Dances with Wolves

In the midst of the tumultuous American Civil War, Lieutenant John J. Dunbar, a Union army officer, finds himself crippled by his physical wounds and shaken by the horrors of battle. As a means to end his suffering, Dunbar contemplates taking his own life, only to be thwarted by the fortuity of fate. Before he could carry out his intentions, Dunbar is unexpectedly ambushed by a group of rogue Sioux warriors who, mistaking him for a scout from a nearby fort, quickly dispatches the attackers, emerging unscathed. The lieutenant's impressive heroics and battle prowess lead to widespread recognition, including accolades from the press and, more significantly, a unique assignment: Dunbar is to be stationed at a forward outpost along the Army's western frontier. This posting is a direct consequence of Dunbar's exploits, which catches the notice of General George Forsyth, who takes the opportunity to reward him. Arriving at the remote outpost, now isolated from the primary chain of command, Dunbar is joined by a small contingent of soldiers who treat him more like a leader than someone coming into their little detached post. Dunbar uses this outpost to live out his dream: living life in a more accessible wilderness he has so often read and perhaps even in part contributed to in books he read while studying language now he's surrounded by it. He trades his Civil War experiences for the simplistic values of a community built upon the land he so longs to comprehend. While interacting with the people from the outpost, Dunbar comes face to face with Wind in His Hair, known as Wind, who becomes his intermediary and friend within the tribe. The wind-like figure seems to harbor an almost deep intrinsic liking for the strangers that John Dunbar would become with Wind leading them to discover and bond with tribes they used to hunt. John is then soon welcomed warmly by the people of the Lakota tribe, and it is not long before he gains the trust of the tribe's spiritual leader, Little Wolf, and a love interest in the form of Stands-with-a-Fist. Stands-with-a-Fist, a half-white half-Lakota Native American woman of great intelligence and loyalty, stands as a shining example of the tribe's hospitality and acceptance, a trait uniquely characteristic of the way they treat outsiders whose motivations they choose to interpret as innocent. Although her story is largely uncovered later, Stands-with-a-Fist, born to a European trader and his adopted Lakota Native American woman, stood between worlds, struggling with her identity. As time progresses, Dunbar forges genuine relationships with his indigenous friends, eventually learning to appreciate the beauty of their way of life. His understanding is greatly aided by Wind, Little Wolf, and Stands-with-a-Fist, and, on many occasions, John seeks to dispense personal violence whenever his own army arrives intent on using overwhelming presence to contain and contain a potential Native American campaign as understood by the United States government of the time. John's empathy blossoms into genuine recognition of the profound cultural differences which set the Native Americans apart from the US forces he serves. As the lines blur between his obligation to the military and his love for the people he has come to consider as friends, Dunbar faces a critical decision: continue down the familiar path of military protocol or pursue a journey guided by compassion and his allegiance to those he has formed an undeniable bond with in the Lakota community. His choice raises the stakes, especially when General Forsyth, Dunbar's military superior, arrives with the intention of subjugating the land and its native population, John then has to evaluate the worth something he could be contributing to as a soldier leaving behind everything which he considers valuable to him to maintain allegiance: loyalty to his tribe could imply loyalty with comrades that would one day have to kill his loved Lakota tribe and, on the other hand loyalty to his comrades which might include being able to put both in effect to have things resolved. Despite witnessing firsthand the traumatic events the settlers inflict upon the native population, Dunbar remains engaged in a seemingly ephemeral and futile protest: trying to protect the people he cares so deeply about from the encroaching threat posed by their own army.