THE NEW WORLD

[maikuu]

[Edouard]

Hi everyone

3) Why did she finally choose John Rolfe?

After the departure of Captain John Smith, played by Collin Farrell, Pocahontas is really sad. She just spent her days crying and felt in a depression. Then, Captain Newport tells Pocahontas that her lover is dead, drown[ed] during the crossing. Pocahontas is devastated when she meets John Rolfe, played by Christian Bale. He is really kind to her, and help[s] her everyday. She marries him and they have a son. It seems that Pocahontas is with him by spite, and is still in love with Captain Smith. This is confirmed when she meet[s] Captain Smith again in England and kiss[es] him in the garden.

Teacher's Note: Thanks for posting first and providing a chronological sequence of events leading up to the marriage to John Rolfe. Bravo.
--mike www.MoviesGrowEnglish.com

[Piedad San Martin]

Why did she finally choose John Rolfe?
- She chooses to John Rolfe (Christian Bale) because he gives to her security, and also because he is a really nice and kind person. After the experience she had with John Smith (Colin Farrell), she is badly damaged and depressed. Fearful of returning to feel so alone as when Smith leaves her side, she looks for something that has the minimum option to fail. She has no one in her life, not Smith or his family, so she looks for refuge in Rolfe, also in search of a home. Initially Pocahontas chooses Rolfe only by necessity and convenience, but then the feelings are transformed. After his [her] meeting with Smith, she realizes she loves her husband and that he has no comparison with the image he had of his former love.

Teacher's Note: I like how this brief starts with a topic sentences that pretty much summarizes the answer to the question. But I wonder what Pocahontas realizes about John when she sees him in the English garden? Thanks for writing.
--mike www.MoviesGrowEnglish.com

[feng.lai]

Why did she finally choose John Rolfe?

This movie is kind of very new for me, and i do not know any america [American] history. I am not sure i got the right meaning, but it is still very intresting movie for me.
She shoose [chooses] John Rolfe, because he take[s] care of her several years. enven he know[s] that Pocahontas still loves Captain Smith. He is very nice and kind person to her. the other reson is his child, Pocahontas' life always changing, and she is tired of this. she just wants life with her child peaceful.

Teacher's Note: One of the reasons for choosing movies to show ESL students like this author is to possibly introduce them to some aspect of American culture. I'm gratified that I was able to introduce this author to the amazing and somewhat true story of Pocahontas, John Smith, and John Rolfe. It is amazing to me that this simple love story has reverberated through our history for 400 years. And Author, I think you got it right! Nice job.
--mike www.MoviesGrowEnglish.com

[Claire]

Why did she finally choose John Rolfe?

In my opinion, the most important reason is because she met John Rolfe when she was very maudlin.
Her heart was broken when she heard the news which [that] John Smith was dead. At that time, John Rolfe treated her tenderly.
He was like a big tree, and he could take her under his wings [branches?].
Although she knew John Smith was still alive, and they met again, she already got [had already gotten] married and had a cute son with John Rolfe.
How could she abandon her warm family and John Rolfe’s love? In the end, she realized she was a blest [blessed] woman and truly fell in love with John Rolfe.

Claire

Teacher's Note: This author does an excellent job of summarizing the changes in the life of Pocahontas. Maudlin is an interesting word choice as I don't think it gets used much in modern English, but it would have been a way to describe Pocahontas in her time. Thanks for posting.
--mike http://www.MoviesGrowEnglish.com

[mingyeong]

2) Why is her name never mentioned in the movie?

She was "someone" to those who were in the movie. She was the most lovely daughter to her father, a part of nature interacting with her whole body, a woman to smith in spite of the lack in communicating, a helper to those desperate from cold weather and starveness, and a sweet mommy to her son. Actually, while I saw this movie I felt that she did her every role in perfect different ways: maybe the ways can be something belonged to one way.

Frankly speaking I always try to do my roles in a kind of perfect way. However it was not about just an effort, i think. That is more about comprehending myself put in these surroundings and the flow of the world above, below, and around me. I read an article which is about a way Native Americans understand their nature. It said, they consider themselves as just a leaf of trees, or same as a handful of soil. They feel the breeze, sky, and feel appreciate appreciation] from a meal they can get from the nature.

