Working from the middle

In the scene where the group of “soldiers” are standing around the digital replica of the tree are talking about the Na’vi as if they are worthless, Parker calls them the blue monkeys. Grace makes it clear to Jake that she cannot believe why he was chosen for the Na’vi to study and accept into the community. They want Jake to make sure he can just find out want they want in trade for the unobtanium deposit that is under their land. Parker says they have offered everything from medicine and education for the unobtanium but they do not want to trade. Jake sees the Na’vi differently than the ones who will fight for the unobtanium. In this scene they want you to take sides with Jake and the Grace. They want you have feelings for the Na’vi and think of them as part of the community.

Parker says, “Find me a carrot to get them to move otherwise it will have to be a stick,” says this in order to make it clear to Jake that he is not joking about fighting for the land (signifiers). Jake agrees to the operation because he does not want the “army” to invade the Na’vi land. He works with the Na’vi people to try and find out what they can trade for the land. This would be like any person who is a medium; they want to be able to please both sides of an ‘argument’ (signified). The affect this gives on the audience means that both sides have a point but they want you to agree with Jake's side in that he will not do anything that will harm the Na’vi people.

You see the movie from both points of view, but they are trying to make you take the sides of the Na’vi. This is not a bad thing; it is actually what makes the movie. If a person thought of it in a logical way, that if you needed the money from the unobtanium you without a doubt would do all you could to move the Na’vi away from the core source. That for instance is why there is war in the world. As viewers of the movie we want to fight as hard as we can with the Na’vi to make the “soldiers” stop invading the land of the Na’vi. In everyday life you are put in the positions to help two sides. You need to be able to mediate the two so they can come to an agreement on one conclusion. This is where the ‘avatar depression’ comes into the situation because everybody want to be able to please both sides but it truly cannot happen. Like when Jake took a side and stuck to it and put his entire life on the line. This can make people think of their lives as if they aren’t doing enough for the big issues happening in the world.