Summary:
An analysis of various scenes in the film "Dances with Wolves" as examples of what actions are considered violent and graphic and what are considered realistic.
The Film Danes With Wolves, could be portrayed as a very violent and graphic movie. Others could say it is just realistic. One might say it is realistic because there was a lot of violence during the Civil War in 1860's . There were men killing one another for land and power. Also violence was a way of power a using force to show where youu stand on thee Totem Pole, and to make people do things. This film not only has violence between man and man but between man and animal. Some might ask is that really violence.
In the film there are many scenes that portray violence. But, there a few in particular that may cause some confusion or debate on whether it is violence, force, or just natural. The opening scene is a grotesque and gory scene. It involves two "doctors" and a soldier soon to Be John Dunbar. They are about to amputate his injured leg when they aree fatigued and take a break to go get coffee. Dunbar becomes conncious annd aware of what is going on and refuses to lose his leg and leaves. He quickly makes the decision to keep the leg and risk infection rather than lose it. This is unlike the opinions of many surgeons back than when it was just easier to remove the whole leg than tto fix it. There reason was there lack of medical supplies, lack of time, and large amount of wounded soldiers. This scene could be considered violent because of the sharp objects and blood laying around, but it also could just be scene as surgery and what had to be done, but for Dunbar he had to keep his leg.
Another eye catching scene is when Dunbar and Timmons arrive at the fort and Timmons will not help unload the wagon because he thinks it is pointless. Hwne Dunbar hears this he quickly turns from a nice traveler to a Man with a gun. Also known as a soldier. He tells Timmonns to get off thee wagon wwhat makees him is nott only thee large pistol aimed point blank at his head but Dunbars tone of voice combined together. Dunbar did have to say much else because a loaded pistol aimed at someeones head signifies one thing only and that is death. Dunbar felt he had use this form of force because the threatening words alone did not do it. And what is more forrceeful than his handy sidearm at his reach. Dunbaar was on a mission, given from the Army and he felt no one could jeapordize it, not even an innocent, foul, peasent.
Lastly, a large and exciting scene is the Buffalo hunt with the Lakota tribe. Dunbar is now aquainted with the tribe and they go out for their hunt. As thee buffalo fun in a herd the Native Warriors ridde on horses along side throwing, spears, shooting arrows, and yelling. Whle Dunbarr rode alongside observing and killinngg with his weapon of choice a rifle. At first he thought its just a sport or game for the Native Amercans. But, as he watched closer he saw it was not only sport, but an weekly chore that must bee done to survive. It was their way of food,clothing and tools. But, if just somee bypassing white mnn saw this going on it would look like a bunch of crazy savages yelling andd killing for no reason at all. They could say what didd thee Buffalo do to them, but they could say what did we do to you"
In a Book I read over the summer, A Clock Work Orange, by the main plot seemed to be violence. The main characters went around harassing, raping, and even killing women. They beat up people that go tin their way or they did not like. The differencee was that tthey did it for thee mere reason of entertainment and fun. They did it with no respect for others or reaal reason. When compared to the violence that occurred throughout Dances With Wolves, You have to ask which one is actually violent and which one is moore violent"
As seen in the movie and read in the book, violence has been an on going event and way of life for centuries even before the 1860's and Now. The scary yet real thing is is that violenc ewill never stop because its is our nature. Whether it has to do with the food chain, fighting over land, money, women, power. It is all violence, but it is for the observer to decide what kind of violence it is. We may all do some violent actt in our life whether it is killing or not. But, one thing we must remember is humans were not born to hate.
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