Motion_Picture_Sociology_Avatar

Michael Garcia Sociology Professor Foster 30 April 2012 Motion Picture Sociology Avatar- Movie Theater/Home Movie Jake Sully- Is the main protagonist in “Avatar”. He is a former marine who has since been paralyzed and bound to a wheelchair. Sully is brought into the Avatar program once his twin brother is killed and travels to a distant planet to ease relations with the native inhabitants. Colonel Miles Quaritch- He is the main antagonist for the film. He is in charge of security and military operations at Hell’s Gate; which is the nickname for the human’s base of operations. Avatar Plot- Jake Sully’s identical twin-brother was murdered during an attempted robbery. This allowed Jake to be able to take his brothers position on the “Avatar Program”; which is an initiative to link into a genetically grown na’vi body and explore Pandora. Once on Pandora, Jake’s ultimate goal is to receive the funds he needs so he can revolve back home to get an expensive spinal surgery, rendering him able to walk again. Sully eventually gets to know the na’vi and the inhabitants of Pandora. In the midst, Jake Sully also falls in love with Neytiri and realizes the amount of destruction the humans have forged. Once in heartache and despair, Jake Sully teams up with the native indigenous to stop the humans once and for all. 1. Culture- A way of life gardened by tradition and technology that categorizes different people. Culture is something that is defined in the motion picture Avatar. Everything from gathering food to praying revolves around a tradition. 2. Stereotype- An idea or bias put on every person within a category or subset of people. First, The Na’vi are unfairly classified as ignorant barbarians. Second, the audience can see that Col. Quaritch only views the human scientist as weak-sympathizers. 3. Culture Shock- Shock or surprise to the unfamiliarly of another culture or way of life. Jake Sully comes from a deeply polluted and broken earth to a lush and vibrant Pandora. He is forced to interact with an alien species all without prior experience. 4. Language- The verbal form of communication that allows for beings to understand one another. The Na’vi speak with their own constructed language as well as English to communicate with their human counterparts. 5. Technology- The tools and processes which are used to aid in the completion of task and goals. The humans in Avatar use post-industrial equipment in all aspects from helicopters, space-ships, and advanced weaponry. The native people on the opposite spectrum use more traditional items. 6. Ethnocentrism- One culture judging another culture with the bias of their own culture in mind. When the humans conclude pretty fairly that the indigenes population is barbarous and hostile they base that determination off of themselves. The humans themselves are most violent.