Females in Power in Avatar

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In the movie Avatar, there are many powerful women. However, these three women exemplify the ecofeminist approach to literary studies, and help to show that women can successfully hold positions in power on a revolutionary project. At times in this movie, the women are more powerful, and much more insightful and concerned than the men.

Dr. Grace Augustine

Dr. Grace Augustine has a stunning transformation throughout the movie. In the beginning of the movie, Dr. Augustine has worlds of power. She is the head of the science team that is working on the plant Pandora. She has access to some of the top scientists in the world, along with the most advanced technology available to her. She is also openly scornful to men, including the head of the project (pictured to the left). She scorns him for mistreating the indigenous people, as well as for attempting to destroy their natural environment. As an biologist primarily interested in studying the plant life on the planet Pandora, Dr. Grace Augustine is the perfect ecofeminist. She is a strong woman, not focused on dominating men, but focused on being treated equal to the men on the project. She is also intent on preserving the integrity of the environment on Pandora. Her ideals are absolutely aligned with ecofeminism, and in the end of the movie, (spoiler alert) as she is dying, she is joined with Eywa, the deity of the Na'vi people who is the mother of their world. She is absorbed into the tree of Eywa, and is now a permanent part of their ecosystem.

Neytiri 

Neytiri, in the film, is the daughter of the clan chief of her people. She is the
first of her people to meet Jake Sully, the human in Na'vi form. She sees him making a mess of nature, using a stick with fire to ward off animals trying to kill him. She takes pity in him because of her motherly nature. She saves him, and eventually teaches him the ways of the Na'vi people: how they view nature, the different rituals they have to help protect nature, their social structures and more. In several instances, especially in the beginning of the movie, before Jake becomes a full Omaticaya, Neytiri is heard calling him a "child" and "like a baby." She takes him in and teaches him the ways of the Na'vi, just as she would for one of her own people. Portrayed in the picture to the right, are the seeds of the tree of Eywa, the Na'vi deity. Eywa is the mother of their entire world and all their people. Jake smacks away one of the seeds that attempts to land on him. Neytiri grabs his hand, and tells him about the importance of these seeds and about the importance of Eywa. She tells him of their purity, and after a large group of seeds land on him, she knows that Eywa is telling her something important. She listened to nature, her mother of nature, and took Jake Sully in to teach him her people's ways. Aside from acting motherly to Jake, she also controls their relationship. She is one of the few women of her clan who must also choose her mate. The rest of the women in the clan must be chosen by a male Omaticaya. Neytiri is one of the most powerful women in her clan, and is treated as such. Because she listened to nature, and protected it, Jake ends up changing his patriarchal ways, and saves the Omaticaya people, as well as saving their natural world.

Trudy Chacon

The name Trudy is of German descent. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, it comes from two German words "ermin" and "drudi." These words, respectively, mean "universal" and "strength." Together, the name Trudy comes to mean universal strength. In the movie, this woman, is the epitome of stereotypical patriarchal strength. She is a part of the human military, and a highly-ranked one at that. Although Trudy is the pilot of her very own fighter plane, it is primarily used for transporting the scientists. She makes the most of her power, and is at various times ordering other soldiers around. She is often depicted in white tank tops that are typical of Italian men along with cargo pants or shorts. Rarely does the audience see her without a gun. She is consistently surrounded by objects associated with power. In the movie, she has a transformation. Through her interactions with Dr. Grace Augustine and Jake Sully, Trudy gains a perspective into what the life is like for the Na'vi people. She begins to oppose the military that she was so happy to be a part of originally. In the end, Trudy has an emotional scene where she has a change of heart about destroying the Na'vi people's "Home Tree," and sacrifices her own life in an attempt to sabotage the military objectives. Trudy changes from a woman who blindly followed patriarchal men, to an almost ecofeminist. She plays an instrumental role in showing the epiphany-like ideas that come to mind when first learning about ecofeminist ideas. She also helps to illustrate a transition into the enlightenment that comes when a "truth" is revealed.