Reaction Paper

Kyle Wilson

Morrell

9/12/12

Reaction paper

                                                Racism in the Avatar

           

James Cameron, the Avatar film writer and director, denies that the movie sends any type of racist messages. Cameron claims the movies real theme is about respecting each other’s differences and living harmoniously in this world. However, in my opinion, there are too many racist themes in the film to believe Cameron’s explanation. Avatar is most definitely a movie depicting certain racist themes. “In addition to Native Americans, I saw some cat people as black people in disguise” (Milloy). The mere fact that all the Na’vi characters are actually played by actors of color insinuates racism to me. Also, the film can be compared to how the European settlers in America wiped out the Indians for their land and their resources. Avatar is yet another movie that depicts the various aspects of racism. “As happens in movies such as District 9, Dances With Wolves, and The Last Samurai" (Newitz) .

I see that in the movie there are many things that are equivalent to Native Americans. They “wear feathers in their hair, worship nature gods, paint their faces for war, use bows and arrows, and live in tribes." (Newitz) This relates to the Indians because they also wear feathers, walk, talk and live like the Na’vi. They hunt and consider everything in nature to be important and has some sort of meaning.   

Jake Sully, a white man in an Avatar body (the body of the Na’vi that Jake can connect with) is accepted as a Na’vi warrior after he beats up the Na’vi clan leader-to-be. "A white guy manages to get himself accepted into a closed society of people of color and eventually becomes its most awesome member."(Milloy) They accept him as a Na’vi when he is able to show that he understands the balance of nature and then they feel they are able to trust him. Later in the movie, the defeated warrior says he wants “to fly with” Jake. This means he has now shown he is able to be trusted as a warrior of the Na’vi’s tribe.  Jake rides the gigantic, fearsome, flying creature, a challenge not accomplished since the legendary warriors of the past. Therefore, Jake is the one that links the current Na’vi generation back to their noble past even though he is really an outsider. “A race traitor to his fellow humans, Sully leads the cat people in thwarting the military invasion.”  (Milloy) this outsider also saves the Na’vi society from the American army when they try to destroy there home in order to find a rare expensive mineral.

I feel that the director of the movie Avatar overlooked a number of themes that were portrayed in this movie.  While the movie does show a sense of respecting differences, it does not necessarily promote living harmoniously as is shown by the military invasion. Avatar is most definitely a movie depicting certain racist themes. To have a Na’vi tribe be played by all colored actors is racist. Most of all, to have what was considered an oppressed culture have to be rescued by a white person is racist without a doubt.