But I found myself eating foods in meaningless way, feeling frustrated so easily from sth which is so unimportant, complaining the people who disturb my way to school instead of having a grateful mind to this world or sth(if there is a God,). The last scene of the movie which ends with tall trees covering the 70% of sky above, was felt as being her, going back to her mother, who can be the nature or this world, looking above those tall trees as a little tiny thing on the soil.

It reminded me of who I am or what I shoulda take count of instead of strugglin[g] with things trivial. Anyway, she was marvelous. Trying to be an ideal woman or wife or daughter to someone seemed so ridiculous while I saw her. I think in some way, she can also be named as nature.

Teacher's Note: Why the name is never spoken is a difficult question, and I'm not sure this essay answers that puzzle. What impresses me is how Pocahontas, who lived so long ago, could still inspire an ESL student from another country in such a way as expressed in the words above. That's really beautiful! Thanks for posting and sharing your feelings.
--mike www.MoviesGrowEnglish.com

[Jessie0107]

1) What makes Pocahontas such a remembered and celebrated figure in history?

I believe that is because she adapted to a completely new world. Even for me, it is always hard to fit in[to] a new environment. For pocahontas, it was more than "new" because this new world had different language, different way of thinking , different culture, different manners, and more! I think I can identify into her more because I amd in kind of similar situation. I'm in a different country where people speak in different language, different culture and different food.. and more! Based on my experience until now, no wonder she died young. As it is always hard to be in a world that is not your world but someone else's, i personally hoped she would go back to her dad and live as happily as ever been.

Teacher's Note: This author makes an insightful observation by noticing the similarities between the life of Pocahontas and that of an ESL student. Brilliant! Please be careful with GPS. Thanks for posting.
--mike http://www.MoviesGrowEnglish.com

[fal1986]

Hello everyone,
I think that Pocahontas is a great simbol [symbol] of peace among her tribe and also between her tribe and the english settlers.Therefore, she was both loved and well respected by everyone. However, I did not understand why her father became mad at her and told her that he did not want to talk to her again. Is it because she chose a foriegn man to marry? In my point of view, I think this love relationship between Pocahontas and captain smith might lead to peace and tranqulity between the two nations. I felt it wierd when smith left Pocahontas and lied to her about him being alive, I really did not know why he did that. Pocahontas made the right decision when she chose to remain John rolfes' wife. At least he did not abandon her, also their child have kept their relationship even stronger.
Fahad.

Teacher's Note: Some excellent points are covered here. The reason Pocahontas' father disowned her was easy to miss in the movie. When the Indians discovered that the English were planting corn, they realized that the English had no intention of leaving the New World as they had promised. It was Pocahontas who gave them the corn seed, making this possible. In doing so, she may have actually changed the course of history. (Think about that!)

But why did she give the English the corn seed? Maybe it was because of her naive application of Indian philosophy and way of life. She treated everyone with the same love and respect. She saw nothing wrong in what she was doing. I think she was the one who had already saved the English once before when they were starving, and she lead the Indians to their fort with food. It's an interesting story and a good lesson in life.

Thanks for posting.
--mike http://www.MoviesGrowEnglish.com

[Boonchai]

In my opinion, the reasons that Pocahontas chose John Rolfe[were] because he gave the love to her a lot. Also, John Rolfe took care Pocahontas while she felt depressed, and time that she spend with John Rolfe was longer than [the time spent with] Captain John Smith. The reasons that Pocahontas didn't chose Captain John Smith was he left her alone, and he lied to her. Other reason that Pocahontas chose John Rolfe was she has a son with John Rolfe, so it held her to stay with him. John Rolfe was very kind too since he gave Pocahontas the chance to meet Captain John Smith for prove her self, so that's why she chose John Rolfe.

Teacher's Note: Both sides of the issue are well explored. Nice job. Thanks for posting.

--mike www.MoviesGrowEnglish.com

[kyou90]

Hi,

Pocahontas would be a pioneer of England if we see that from opposite side. She adapted a new culture she had never seen and been entirely different from hers.
She didn't give up to keep up with Smith, even though she was not allowed to.
Smith's going away was too shocking to her. She lost her love. And John came up. He became her soulmate. He tried to understand her everything. He truly loved her.
Pocahontas knew that when she was in England. Captain Smith's appearing confused her, but she believed what she chose to believe.

Teacher's Note: Indeed, can anyone imagine what it must have been like for a young Indian woman in the early 1600s to make such a leap of faith by immersing herself in English life and even visiting the King and Queen of England? Amazing story. Thanks for posting.

--mike http://www.MoviesGrowEnglish.com