interesting or to add more drama and storytelling to a movie.
You all should rent The New World and see if you think it lines up with reality. Okay, Roots on Monday! Everyone make sure to READ very CAREFULLY this weekend. Enjoy the rest of your weekend. I have a busy day ahead of me. I am headed downtown today to check 3:10 to Yuma.
7:48 AM
I thought it was interesting to see the comparison between the Disney movies and what actually happened. Especially since it was my favorite movie when I was little.
I don't think that there's anything wrong with how Disney's version isn't completely accurate. Because people don't go watch a Disney movie expecting a documentary. It's just little kid entertainement that gives a light background on American history. Personally, I didn't know that the movie was based on true events untill 6th grade, when we learnt the real story.
2:08 PM
I liked the table of comparrisons the best. It clearly showed what was consistant with history and what was put in by Holiwood. I liked the name of Ratcliffs dog was actually the name of Jofn Smiths successor.
The info on Pocahontas' life was interesting because that is not discussed a lot. I didn't like the fact that there was nothing about how John Smiths' might not have been in danger, how it might have been just a ceremony to indoctrinate him in the tribe.
Hope the rest of your weekend is great!!
2:15 PM
It was really intresting to see how different Disney's Pocahontas is from the actual story. There is only really one thing that both the disney story and the real story had in common. Its a little sad that the Disney story isn't really accurate, because now that is what our youth is going to grow up thinking and knowing about Pocahontas when its not really all true.
I find it funny and kind of gross that John Smith was really 28 and Pocahontas was 11 when they met, i guess they said they were both the same age in the movie just so kids wouldn't grow up thinking that 11 year olds could fall in love or whatever with almost 30 year olds. (random blurt sorry)
2:58 PM
When I first saw the Disney version I didn't know anything about the slaughter of the Indians, how disease killed so many people or any of that jazz.
The whole movie glorifies the situation, and I think that most viewers end up liking the natives better. They made Powhatan look tough, but he wasn't "true evil" like the bad guy that led the pilgrims.
I wish they ended the 2nd movie with Pocahontas dying, not to be a downer, but to be accurate.
3:48 PM
I like the fact that this article shows the compares the real ife story and the movie. But what i don't undrstand is why Disney would make Pocahontas look like she was thirty something in the movie, when in real life she was only about twelve
4:27 PM
Jesse James is Hollywood's next target. I just checked out a very interesting biography of Mr. James by TJ Stiles. Anyone else interested in this gentlemen should check out the reviews of Mr. Stiles' book on amazon.
Keep the comments coming everyone!
5:17 PM
the read was kind of cool, at least cooler than the text book. but in the end the kids just want to hear cool music that is sunch by trees and two foxy lovers, they don't care about who did what and who killed who and what not.
5:17 PM
Well I did expect the Disney version of Pocahontas to be as historically inaccurate as it turned out to be. I mean, come on, it's Disney not the History channel. Besides, someone has to deprive our children of truth and fill their minds with fairy tales. Then the parents and teachers must break it down to them the hard way later on in life.
Anyways, I was a little confused and amused when I found out that the colonists told Pocahontas that John Smith was dead. Didn't Pocahontas mostly visited the colonists and brought them food because she was good friends with John Smith? Did they see a point in her coming to visit them with food if she thought Smith was dead? If I were Pocahontas I wouldn't visit them if I heard my "best friend" died. There's just no point in it. At least they suffered for it when winter time came around.
The factoid of the day that did shock me from reading this story was that Uttamatomakkin was supposed to tally the population of England, by cutting a notch in his stick for each man he sees, but of course he gives up (it's a true story! Oh my goodness, praised be the all mighty!) Can you imagine how long that stick must of been? I can't help but think that he carried a log around to mark on instead of a stick. Poor guy. Did he receive a punishment for giving up?
To wrap it all up, I thought it was a great reading. It really stuck with me (unlike the textbook that puts me to sleep,literally, which is the reason why I barely remember anything from the reading the next day at school...darn it. Thank God for notes). Plus I liked the fact that the author was a descendant from Pocahontas. Kudos!!
5:57 PM
Wow it's really funny to read about the differences between the movie that we grew up with and learned from that and what actually happened in history. It would be nice to watch the movie in class so that we can have a little review and we can compare them. Just a thought though haha. The movie, in my opinion, is way cooler than what actually happened. The talking tree was awesome, and the text books don't say anything about a talking tree so they're not as cool.
6:07 PM
I'm not gonna lie and say that it was "interesting". Just Disney trying to make some money of an enhanced nicer story. I actually never say the Pocahontas movies, so yea... I'm glad my mind was not corrupted by false history.
I think Disney is trying to mold the easily manipulated minds of young children, so that in the future they can create an army of Disney children who have been brainwashed with bad history...
6:15 PM
sorry for my bad grammar and spelling... haha
6:33 PM
Okay so having to read the text book and all of those comparisons was a totally bummer because I idolized Pocahontas my entire childhood and it's one of my top 3 fave Disney movies. The real Pocahontas is not cute, neihter was John Smith (Or Rolfe) so the whole love story isn't too cute anymore.
