Avatar Research Paper

at 1. Explain how the aliens are anthropomorphized in the movie, basically, how the motives and reactions are expressed in terms that translate into human interpretation. Explain in particular how nonverbal communication is used to accomplish this. Part of this is explaining how humans are reacting/interpreting the behavior of the aliens. Remember that the major character has to learn how to interpret the reactions of the others.

CLAIM/THESIS

The movie AVATAR is an excellent example of the use of nonverbal communication for Storytelling. The central messages are dramatized nonverbally, visually contrasting the conflicting communities and showing through symbolization, use of light and color the stark differences between the cultures. The anthropomorphization of the aliens provides numerous examples that can be translated into human interpretation.

According to Wikipedia “anthropomorphism is any attribution of human characteristics (or characteristics assumed to belong only to humans) to other animals, non-living things, phenomena, material states, objects or abstract concepts, such as organizations, governments, spirits or deities. The term was coined in the mid 1700s. Examples include animals and plants and forces of nature such as winds, rain or the sun depicted as creatures with human motivations, and/or the abilities to reason and converse. The term derives from the combination of the Greek (ánthrōpos), "human" and (morphē), "shape" or "form".
As a literary device, anthropomorphism is strongly associated with art and storytelling where it has ancient roots. Most cultures possess a long-standing fable tradition with anthropomorphized animals as characters that can stand as commonly recognized types of human behavior. In contrast to this, conventional Western science, as well as such religious doctrines as the Christian Great Chain of Being propound the opposite, anthropocentric belief that animals, plants and non-living things, unlike humans, lack spiritual and mental attributes, immortal souls, and anything other than relatively limited awareness.”
The two ideologies and cultures, avatars and humans, resulted in thoughts on both sides that the other was inferior. The Na’vi believed that humans/sky people were ignorant aliens who only wanted to destroy and kill. The humans thought of the Na’vi’s as savages based on looks and living. These misunderstandings were fundamental factors between the two races.
The Na’vi and the humans had many things in common. They could see, think, feel and communicate. While the Na’vi were different, they possessed many human like qualities as well as customs. Once the Na’vi took the path to manhood and passed the tests he was then accepted into the clan as an adult. He was then allowed to make his bow from the wood of the hometree and was also able to choose a mate. After the mate has been chosen they will mate before Eywa. These are similar to the human customs of enlisting in the military and marriage, rites of passage in their cultures.

2. Explain how the film maker and script writer provides a basis for you to learn about the aliens. Coming into the movie you do not know them, but the movie essentially “teaches” you about them. Give examples of how this learning involves nonverbal communication elements and what is “learned” as this continues.

CLAIM/THESIS

The Avatar filmmaker does not only tell us about the aliens, he shows us. The use of nonverbal communication is the primary teaching method employed by Cameron, the central messages of the movie could be understood without words, perhaps without sound. Teaching is done through visual messages, seen, experienced and understood.

Visually you can see the difference between the two cultures, how life was like for Jake back home at the naval base but once he was transported into the Avatar body it was a whole other world. The first interaction Jake had with the Omaticaya’s as a whole group was a learning experience for both. Neytiri who was translating for Jake put him in front of chief Eytucan. Once Neytiri told Jake that Eytucan was her father, and was deciding whether or not to kill him, Jake extended his hand to greet him and realized that was a threat rather than a greet to the Omaticaya people. In our text book on page 276 it states the “Touch can be so fraught with meaning that the act of touch itself comes to represent the significance for the relationship, ritual, or occasion.” Cameron used this specific scene to illustrate how Jake Sully was not yet worthy to even touch the head of the tribe. The rejection of a simple handshake went a long way to show his low status. When the mother interfered it was decided that they were going to learn from their first “dream walker” who was a warrior, and he then could learn their ways.
It was decided that Neytiri was to teach Jake their ways. She teaches him to speak their language and shoot using the bow and arrow. Anytime he made a mistake she corrected him by hitting him with a simple slap on the arm or head and to get the correct posture. She would adjust him using touch and without any verbal commands. Throughout the process Neytiri showed Jake how to perform tasks like riding the horse like creatures or flying on the banshees. She never tells him how to do it accept to “make the connection.” She lets Jake use his instincts to figure it out on his own. On page 62 of the text it states the “We learn our nonverbal skills, not always consciously, by imitating and modeling others and adapting our responses.” This is exactly what when on with Neytiri and Jake during his learning phase.
One major thing the Na’vi tribe does is that they stare into each other’s eyes and make a hand gesture and follow it up with saying “I see you”, its more than saying “I see you in front of me,” but it is a deep personal connection that shows how the Na’vi can see into each other’s souls and get a read on who the other person really is. “I see you” is more of a recognition/acceptance. On page 235 of the test it mentions how hand gestures can act as a visual punctuation for the speakers discourse. When the Na’vi use the hand gesture in addition to the verbal comment it is like a hammer driving home the deep meaning of the phrase.

