Native American literature and cinemaParallels between imperialism and oppression in AvatarSet on the planet Pandora, Avatar is the science fiction story of a money-hungry corporation's attempt to conquer and excavate the earth of the humanoids known as Na'Vi. Jake Sully is a paraplegic, who is sent into space to complete his deceased brother's mission because they share the same genome, needed to navigate the expensive avatar that had already been cloned. We learn that the avatar is basically a mind transporter used to join and learn about the Na'Vi community. During his first expedition into Na'Vi land, Jake gets lost and meets one of the tribe's leading women who ends up taking him under her wing and teaching him the ways of an Omaticaya. From here, the film continues to tell the story of Jake's dilemma between the mission he began with his people and the loyalty he slowly pledged to the Omaticaya clan. After seeing Avatar the day it hit theaters, I easily decided it was one of the most amazing films I had ever seen. My opinion may seem invalid coming from an uneducated 14 year old, but even after rewatching the film recently, I think this film and its social commentary are remarkable. There were many aspects of this film, some controversial, that made it exceptional: its novel cinematography, its questionable portrayal of indigenous peoples, its strangely familiar plot, and above all its critique of colonization and civilization. After watching Avatar for the sixth time, I have come to the conclusion that this film is much more intricate than its critics and supporters acknowledge. There are multiple parallels between imperialism and... middle of paper... the United States Development Administration dominated Pandora and the Na'Vi. Overall, Avatar appears to accurately portray the despicable history of colonization, exploitation, and elimination of indigenous peoples in the United States of America and numerous other places around the world. Since the 18th century, European colonizers have forced indigenous peoples like the Omaticaya to abandon their homeland and subjugate them for economic and private gain. The mentality that Colonel Miles Quaritch and Parker Selfridge have towards the Inquisition reflects exactly that of those who tyrannized the native communities in America and also the African communities. Their justifications and propaganda came directly from the oppressors of the past. The film doesn't do much to make the history of colonization look bad, as it was in itself ignominious.