The New World Movie Essay

I watched the movie, “The New World” which was directed by Terence Malick. This film is based upon the historical figure of Pocahontas and her life after the arrival of the English at Jamestown, Virginia in 1607. Malick chose to tell the story of the initial contact between white settlers and Native Americans from both viewpoints- simultaneously. The New World stars newcomer and Native American actress Q’orianka Kilcher as Pocahontas, Colin Farrell, as Captain John Smith, and Christian Bale, as John Rolfe. I also read two history books, “Nation of Nations” and “The American Promise,” to compare the real historical evidence in the movie. I will also compare and contrast with the movie and my sources about the first settlers in Jamestown. In the movie it shows
In the movie, it shows that while the prospects for the settlement are initially bright, disease, poor discipline, supply shortages, and tensions with the local Native Americans place, Smith takes a small group of men up river to seek trade while Newport returns to England for supplies. While on this mission, Smith is captured by a group of Native Americans. He was bring before their Chief Powhatan. The captain is nearly executed, after being questioned. He is spared when Pocahontas intervenes and saves his life. In the book “The American Promise,” there is evidence that Captain John Smith was captured by warriors of Powhatan. In the book the writer also shows that “then, Smith recalled, ‘two great stones were brought before Powhatan: then as many (Indian) as could laid hands on, dragged him to the stone. And thereon laid his head, and being ready with their clubs, to beat out his brains.’ At that moment, Pocahontas, Powhatan’s eleven-year-old daughter, rushed forward and save him” (Roark et al. 53). In the history of the English colony in Virginia, Smith describes a famous incident about his life