Midterm Essay
Christopher Riojas
Keiser University

Introduction
Adventure and discovery of land and territories in the early centuries were the order of the day for the majority of the stable nations, armies and organized ethnic groups who searched for food, water, and places of settlement. The adventuring movements of communities across the world brought about acquisition of property, resources and territories that later converted to the states and the countries under currently existing geographical boundaries. This effect culminated in more aggression in the movement and acquisition of territories that later turned out to be colonized. During the pre-colonial era, communities under the leadership of ethnic chiefs controlled tribes and extracted resources that were only within their territories. More land was unoccupied thus attracting other foreign immigrants who, moved in search of better resources and experiences. It is in the spirit of discovery and colonization, this article puts into perspective the development of a new state of Virginia in America. Precisely at Jamestown, as it is told through a film called “The New World”, directed by Terrence Mallick, and a story book called “The General History of Virginia, New England, and The Summer Isles”, by Smith (pg.57-69).
This article analyses the two sources, the film and the book as their stories are related by both explaining the discovery and development of Jamestown and Virginia. This region has been captured in these two sources as a new territory that was conquered by the actor, John Smith as a captain of a ship and navy that sailed to Virginia in the 17th century (pg.57-69).
The book “The General History of Virginia, New-England, and the Summer Isles”, by Mr. John Smith.
John Smith himself writes this book, where he reveals all the developments of the story in the third-person language. The book elaborates how England adventured to America and acquired a territory in North East America. It is more detailed in explaining the historical development of the companies that were involved in the administration of these territories and settlement of the English people in America. The two key companies involved were the Virginia Company of London and the Colonial Company(pg.57). The book further elaborates on the journey of the English immigrant’s journey and experiences in the foreign land of the Indians in Virginia. When they get there, they received warm reception and were given food but later had challenges and conflicts because of their way of life and the intrusion to the Indian territories. The author illustrates the challenging and mutual relationships that they had with the Indians because the English immigrants were more knowledgeable and advanced on skills than the natives.
This captures various universal themes that include colonization, industry, love, cultural contact, self-reliance. These themes are experienced throughout the story form the onset of travel to America and the hard encounters that they face from the Indians. The lack of food, hostility, adventure, relationships and the general goals of their movement culminates to the climax of the story. They eventually succeed in writing history of having conquered America and leave a trace in history. This was important in exercising hard work and industry of the English speakers with their influence in educating the native Indians (pg.57-59).
The Film “The New World,” 2006 by Terrence Mallick
This film is acted after the Captain John Smith, who is captured as the protagonist in a story that explains the English settlement in Virginia in America. After a group of immigrants sail through in Virginia in America, Captain Smith, who had been stripped of his roles a captain for making unprecedented comments about his bosses, is reinstated and appointed to be in charge of the Americans once they get to the shore. He becomes the commander of the group and establishes a settlement. With the region being a territory of the Indians, they are attacked, then they go in search of food and all the soldiers are killed. Captain Smith survives with the help of a woman, called Pocahontas, a daughter of the chief of the Indian tribe, Powhatan. The girl defends her when he is about to be killed where they later fall in a relationship and elopes with Smith to their territory. The two lovebirds live together, but the hostility between the natives and the English immigrants persists with regular confrontations of killings but surprisingly still their love stood ground.
The story captures a love relationship and the birth of a territory for the English people. They collectively sail overseein North America as they target to establish a new territory in America. As the movie gives a vivid picture of the happenings in audio and visible play, the book tells the story in depth and more elaborately. The book is also perceived to be more authentic as it uses a title of “The General History of Virginia, New England, and The Summer Isles”, which makes it look real and a true story. Although the movie is shorter and summarized, the book gives a vivid picture if some of the contacts that were experienced daily in between the Indians and the foreign Englishmen. The exchange of food, weapons, medicine et cetera illustrates the exact experience of both tribes. The book achieves its story better through the informative introduction, the buildup of events, and the culmination of the story. Both sources bring out related themes of self-struggle, colonization, conflict, love, relationships, and betrayals of which try to find out the historical development and the growth of Virginia, Jamestown, England, and the existence of the English Americans in North West Americas (57-69).
Word Count:961
References
The Norton Anthology of American Literature. N. Baym. R. S. Levine. Shorter eighth edition. W.W. Norton and Company, New York, NY from The general History of Virgina, New England, and the Summer Isles. (pg.57-69).