3. How is space managed among the various persons in this community and between the various communities? You had a variety of approaches to use of space, from seating arrangements, to architecture, colors. How are the elements used at various times to communicate about the society and social relations and provide meaning or interpretation for the two basic communities.

CLAIM/THESIS
The Na’vi community uses space in a reverential and respectful manner, revering and respecting nature, the environment and Pandora in general. The humans disregard for the beauty of nature, the importance of space, color and the environment pose a central conflict between the two cultures.
In the Na’vi community they are not portrayed as individuals that work for separate goals with self-involved intentions. They live off the land and do not over indulge in their surroundings and resources. Within communities that are tight knit and live off the land they tend to have a simple life style and do not over overindulge because they understand how precious land and life really is. For example, when eating they sit in close proximity with one another and enjoy each other’s company, with no distractions. On page 150 of the text it mentions “contact and noncontact cultures, Contact cultures face each other more, interact closer and touch one another more.” In the movie Avatar the Na’vi were a very contact orientated culture and the humans were a non-contact culture.
In addition to being a contact culture the Na’vi lived off the land naturally without having to destruct the land. They do not ruin the land they inhabited it by cohesively living off it. Their sleeping quarters are hammocks that hung in massive trees, and when they made their home there they did not hurt land but respected it by not overly consuming it. They learned to adapt to the vast landscape by using their surroundings and did it without desecrating the very land that they use for all their resources. Their community is based off living Mother Nature and the reciprocal relationship that they share with it. When you can enjoy the surroundings in which you live in only then can you appreciate how bountiful and wonderful it is. When you share such a close relationship with nature you have an unspoken love for it, because it is something that is not inherited as it is learned through trials and tribulations. The Na’vi had to pick a banshee and establish a bond with the right one. In some ways that relates to the human society in the aspect of first impressions, you can never get a second to make another impression, and that can lead to gaining or losing a relationship.
The Na’vi values their society by respecting the space they occupy as well as the people who occupy that space. On the other hand the humans have no respect for space or life and just want to take from Pandora. They feel entitled to whatever they can get think the Na’vi are below them.

4. How did the author/director provide a basis to contrast the organic/living culture of the aliens with the inorganic/dead culture of the humans. Consider the process of the battle, motives, and outcomes of the hostilities. What I am looking for is the use of symbols to provide the contrast and how these elements work to promote the storyline.

