Na'vi Portrayed as "Animals"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QEFrI-D_3c&feature=related

I analyzed the scene from Avatar where Jake has his first experience in his avatar Na’vi body. (The link to the scene is attached. The specific scene is from the start of the clip to about 2 min and 12 seconds). In this scene, Jake first wakes up lying down on a medical table with the “doctor” people who are in charge of the avatars hovering over him. They test his reflexes and urge him to get up slowly. Jake, who is excited about finally having a fully functional body again, goes a bit crazy. He gets up and starts stumbling around, knocking over instruments and hitting people. In this scene he appears to be very animal-like, and the scene ends as he bursts out of the doors of the confined room while the doctors try to sedate him.

This scene argues the viewers to see the Na'vi as savage animals. This is done through 3 main ways. 1. The doctors wearing masks and “haz-mat”-type suits. 2. Jake appearing to act as an animal and storming out of the room. 3. The use of the word “sedate.”

1. 1. One of the first things you notice in the scene is that the doctors are wearing masks that cover their entire faces and suits that cover their entire bodies. These suits are used when working with dangerous or hazardous materials, so the use of these suits in this situation signifies that the Na’vi are a danger.

2. 2. When Jake gets up and begins to stumble around, he is simply excited to be able to walk and feel his legs again. Our structure of feelings make us feel happy for Jake because 1, Jake is established as the protagonist and 2, the audience sympathizes with Jake because of his handicap and are happy to see him be able to walk. These feelings are put to rest by how the scene is portrayed. The makers of Avatar want us to understand that the Na’vi are seen as animals by the human world in the movie, so Jake is made to act like a dangerous animal, injuring the staff members and knocking over tables and instruments uncontrollably. This causes the viewers side not against Jake, but against his Avatar Na’vi body because viewers dislike the savage animal we see him act as and believe it is not Jake doing it, but the Na’Vi part of the avatar Jake.

3. 3. And lastly, viewers are encouraged to view the Na’vi as animals when the doctors use the word “sedate” when Jake is acting out. As Jake starts storming around the room, the doctors yell “sedate him, sedate him!” as if he is an animal. You do not sedate humans, so this signifies that the Na’vi are less than human.

Because of the structure of feelings that we have that encourage us to sympathize with Jake because of his handicap, viewers would likely have a positive attitude toward the avatar of the Na’vi as it is through this avatar that he regains the ability to walk. But the scene argues viewers to dislike the Na’vi as they are portrayed as savage animals through Jake’s actions even though he is simply excited and is not meaning to hurt anyone or cause any harm.