Abstract
The mission tells us about life the struggles of the Guanari tribe, and the representatives of the Jesuit Order, who have entered the tribe to convert it. There are two main protagonists – Father Gabriel and Rodrigo Mendoza. The former acts as a symbol of holiness and martyrdom, whole the latter – as a symbol of atonement for one’s crimes. Even though the characters are fictional, and some facts are historically inaccurate, the movie overall gives a good picture of life in South America during that time.
Introduction
“The Mission” is a very unusual movie, which tells us about the struggles of the South American natives called the Guarani, and several representatives of the Jesuit Church, namely Father Gabriel and a former slaver Rodrigo Mendoza. The movie is unique in that the plot of the movie is closely attached to the Christian religion. Most movies tend to avoid any attachments to religion, in fear of provoking a backlash of some kind. Despite the fact that some historical facts were inaccurate, the movie serves as an excellent introduction to that time period, because it represents the ruthless realities of those days, as well as the interactions between the native populace, the slavers, and the Jesuit missionaries, who sought to convert them to Christianity.
Short summary
The movie revolves largely around the two main protagonists – Father Gabriel and Rodrigo Mendoza, and their life within the Guarani Tribe. Father Gabriel represents the force of ultimate good, as his character is generally flawless. He is the perfect example of what a missionary should be. Rodrigo Mendoza is a sinner who is looking to atone for his crime of fratricide. They find peace within the village and successfully convert the native populace. Mendoza even becomes a missionary himself, taking his vows from Gabriel.
However, this idyllic picture is shattered when Spain concedes the Guanari lands to Portugal. With a slaver force on their way, Gabriel and Mendoza take different approaches, trying to defend the natives. Mendoza tries organizing defense and ends up dying in battle along with the Guanari. When the slavers arrive at the village, Gabriel meets them in front of the church, with women and children, holding a holy sign in his hands. This seems to have an initial effect, but in the end, both he and the rest of the Guanari are gunned down. Only a small portion of them escapes down the river (The Mission, 2016).
The Motives of Sacrifice and Redemption
Although fighting on the same side, Father Gabriel and Mendoza represent two different concepts and two different world-views. Gabriel is a good Christian, and it reflects in all things. He suggests not to fight and turn the other cheek, as Jesus himself urged when dealing with oppressors (Turn to Him the Other Cheek, 2015).
Mendoza, however, could not stand for this. Even though he believed in Christian values and accepted them, he could not simply stand idle while injustice was about to be committed. It was what made him stand in defense of the people he once hunted down and oppressed. The focus of his redemption slowly shifts, as he seeks not only to atone for his crime of killing his brother but also for all of his crimes he had committed as a slaver. He found redemption in death, fighting for a righteous cause.
The Jesuit Mission
In the movie, the representatives of the Jesuit mission are the protagonists. The main characters – Father Gabriel and Rodrigo Mendoza, are at a disagreement on how to deal with this new threat. Gabriel, as a peaceful priest, suggests a non-violent protest, while Mendoza, who used to be a slave trader and knew the enemy better than Gabriel, suggested answering violence with violence. Both of the approaches are historically true. Even though the Order sought political power, many of the missionaries genuinely interested in helping out and protecting these people.
Their politics put them at odds with the slavers, plantations owners, and the Portuguese, who used the slave trade extensively, and sent out sorties to capture the natives. The Jesuit parents traveled to Vatican, and due to their efforts, the natives of South America were allowed to bear arms in self-defense. The Jesuits, many of which were former soldiers (like Mendoza), trained and organized the Guanari, and even lead them to battle against the slavers. The greatest battle between the Guanari and the slavers being the battle of Mborere (Rubert, 1989).
Personal Opinion
The movie was a very heartwarming thing to watch, at first. Seeing the missionaries and the natives live in harmony, and practice a life that Jesus had envisioned for all, was a sight to see. It was a sad thing to see it all ruined by greed and ruthlessness of other men, who came from Christianized lands, yet had very little of Christ to them. Even though some of the native children have survived, it was still painful to watch, as I realized they would not last for long on their own, out there. My heart was with Mendoza when he chose to fight the slavers. It is what I would have done in his place. Only through the inaction of the good people, evil is allowed to exist.
References
Rubert, X. (1989). The Hispanic Labyrinth: Tradition and Modernity in the Colonization of the Americas. New Jersey, NJ: Transaction Publishers.
The Mission. (2016). Web.
Turn to Him the other Cheek. (2015). Web.