AVATAR was directed by James Cameron and released in theater back in 2009. I remember it was a hit, break though for computer-generated characters, and 3D experience at its peak. A clip that I find applicable in the rhetoric and political aspects of AVATAR that I could dissect, analyze, and connect with our modern day world is the scene when the “Unobtainium” stone is hovering in mid-air. Why is this scene so important in the political and rhetoric aspects in AVATAR and our modern day world? It portrays the following themes: imperialism and colonialism of the colonizers and the colonized. This scene made me feel really irritated because it shows how hungry the people, who are Americans, were and how far they would go to just obtain this medal. In addition I knew this stone did not exist because if it did than we would be sending people to live on the moon! They create clones of Avatars to be spies and they developed weapons/ technology to drive the Na’vi people out of Pandora. We all know that this film is a science fiction film and the “Unobtainium” stone does NOT exist in reality because the periodic table proves me to be scientifically correct. Although this stone does not exist in reality, it can be seen as a reference to a concept of any extremely desirable/ rare/ costly/ impossible material needed to fulfill a given desire or a given location. This scene conveys colonialism and imperialism because when imperialistic rulers invade and colonize the natives, the colonizers have the power and authority to exploit the land and reap from the benefits. The only reason why the Americans wanted to invade Pandora was to obtain the stone that Pandora floats on. The invaders had no peace relation with the Na’vi people because all they want is the metal (like Columbus discovering America and killing off natives ruthlessly). They used Americans to depict white people with imperialistic authority and the Na’vi people as barbaric and primitive natives (appearing like Native-Americans/ Africans by their attire and bizarre language) who saw no need of the stone and did not understand the purpose of why Americans would invade their world because their culture had no use for it since they saw the land as something you cannot own but use. Americans on the other hand wanted to obtain it and drive the natives out. The hidden message in this scene with the “Unobtainium” stone illustrates colonialism and imperialism in its most imaginable form. This stone may not exist in our real world but it did in AVATAR. In the film it was desirable and worth fighting for to fulfill their needs, therefore they did not care to what extent and actions they would partake in order to obtain it in Pandora.
I think its also important to point out its name in it self. un obtain ium. Unattainable.
ReplyDeleteIt follows along mankind's way of always trying to learn more, grow more, use more.
I like that you show that the uses of the stones were limited, that it was for us not them. The fact that two different cultures look at the land a different way, one who uses and one who tends. I never really paid much attention as to why they would ever question what they were after. They had no value to it, so why would they die for it?