Dances with the Wolves
This analysis focuses on the movie titled ‘Dances with the Wolves.’ The film was directed by Kevin Costner and released in 1990. The characters in the movie exhibit different beliefs and assumptions. The US soldiers, for example, have negative attitudes towards the Sioux, Native American tribe that was at war with the White settlers at the time. Throughout the film, they treat them as enemies who should be subdued at all costs. This explains why they torture and treat Dunbar as a deserter after capturing him. However, attitudes of Dunbar and that of members of the Sioux tribe change after interacting with Dunbar.
Dunbar, the main character, undergoes a significant transformation in the course of the film. Initially, he shows a great determination to fight the enemies of the Union Army (the United States Army was so-called at the time). Like his fellow soldiers, Dunbar initially treated Native Americans with suspicion. However, after being posted to the western frontier, he begins to build a relationship with the Sioux. Eventually, not only does he develop a positive attitude towards the tribe, but he also gets assimilated into them and serves them. Initially, Dunbar’s decision to be posted at the western frontier was influenced by the desire to see the border before it disappears. However, when he encounters the Sioux and learns that he has to friend them to survive, his goals shift. In this case, he starts assimilating into the tribe and serves their interest. Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
Empiricist reflective theory is the reflective theory that best explains the transformation that Dunbar goes through. Developed by John Locke, empiricist theory claims that ideas emerge from the sensate experience of the physical world (Kates et al., 2001). In the film, Dunbar’s attitude towards the Sioux changes after he experienced their culture and various other aspects of their lives. The Sioux also changed their attitude towards Dunbar after living with him. Living with Dunbar helped them learn that he was friendly contrary to what they had thought before. Overall, it is clear that the experience that Dunbar gained while living with the Sioux influenced his attitude towards them. He learned something new during his stay with them.
References
Kates, R. W., Clark, W. C., Corell, R., Hall, J. M., Jaeger, C. C., Lowe, I., … & Faucheux, S. (2001). Sustainability science. Science, 292(5517), 641-642.