Dances With Wolves Stereotypes

Introduction

As the most celebrated American film in 1990, the winner of seven Academy Awards and four Oscars, and the first Western in 60 years to be proclaimed Best Picture, Kevin Costner’s Dances with Wolves is a film that goes beyond conventional cinematic boundaries by offering a powerful critique of the United States of America’s history and cultural identity (Lake, 1997). Through masterful storytelling, Kevin Costner directs himself through the lead role as Lieutenant John Dunbar, a cavalry officer whose life on the American frontier is transformed when he encounters members of the Lakota Sioux tribe (Lake, 1997). As a seemingly progressive film for its genre, Dances with Wolves is an example of how the Western genre generates critiques

By subverting stereotypes and unveiling cultural assimilation, it can be argued that the film generates nuanced critiques of social, cultural, and political ideologies that subsequently contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the complex history and generational struggles of Indigenous people in the United States of America. Additionally, it can be argued that the film also paves the way for a greater and more respectable representation of Indigenous characters, as seen through various scenes and moments that seek to challenge the prevailing narratives and expose the unjust historical treatment of Indigenous characters in other Westerns in the American film industry. With that being said, the following will explain and explore how Dances with Wolves as a film within the Western genre can generate critiques of a nation and its treatment of Indigenous people in the film industry and within

Additionally, while it may be argued that these comments are subconsciously projecting a racist and problematic ideology against Indigenous people and culture, they also signal a denial of the possibility of intercultural relations (Lake, 1997). However, as justified by Lake, Dunbar’s transformation is not as radical as it is made to seem; but rather, his transformation can be attributed to an incorrect designation as his identity does not change, but rather he finds a new expression in a different context (1997). On another note, this dissatisfaction with Dunbar’s "assimilation" in some way offers a discussion regarding historical cultural assimilation and the overall critique of losing one’s own culture, tradition, and language. With that being said, through this depiction of cultural assimilation through Dunbar’s immersion in Lakota culture, the audience is left to reevaluate and reconsider the stereotypical judgments regarding different cultures, and may even encourage a greater understanding and acceptance of the complexities of Indigenous cultures and experiences. From a personal standpoint, Dunbar’s acceptance and embracement