Analyzing and Interpreting The Avatar

Introduction

Set in 2154, the film Avatar explores the mining of precious minerals called ‘unobtanium’ on Pandora. Jake Sully is a marine who has his consciousness transferred to a genetically engineered hybrid body of Na’vi, a sentient humanoid species indigenous to Pandora. He is ordered to interact and integrate with the Na’vi to earn their trust and eventually persuade them to relocate so humans can extract the mineral. After humans fail to compromise with the Na’vi, they decide to take the land by force. During the battle, Jake and the team he leads join the indigenous people instead of the humans. In the end, Jake abandons his human body, and his consciousness is transferred by the Goddess to make him a real Na’vi. This essay discusses how the film Avatar represents colonialism, ethnocentrism, and romanticism.

Colonialism in Avatar

Colonialism is the policy or practice of a wealthy or powerful nation maintaining or extending its control over other countries, especially by establishing settlements or exploiting resources (American Heritage Dictionary, n.d.). In the film, humans go about killing and supplanting the indigenous population of another planet to attain a precious mineral. From this, parallels can be drawn, as the Na’vi can be seen as a fictionalized version of indigenous populations who also experienced colonization by Europeans. This mirrors historical events where powerful nations exploited others for their resources, often disregarding the native culture and rights.

Ethnocentrism in Avatar

Beneath the surface of this film, there also lies a deep undertone of ethnocentrism, which is the belief in the inherent superiority of one's own ethnic group or culture (Collins English Dictionary, n.d.). Both the humans and the Na’vi in the film believe their culture is superior to the other's. This can be seen when the humans address the Na’vi as “blue monkeys,” “savages,” and “the natives,” while the Na’vi refer to humans as “smelly aliens,” “creatures,” and “demons” (Cameron & Landau, 2009). This mutual disdain highlights the challenge of overcoming ethnocentric views to achieve mutual understanding and respect.

Romanticism in Avatar

Avatar also showcases the concept of romanticism, which is connected to ethnocentrism. Romanticism involves traditional people being seen as presenting a better past when humans were at one with nature (Lundberg, 2016). There are plenty of examples in the film. One of the main characters, Grace Augustine, the biologist in charge of the Avatar study, frequently criticizes soldiers with guns, representing people who overuse technology. This is evident in her lines such as “trigger-happy morons” and “idiots with guns.” Furthermore, her acts of teaching the Na’vi, caring for them, and attempting to protect them even after losing their trust and love demonstrate her romantic view of the Na’vi. This is clearer when Grace says she is with the goddess of the Na’vi, Eywa, before she dies.

The romanticism is particularly distinct when the Na’vi interact with nature. They pray for the animals killed and empathize with their sadness. They use their plaits to build a bond with animals, feeling their emotions and minds instead of forcing them to obey. There is a scene where Neytiri and Jake are surrounded by the Tree of Souls and listen to the voices of the indigenous ancestors and spirits. They feel the spirits of nature and listen to them. The Na’vi treat nature as an inseparable part of themselves, which dramatically contrasts with humans.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Avatar is one of the films that has critically analyzed and re-evaluated the concepts of colonialism and ethnocentrism. The film compels viewers to reflect on how we interact with nature and our views on other cultures, as well as ourselves. We are all equal in the fact that we are all different (Joybell, n.d.). Learning to accept other cultures without feeling superior is a challenging lesson that lasts a lifetime. By highlighting these issues, Avatar encourages a dialogue about the importance of cultural sensitivity and environmental preservation.

References

• American Heritage Dictionary. (n.d.). Colonialism. Retrieved from https://www.ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=colonialism
• Cameron, J., & Landau, J. (Producers). (2009). Avatar [Motion picture]. 20th Century Fox.
• Collins English Dictionary. (n.d.). Ethnocentrism. Retrieved from https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/ethnocentrism
• Joybell, T. (n.d.). Quote on Equality. Retrieved from https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/equality
• Lundberg, A. (2016). Romanticism in Film. Retrieved from https://www.filmsite.org/romanticism.html