For our first assignment we had to read about John Smith. I thought I knew a good amount about him but I was completely wrong. All though elementary school and through the Disney movie Pocahontas you are given this image of John Smith, that he is a good guy and wanted to help people and not take over the Native American’s land or try to change their traditions or ways of life in any sense. But when I read this I got a totally opposite vision of John Smith.
In the first reading I feel like he is preaching of his ways and ideas. Making it sound like he believes that there is only one way to live. It seems that he believes that wealth is the key to everything, along with land. He keeps preaching like he is trying to get people to come over from England, talking about all the good land and great fishing. In the end this passage makes me believe that John Smith went over there to change everything,to become a leader or king of the land, to take over the land and change it to his ways not even thinking about the people that already live there and there traditions.
7 comments:
Hi Laura, I think you fixed the problem, everything looks good on your page. Erin
Yeah, these assigned readings really put a whole different image of Jonh Smith in my mind too. Although I knew that the movie Pocahontas wasn't completely accurate, it was a lot more far fetched than what John Smith's true character is like. The real John Smith is very full of himself, and he isn't on the same side as the Native American's and he isn't in love with the beautiful Indian princess.
Laura, Good. I think you are correct in saying that some of John Smith's work is preachy. He is definitely encouraging others to come to the New World and cultivate his land. By the same token, I think he recognizes that it is hard work. I think it is also interesting that you note how your image of John Smith changed after reading his work and after class discussion. I think it raises the valid question as to why such images stereotypes of American pioneers exist? Why are children taught the legend of Pocohontas and John Smith when it is, in fact, a legend?
Laura, I agree with what you've said in your blog; these readings truly did change my image of John Smith. It seems so strange that the image that the movies and legends have built up in our heads is that John Smith was a hero. After reading this passge, he seems more like a salesman to me, pitching stories and placing guilt trips in order to get people to move to the New World.
Around the time when Pocahontas first came out I saw John Smith as this hero figure. I saw only the good things that he had done for the Native Americans. After reading some of his writings, I began to change my viewpoints. I now see him as this overbearing leader who wants only to change different cultures to make them more like his own.
I completely agree with your post. Prior to this reading assignment, I always envisioned John Smith as a heroic figure who at the end of the story, saves the day. The only knowledge I had prior to this reading assignment was from the Disney movie, Pocahontas, where John Smith was depicted as a great hero.
Laura,
I agree that these reading give a new perspective on John smith. And although once the europeans arrived in America they did begin to change many ideas and customs of the native peoples and take over their land I do not believe that this was their intension from the beginning and I also believe that they truely thought they were helping these people who they believed to be ignorant savages. So even though Smith and other Europeans were changing many things I don't think it was because they just wanted their land and didn't think about the people I think they thought they were helping.
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