(Anderson Prairie poem) Wilting Wonders

Is nature so unnatural as to

Assimilate to the concrete jungle?

Who Imitates who in a world so dry?

Like an invasive species I wander—

With all these natural wonders. Leaves that

feel like plastic, hues of yellow—colors

among others—with small fuzzy ends that

rub against your shins like carpet. Brown crisp

stalks—blowing with a breath of wind—and air’s

sweet caress. Waiting for the promises

held deep within, waiting until the light

is let in. Waiting and sitting in that

great unknown, abandoned yet not alone.

Bradford came to the New World a Religious separatist, who obviously lacked a tolerance for other's opinions. Bradford's strong religious affiliations (made apparent by biblical verse scattered throughout his writings) may attribute to his dislike towards Morton. It seems ironic that he came to the new world looking for religious freedom, yet it seemed he had been so carefully molded into his own religion that he himself had little tolerance towards other's opinions. Morton came forth to the New World seeking a new start and possibly a chance to create funds and make something of himself. Moreover, Morton was generally a cheery character who thought of the natives in a good light, rather than seeing them as some strange and foreign enemy. Bradford on the other hand believed the natives to be an enemy of sorts, that is, unless he wanted to use the natives to his own advantage.

Even The Rain/ Spanish conquest comparison

   Even the rain has much likeness within the concept of the movie as the writings of Spanish conquests and encounters. The movie in itself is much like the conquest of the new world, mistreating and using locals as a form of labor, using the land for their own advantages, and involvement in revolutionary movements.
   Bartolomé De Las Casas, for one, wrote on using the natives as a form of hard labor in the mines. The film’s equivalent on this matter is where they make use of underprivileged locals to engage in hours of physical labor for set preparation for just a mere few dollars a day. In doing this, Costa saves thousands of dollars by having the locals as underpaid extras performing tasks meant to be completed by experienced engineers.
   Costa had chosen Bolivia to resemble how the new world would have looked during the time of the conquests. Essentially, Costa and his team are taking advantage of the land to use if for the film and to shape it to their likeness by building particular sets using landscaping and natural element. This is much like what Columbus had written about the beauty of the land and of gold and splendors of the new world and their own abuse of the new world’s land.
   Perhaps intentional, I find the film to be highly ironic, yet effective of how the movie itself is about filming a movie about the arrival of Columbus in the new world whilst during this filming, the cast are acting similarly towards the land and natives, as the explorers and conquistadors actually did.