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Historical Inaccuracies (for Pocahontas 1995)

http://www.powhatan.org/pocc.html
 * Pocahontas' real name was Matoaka. "Pocahontas" was only a nickname, and it means "the naughty one"
 * In the disney film, Pocahontas is a young adult; in reality, she was around 10 or 11 at the time John Smith arrived with the Virginia Company in 1607
 * In the disney film, Smith is portrayed as an amiable man; in reality, he was described as having a harsh exterior by his fellow colonists

http://entertainment.time.com/2009/12/09/top-10-disney-controversies/slide/pocahontas/
 * Historically, there is no evidence of a romantic relationship emerging between Pocahontas and John Smith
 * A few years after John Smith's departure, Pocahontas was captured by colonists; she was converted to Christianity and then married to John Rolfe, who was known for introducing tobacco as a cash crop

http://vision.stanford.edu/~birch/pocahontas.html
 * There is much controversy over whether or not Pocahontas actually saved John Smith from being killed by Powhatan's tribe. Many have argued that Smith fabricated the story of Pocahontas saving his life in order to gain popularity.
 * The controversy surrounding whether or not Pocahontas saved John Smith exists largely because Smith wrote two very different accounts of his captivity. The first one, published in 1608, included a generally flattering description of Powhatan and his tribe. This first account contained no mention of almost being killed by Powhatan. It was not until Smith released his second account around 1622 that he described any cruel treatment by Powhatan. Also, this second account contains the first mention of Pocahontas saving him. Because Smith's two accounts consist of very different facts, and because the second was released only after Pocahontas had gained prominence in England, many hypothesize that Smith embellished the story of his captivity with respect to Pocahontas.

Criticism (for Pocahontas 1995)

Misrepresentation of Native Americans

http://www.hanksville.org/storytellers/pewe/writing/Pocahontas.html
 * Many critics argue that the film presents damaging stereotypes of American Indians.
 * Some criticism has surrounded the representation of some Indian characters, like Grandmother Willow, Meeko, and Flit as animals. They content that portraying these Native American characters as animals has a marginalizing effect.

White Supremacy

http://vp5qw4uf5x.search.serialssolutions.com/?&url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fcornell.worldcat.org%3Aworldcat&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&req_dat=%3Csessionid%3E&rfe_dat=%3Caccessionnumber%3E204196821%3C%2Faccessionnumber%3E&rft_id=info%3Aoclcnum%2F204196821&rft_id=urn%3AISSN%3A1225-9276&rft.aulast=Kutsuzawa&rft.aufirst=K&rft.atitle=Disney%27s+Pocahontas%3A+Reproduction+of+Gender%2C+Orientalism%2C+and+the+Strategic+Construction+of+Racial+Harmony+in+the+Disney+Empire&rft.jtitle=ASIAN+JOURNAL+OF+WOMENS+STUDIES&rft.date=2000&rft.volume=6&rft.spage=39&rft.epage=65&rft.issn=1225-9276&rft.genre=article&req_id=info:rfa/oclc/institutions/3913&req_dat=%3Cip%3E128.84.125.99%3C%2Fip%3E&req_id=info%3Arfa%2Foclc%2FInstitutions%2F3913


 * In the film, Cocoam and John Smith go head to head fighting for Pocahontas' affection. Critics argue that Smith's victory over Cocoam in this arena is symbolic of the West's domination over the East and the white man's domination over men of color.

http://www.hanksville.org/storytellers/pewe/writing/Pocahontas.html
 * The lyrics of the song "Savages," sung by both the colonists and the Native Americans in the film, has received much criticism, specifically accusations of overt racism. The lyrics are as follows:

What can you expect From filthy little heathens? Their whole disgusting race is like a curse Their skin's a hellish red They're only good when dead They're vermin, as I said And worse. They're savages! Savages! Barely even human. Savages! Savages! Drive them from our shore! They're not like you and me Which means they must be evil. We must sound the drums of war!

Gender Stereotypes

http://vp5qw4uf5x.search.serialssolutions.com/?&url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fcornell.worldcat.org%3Aworldcat&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&req_dat=%3Csessionid%3E&rfe_dat=%3Caccessionnumber%3E204196821%3C%2Faccessionnumber%3E&rft_id=info%3Aoclcnum%2F204196821&rft_id=urn%3AISSN%3A1225-9276&rft.aulast=Kutsuzawa&rft.aufirst=K&rft.atitle=Disney%27s+Pocahontas%3A+Reproduction+of+Gender%2C+Orientalism%2C+and+the+Strategic+Construction+of+Racial+Harmony+in+the+Disney+Empire&rft.jtitle=ASIAN+JOURNAL+OF+WOMENS+STUDIES&rft.date=2000&rft.volume=6&rft.spage=39&rft.epage=65&rft.issn=1225-9276&rft.genre=article&req_id=info:rfa/oclc/institutions/3913&req_dat=%3Cip%3E128.84.125.99%3C%2Fip%3E&req_id=info%3Arfa%2Foclc%2FInstitutions%2F3913


 * Many argue that the visual appearance of Pocahontas reproduces gender stereotypes. The animated character is dark skinned with Asian facial features, yet her body type is undeniably Caucasian. Thus, many critics content that visually, Pocahontas reproduces stereotypes of the ideal exotic beauty, according to white males.
 * In the film, Pocahontas is initially portrayed as the heroine when she saves John Smith from being killed by her father, Powhatan. Later in the film though, Smith's heroic act overshadows this when he jumps in front of a bullet being fired at Powhatan. By comparing these two acts of heroism, critics argue that the focus of the film shifts from Pocahontas to Smith. Critics claim that comparing these two acts means that the film, which was originally intended to be about a brave female heroine becomes more about the triumph of a male hero, John Smith.

For more information see: Portrayal of Native Americans in Film