Characterization- There are many characters in the film, but there are two that are characterized thoroughly. The English and the Naturals are characterized through many levels of depth that it goes down to physical movement. In the first scene in which they encounter each other face to face, they are in a grassy field surrounded by earth and trees. It starts out with a long shot of one Native walking, and then a cut to another angle which shows Captain Newport (Plummer) and his men approaching him. They walk slowly, fearing the unknown. The Native they encounter walks up to them followed by 2 others, sniffs them, and turns his body around fast and chants a birdlike sound. All three of the Natives are confused at the leather clothes and metal straps from their clothing, and the whites of their skin. One of the Natives touches Newport (who stands still throughout this) and speaks to him in Algonquian. Flies surround all the English since they have just gotten off three cargo ships after four months. The next cut is to Natives feeling Capt. Wingfield’s (Thewlis) clothes and feather from his hat. They again do this fast while he stands still. The final cuts show Smith being examined, and then it the last cut is Pocahontas and her brother playing in the forest doing cartwheels, and charades. Another scene of characterization is when Opechancanough is in England, in a courtyard looking at trees that have been trimmed for decoration, and he is looking at them used to natural trees. He is shocked that England’s nature has gone to waste.
