Reflection Week 2

This week we watched the second half of Dances With Wolves. John Dunbar was a changed man and had transitioned into his new perfect life. This is when the climax of the movie happened and it revealed a struggle that John Dunbar had to face.

Before Dunbar had been in contact with the Sioux, he feared and awed at the frontiers. He hoped to make peace with the Natives but, he didn't expect to become a part of their society. After saving one of the the Sioux women, the Sioux were curious about Dunbar. They shared items of their culture and made closer connections. Dunbar was awoken one morning by a stampede of Buffalo. The scenery was hazy and purple. Dunbar ran up the hill as Buffalo ran past him. This symbolizes how it was dreamlike and euphoric because there was a shortage of food and now this event was happening. The fog represented his confusion as all of this was happening. He notified the Sioux of the "tetonka" and they went on a hunting mission. He gains the trust of the Sioux and their most stubborn member, Wind In His Hair, when he saves his son, Smiles A Lot, from a wild buffalo. This is the where Dunbar becomes a part of the Sioux. He begins trading, socializing, an engaging in their activities.

After being accepted into the tribe, Dunbar has to face a fork in the road. The Sioux are moving because of the Union Soldiers expanding into their land and Dunbar decides to make a trip back to his station to retrieve his journal. He did this because it was a record of how he became part of the Sioux culture. However,his horse is shot and he is taken prisoner and treated very badly. This resembles how discriminating the soldiers were. He was being beaten and disgraced because of his change in culture even though he used to be a soldier himself. Later, some illiterate soldiers are using his journal for toilet paper which shows the lack in respect they have compared to Native Americans. Dunbar is later rescued at a river crossing and his journal washes down the river. Earlier the wolf that gave him his name, Dances With Wolves, is shot which represents his history of being Dances With Wolves is being washed away. He decides he must leave the tribe because they will try to find him as an excuse to raid the Sioux. This shows his care for his family and the sheer helplessness of the situation. Dunbar had to face a struggle that would not turn out good for him either way when he had to make a decision to abandon his people. It shows how he has transformation the inside and ho much he valued the way of the Sioux.