The blockbuster movie Avatar is set in the future on a beautiful moon that inhabited ten foot tall Na’vi. The movie is form the point of view of Jack the soldier who was injured soldier he is told that has new assignment to be transported on to body of an Avatar to help convenes the locals to move off there land to utilize an natural mineral that is on the Na’vi’s land. “It obsesses all manner of scientists who “love” her to death in an attempt to ‘penetrate and understand all her secrets. (Collard pg.4) The scientist within the movie is using technology to take advantage of nature not make it better. Visually the there is a very obvious dualism between the natives and the humans. Humans are masculine depending on logic, machines, progress, greed, affluence and overall science as a reason for its actions. At some point Jake describes what earth is like at that time dirty used with no vegetation, it probably is cold polluted. While the Na’vi reminiscent of people of the world before they were colonized by Europe, have an much feminine view point, with there focus being an spiritual connection to nature, valuing life, emotions and tradition over progress. The world is lush and colorful full of life is abundant, the landscapes are something to marvel at and respect. Which leads to linking postulates in every aspect of the cultures and there ideas, the treatment of each group’s world is reflective of their overall ideals. Unable not make the “right” decision it is up to the humans who just so happen to be at the to of the pyramid hierarchical making their voice the master narrative which also the most profitable. On multiple occasions the Parker the manager of the project referred to the Na’vi as savages and blue monkeys, his tone and language gives off the feeling that he thinks that is better then the natives in everyway mostly intellectually. “ The poor are mapped as animal an as children”(Plumwood pg.45) to humans unable to see the true potential of what is in front of them This is the mentality of most of the humans using radical execution, it is easier to think of them as the other an not like oneself. Towards the end of the movie when final battle is taking place the soldiers are unable to feel sympathetic to natives because of Relational Definition because they are not like them it is easier to kill them and destroy there home. “Identify is expressed most strongly in dominate conception of reason, and gives rise to a dualised structure of otherness an negation.” Plumwood pg 42) The patriarchy of the elite male how only cares about the bottom line how much revenue can be generated. Once against the master of the story is the one with the most influence and power which always boils down to money. So the one calling the shots always excludes the other or the defiant ones. The science that resonated with me is the last battle between Jack and the Colonel. Jake, who has now switched sides to join up with the underdogs to defect his own people. This story really is about Jake realizing that his ideals of brute force isn’t the best way to persuade people. So Jack gets injured again and it is up to Neytiri to defect the Colonel, this was one the most symbolic part of the movie. “The hunter loves not nature but how he feels in it as he stacks his pray”. (Collard pg. 4) The Colonel brute, cold logical sexist racist murdering against the ethereal Neytiri pure, loving Na’vi fighting to save her home. There clothing even their weapons used representative of their cultures and society, the knife simple minimal damage vs. the gun which is loud is unnecessarily cruel when used. In the end The Na’vi are able to over come the intruders kicking them off their plant, there for restoring peace to the Navi and nature itself.
Avatar (2009)
Plumwood and Collard Reading
https://ecampus.unt.edu/webct/urw/lc5122011.tp0/cobaltMainFrame.dowebct
Angelica Bigsby
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