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Journal Entry 1
In the film Mission, the letters of Vespucci and the writings of de las Casas, we see an
encountering upon the discovery of new world. This encounter is with the new worlds natives
who seem very different and more primitive the Europeans. In the both materials, we see a
common purpose which is to evaluate and criticize the supposedly civilization, the Europe.
Before starting the comparison of them, let me to remind aspects of Vespuccis letters. In his
voyage of new world, at the first glance, Vespucci describes the natives like some creatures with
their anomalous physical and custom characteristics. At some points, especially when first
encountering, he judges them barbarously because of natives behavior. For instance, at
Vespuccis second voyage, his crew release all prisoners that they get after a confliction at the
sea, natives run away without respecting their act that can be considered as being peaceful and
harmless for them. However, when Vespucci after he could communicate with some members of
a native tribe, he find outs that their social life is more advanced than Europeans since they live in
a calm and peaceful society and their customs were more logical than the civilized Europe
according to Vespucci. Secondly and before the film, I can talk about the writings of de las
Casas. In his pieces, we see a confliction of the societies, Spanish and natives, rather than a
discovery like Vespucci had. De las Casas expresses that natives behaves very patiently,
submissively and quietly towards Spanish by laying all litigiousness. However, Spanish treat the
natives in such a barbarous and inhumane way, butchered and harassed with several kinds of
torments. Interesting addition to that these persecutions, it is not considered as eminent act by
Spanish and slavery was not also immoral those periods due to economical ambitions according
to de las Casas.
In the film Mission, we see three characters, Rodrigo Mendoza, Father Gabriel and Cardinal
Altamirano, who are like a representation of Vespuccis and de las Casas thoughts. Father Gabriel is
Ali Alp STN
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Journal Entry 1
always curious about the natives customs and always be respectful to their primitive behaviors. In the
film, his purpose is to civilize them by making them Christion as an order of the mission. I cannot
completely simulate him to Vespucci or de las Casas since he always find natives better than Europeans
not primitives. In the film Mission, the same experience happens to Mendoza. At the beginning, his
thought about natives is completely primitive and acts supportive to the idea that de las Casas, slavery is
eminent for these creatures. However, after he kills his brother Felipe, he seems himself primitive as these
people and looks for salvation by understanding and communicating with natives. His idea changes this
point like Vespucci had. He understand that the Europeans are the primitive ones by exploring natives
social life. The important role about comparison of natives and Europeans occur when Cardinal
Altamirano includes himself to the events. Before he communicate with the native by visiting their tribe,
two scenes are important to support Vespuccis letters. One of them is when Altamirano warns Father
Gabriel not to commit a crime to Spain government and tells that the courts are much dangerous than the
wildlife in the woods of natives. Second scene is when Father Gabriel tries to show the natives not
primitives to the Portuguese in spite they responds they are wild creatures who eats their children. These
experiences also had to the Vespucci according to his letters. Discussing Altamirano again, we see a
character who finds out Europeans claims have nonsense after he experiences native children chorus who
sing Christian hymns and harmonies as a result Father Gabriels teachings. In spite of his impressions,
Altamirano could not change his idea to end the Jesuit Mission activities on natives lands. The reason of
his decision is political reasons and the impacts of Europeans who eager to slave the natives to gain
economic force. As de las Casas implied, Altamirano acts or is obliged to act according to slavery is
eminent. The ultimate point of the film Mission is that natives are primitive but better than Europeans and
live a better place than Europeans even though they are not Christian. According to European view as
Vespucci and de las Casas also had, Christianity should provide humans a paradise in the World when the
religions orders are done. However, politics and economics of Europeans made civil human worse
position than primitive natives.