I do think it's really cool that the movie came from the ideas of "american frontier meets Romeo and Juliet" and turned into Pocahontas. And it's cool that for a Disney movie it was actually somewhat historically factual!!
It was a cool lesson learning about the REAL story of Powhatan and Pocahontas and discussing the myth of John Smith...
but it ruined my childhood. :(
hahaha man, i can't tell ya how many times i was Pocahontas for halloween...and my cool Pocohontas bed sheets and barbies..(Kocoum was stomped on by the horse because i wanted her to be with John Smith..:))
7:27 PM
I think it would have been quite a controversial movie if Disney had made the Pocahontas story more historical. I remember watching the Pocahontas 2 movie and thinking "how could she not end up with John Smith?!" but now I know they were basing that off history.
A passage from the website about the New World movie struck me as odd. "John Smith visits her one last time, but now, he talks. Pocahontas is taken aback to realize that his accent is inferior, which ends things between them". So before she learned English she just mimed things out with him. And after she learned English she heard his accent and it was inferior? Did he have a cockney accent and if so, did the English society influence her to discriminate against him? She was only in England for a year or so until she died so does this reflect on her as an impressionable woman or does it suggest an imperious English society?
And might I add that we have our own Pocahontas descendant in class: Shawn Holman!
p.s. I have Pocahontas 1 and 2! We could have a Pocahontas marathon in class.
7:49 PM
Im pretty impressed by how accurate Disney was compared to what really happened. Granted they changed/left out all the fighting and 'ugly' people and much more but I think for the most part they did an okay job at making an animated historical movie for children. At least the kids learned something and all the false facts they are learned..well hopefully they'll get a super cool history teacher that will straighten them out..like I did.
This definitely beat the textbook.
8:25 PM
Wow, the level of comments is GREAT, or to quote Mr. Wilson, "Awesome!" This is probably my last comment of the night because I have some work to do for class tomorrow.
Some of my favorite comments tonight came from Sarah Sykes and Sarah West. Sorry to burst your bubble Sarah S. Ms. West, is it true about Shawn Holman and Pocahantas?!?
EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ CAREFULLY TONIGHT!!
Good night all.
8:53 PM
hmm this was really interesting. I really enjoyed reading the chart of comparisons between disney and the truth. I thought what other people said was interesting too. I was really shocked about all the false things that disney put into their movie! The whole thing about pocahontas and marrying John Rolfe while she was already basically married to the native dude! It really makes me think about the native culture back then and their take on marriage or did a lot of it come from the english culture? Because sometimes different cultures were really strict on marriage guidelines but I guess it must have been different with the native americans? I think its really interesting how it was John Rolfe and the indian guy plus John Smith managed to get himself into the mix but never ended up with pocahantas? Another thing I found really interesting was the balance of true and false things in the disney movies. There was one thing in the second movie that was apparently completely true! Then there were things that make you wonder why they tried to make anything like the really thing in the first place because parts of it were so inaccurate. I guess that goes to show that if you want to learn something about history you should 1)check your resources and 2)don't trust dinsey even if you love their princess movies!
At least thats what I think. :)
9:31 PM
To tell you the truth, i didn't even know Pocahontas was a real person.
It was indeed interesting how everything was beautified. The age difference just blew me away.
But, I guess I already know the reason Disney did it. The movie was for children, and in my opinion, they're not ready to recieve such information yet. It was a smart decision to beautify the story. Though, after reading John Smith's 2 different diarys we read in class makes me wonder...
Did this really happen?
I am not sure if I can even trust the "Real Life" part on the link.
Afterall, History is always written by the winning side.
9:34 PM
I wanted to watch Pocahontas this weekend while babysitting but instead we watched A Bugs Life, ANYWAY
This was so much better than the textbook (as you know).
I understand that Disney had to make their "cheddar", so they made Pocahontas cuter, did the whole Romeo and Juliet thing, and threw in some animal friends, but why would they say she was arrested, and thrown into prison at the Tower of London after attending the Hunt Ball when in reality "Pocahontas attended the lavish Twelth Night Masque at the royal court. A great time was had by all."?
Doesn't that seem like a total downer?
OH, and she must have been pretty amazing for being Powhatans favorite out of 100!
9:42 PM
I was surprised that Disney change the facts so much. When I was a little kid i always thought that was the true story until around middle school. I think they should have stayed more to the facts. It was really interesting to see what were truth and what was fiction. I actually enjoyed reading this.
7:26 PM
I just dont understand why these stories would be so different. It was a little uninteresting but i liked it.And thats kinda wierd how pocohantus was 11 and all. I learned some new stuff.
8:19 PM
Well, I finally found the Blog. I found it interesting that Disney did not tell the real storie and chose to romantisize Pocahontas. But the again they are giving this storie line to children. I think that it was a good idea not to tell children what really happened, but on the offhand some people when they grow up still think that this is the "true" story.
But I can't say that I'm "suprised" that they would alter what happened. Just think if they told the true story of what happened.
Also What is with the animals? Come on Disney.
Oh well beats the text book.
David English 3ab
2:06 PM
Wow those are some insanse differences. Disney should try to produce some historically acurate movies.
7:01 PM
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