CLAIM/THESIS:
The author/director of Avatar uses mother earth and Eywa as a central difference between the living culture of the Na’vi and the dead culture of the humans.
James Cameron went above and beyond in the movie Avatar to illustrate the inorganic/dead culture of the humans vs. the organic/living culture of the aliens/Na’vi. After learning so much about the Na’vi people you come to realize that they are one with nature and a very organic/living culture. One symbolic scene in the movie that expresses this is when Jake Sully, in Avatar form is trying to convince the Na’vi tribe to leave home tree so the humans don’t kill them when they plan to blow up the tree. Jake tells the Na’vi that the “sky people have already killed there mother earth. He tells them that Earth is brown and stripped of resources and that the humans plan on doing the same thing on Pandora.” This is a great example of how the humans are an inorganic/dead culture. They killed there mother earth and plan to do the same on Pandora unless they are stopped. They only want to strip the planet of its resources and they do not care about the living creatures or the habitats they are destroying. On the complete opposite end of the spectrum the Na’vi tribe believes everything is connected and even if they kill a creature for food it must be a clean kill and they say a little prayer or a few words when making the clean kill. It is sad for the Na’vi when a creature or living thing dies for no reason and it is not acceptable.
Cameron also shows how the aliens are an organic/living culture when he has all the animals come to the aid of the Na’vi in the final battle. The Na’vi are being pushed back and are suffering heavy losses and right when all hope is almost lost the animals of Pandora come and fight side by side with the Na’vi. They crush the ground troops and the animals which earlier in the movie were enemies with the Na’vi tribe, join forces with the Na’vi and crush the humans who are in giant mechanical robots and airships. All the animals attack at once in a very coordinated effort and tip the scales of the battle. Earlier in the movie Neytiri’s tells Jake Sully that Eywa's does not take sides in a battle she just keeps the balance. When the animals joined the battle it showed that the living/organic inhabitants of Pandora would overcome the inorganic/dead culture of the humans. Neytiri’s takes this as a sign from Eywa and that is the beginning to the end of the battle with the Na’vi and animals overcoming the humans and forcing them to leave Pandora.
James Cameron also showed how the humans were the inorganic/dead culture and the Na’vi were an organic/living culture in everything they did. The humans lived in a military base made of metal and concrete, both inorganic items compared to the Na’vi who lived in a tree, and organic object. The humans used trucks and helicopters and air ships to get around Pandora and the Na’vi used animals and dragons that they had a bond with. The humans wanted every ounce of the inorganic element “unobtainium” and would do whatever it took to get it regardless of the lives lost or damage done. The Na’vi only took what they needed from Pandora. A good example of this is when Neytiri takes a sip of water from a leaf. She only takes one sip and leaves the rest of the water in the leaf rather than spilling it or wasting it.
Throughout the movie there are examples on how the humans are the inorganic/dead culture taking what they want and damaging everything in their way. The Na’vi is the organic/living culture who only takes what is needed from Pandora to survive and nothing more. They are one with their deity Eywa and live their lives with respect for her.
5. Describe the nature of nonverbal rituals in the daily interactions among community members and compare them to special or unique situations. How do community members use nonverbal elements to indicate membership, status, and shared values as well differentiate themselves from other groups? Can you watch someone and determine what the group membership.

CLAIM/THESIS:
Group membership can be determined through observation of nonverbal kinesics, proxemics, and use of artifacts. Rituals also help identify community membership with stark differences dramatized between the avatars and humans.

The expectation for young women and men are to become hunters and possibly warriors. Their religion is unknown to me but based upon their interactions with Eywa, who is their god. They center their spiritual/special occasions around the tree of souls and the tree of voices. These are very sacred spiritual places. They access the energy of Pandora through a neural network that connects every living thing by making a connection with an appendage, where they make a connection and can hear the spirits and pray to Eywa. One of the nonverbal interactions that happens in the movie is when Neytiri, the daughter of the Na’vi leader was going to shoot Jake with her bow and arrow because at the time she believed he was a spy and was there to harm nature, but the second she was about to shoot him a single seed from the tree of voices floated down on the arrow and Neytiri knew it was Eywa communicating to her that that he was good.
Little clothing is worn by the Na’vi clan. They are indigenous to their surroundings and want to take little from their environment. In one of Jakes observation tapings he talks about how nature there isn’t theirs, they are just borrowing from it, and one day they must give it back (upon death). Their apparel consists of loincloth from their environment, which is worn by all Na’vi. Clothes/accessories in the Na’vi clan are used to show ranking. In the Omaticaya clan the leader Eytukan’s garment is more embellished than the others, he wears a big shoulder piece along with a headpiece that is made of beautiful materials. The same goes for the mother who wears what it looks like to be a shawl that is red and also has a beautiful headpiece and necklaces of some sort. Accessories are added to a Na’vi’s attire as he or she moves up in the clan hierarchy. For example, Jake Sully, who was a new member started off with the tradition loin cloth, but as he stated to learn their ways and started to show he was more than just a typical member, he then wore armbands and necklaces to display his ranking and at the end when he leads all the different clans to war he is shown with a head piece. Grace on the other hand who was not accepted to become one of them wore shorts and t-shirt.
Besides clothing/accessories to show rank, choosing a Mountain Banshee which they call “Ikran,” and having it choose you were another milestone. Only six other tribe leaders have ever been known to fly the Great Leonopteryx and it always has brought peace to the tribes. This is the highest honor that a Na’vi can obtain within the tribe. Jake received immediate respect and every tribe member was in awe of him and tried to reach out and touch him as he got off the red bird and walked to the front of the group. On page 276 of the text it states, “Touch can be so fraught with meaning that the act of touch itself comes to represent the significance of the relationship, ritual, or occasion.” When Jake got to the front of the group he immediately won back Nateri and had the respect of all the other Na’vi people. The Na’vi people were witnessing a rare occasion, ritual and were in awe of Jake. He was treated like a living god or a rock star.