|
4. The meaning of this song
4.1 Colors of the wind
"Colors of the Wind", by composer Alan Menken and lyricist Stephen Schwartz, was the 1995 Oscar-winner for Best Original Song from the Disney 1995 animated feature film, Pocahontas.
The song poetically represents the Native American viewpoint that the earth is a living entity where humankind is connected to everything in nature. This song is about Pocahontas' exhortation to John Smith about the wonders of the earth and nature, including the spirit within all living things, encouraging him not to think of them as things he can conquer or own, but rather as beings to respect and live with in harmony. She also urges him to accept humans who are different in appearance and culture and to learn from them.
The first part is sung, when the music technically begins, has Pocahontas talking about how having experience with other races does not necessarily mean understanding them and has her asking John Smith whether she is the savage between the two of them. As she sings this, she angrily shoves his gun into his hands, implying that the European attitude towards guns, violence, and racism is far more savage than the views that the Native Americans have. Pocahontas then tells John Smith that there is a lot about the Earth he doesn't know.
5. Book and Sequel
5.1 Disney before the story: Pocahontas Leads the Way
Before Pocahontas saved John Smith, she was a girl ready to explore. Pocahontas is always looking for an adventure. When Nakoma’s younger brother falls ill and the tribe’s healer needs a special herb to treat him, Pocahontas recruits Nakoma to come with her on a harrowing journey.
5.2 Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World
Several years after the original film, Pocahontas has been mourning Smith's apparent death in England. She eventually decides to move on and buries his compass (which he gave her before going back to England) in the snow. Unknown to her, his death is part of a plot by Ratcliffe to manipulate England into a war with the Indians.
Later on, Pocahontas has a run-in with an English diplomat named John Rolfe, who has recently sailed to Virginia. They do not get along at first, with her disliking his interference in a near-skirmish between the Powhatan and the English, while he dislikes her for rebuking him for said interference. He later overhears her role in stopping the war and mistakenly assumes her to be the Chief rather than the young woman he just met.
Later that night, Rolfe appears at Pocahontas' village with a gift for her but is astonished when he learns her identity. He reveals that Powhatan must come to England to meet with King James; otherwise, he will allow England to go to war with the Indians. When Powhatan refuses to go, Pocahontas volunteers instead.
Pocahontas visits Grandmother Willow the next day, asking for advice for the journey, and is told to "listen to the spirit within." Later, she leaves with Rolfe for England and is nearly arrested for "harboring stowaways" before he comes to her aid. They come to a truce.
Upon arriving in England, Pocahontas is astounded by this "new world". But at the height of her fun, Ratcliffe appears and grins evilly when he finds out she is the ambassador instead of her father Powhatan. He hands Rolfe a proclamation that King James has signed that says an armada is going to set sail to destroy the Powhatan tribe. Rolfe and Pocahontas set out for his townhouse outside of London, where Mrs. Jenkins happily greets them and puts on tea. Rolfe goes off to meet with King James alone. King James, tricked by Ratcliffe, invites Pocahontas and Rolfe to The Hunt Ball. If Pocahontas can impress King James and Queen Anne, her people will be saved. If she is deemed "uncivilized", however, then the armada will sail.
Rolfe and Mrs. Jenkins teach Pocahontas how to fit into English society, dressing her as an Englishwoman and teaching her how to dance. At first, she impresses King James and Queen Anne, but during dinner, she is horrified by a bear-baiting spectacle. Unknown to her, Ratcliffe had arranged it knowing she would not approve. When she disrupts the bear-baiting and comes to the bear's defense, she angers King James by calling him and his people barbarians, and as a result, she and her bodyguard, Uttamatomakkin, assigned by Powhatan, are arrested and scheduled to be executed.
Later on, Rolfe and a disguised Smith break Pocahontas and Uttamatomakkin out of the Tower of London and escape into the woods to avoid King James' troops. She is shocked when Smith reveals himself and says that the rumors of his death were "greatly exaggerated." They take her and her friends to a cabin in the forest. Smith explains that he had gone into hiding to avoid a treason conviction. While he wants to resume his relationship with Pocahontas, she is more concerned about the armada scheduled to sail to Virginia to attack her people. Rolfe and Smith begin to argue over a course of action. Smith believes Pocahontas should stay in hiding to avoid being hanged or decapitated, while Rolfe believes she should follow her heart. She runs off, upset at the arguing between them, while Smith realizes that Rolfe is in love with her. How Smith feels about this seems rather vague. After spending some time at the edge of a river, remembering what Nakoma said back in Virginia, and reuniting with Meeko, Flit, and Percy, she soon returns, ready to face King James herself and face the consequences, whatever they may be, earning both Smith and Rolfe's respect for her bravery.
The next day, Pocahontas prepares to face King James, willing to sacrifice herself to save her people. While she convinces Queen Anne, King James does not believe her until Smith shows up. Upon seeing that he is alive and well, King James realizes that Ratcliffe has lied about everything. Pocahontas says they need to stop the armada, but Queen Anne reveals that they have already left. Pocahontas counters that they must at least try, and it turns out that the armada had not actually set sail just yet. She, Smith, and Rolfe are able to stop them, and Ratcliffe is arrested by King James when he returns to shore, facing severe punishment for his crimes. Smith is given a ship of his own and a royal pardon, while Rolfe is offered an advisory position to King James.
During the celebratory ball, Pocahontas plans to return home on the next ship and is trying to work up the courage to ask Rolfe (whom she has fallen in love with) to come with her. Smith plans to travel the world and wants her to come with him, but she explains that she feels that they've grown too far apart while assuring him that she does (and will always) still care about him as a friend. After thinking it over, he understands what she's getting at and accepts her decision, wishing her happiness for the future, and she wishes him the same. After he leaves, she goes in search of Rolfe, but as she'll be leaving soon to sail back to Virginia, she's ultimately forced to board the ship by herself.
When she becomes saddened that she'll probably never see Rolfe again, he emerges from the shadows, and they embrace. When she asks him, "What about your duty to the King," he responds by saying, "I have a duty to honor what's in my heart." They share a kiss as the ship sails off into the sunset to return to Virginia.
Do'stlaringiz bilan baham: |
