First Impressions

In the scene I chose, Jake gets his first look at his fully grown avatar. He is shown into the bio room by Norm, a very cheerful anthropologist and avatar driver. He then talks to a scientist who shows him his avatar. He tells Norm and Jake that they can take out their avatars tomorrow. Jake then goes to the tank containing his avatar. He stares intently at him, and seems to be reflecting on something. He then says that the avatar looks just like his brother, Tom. Norm then corrects him, saying that the avatar looks like Jake and that it's his avatar now.
The first thing I noticed was how cheerful Norm was. His voice was much higher than Jake's and he talked faster than him. Both of these signify that Norm was happy and excited. He appeared especially cheerful when compared to the stoic Jake.
The next message I saw being sent is that scientists are nerds. The scientist was the only person wearing glasses in this scene, and may be the only bespectacled character in the movie. While this may have been an unconscious decision by James Cameron, it still sends a message.
I received the strongest message during a part with no dialogue. Jake is staring intently at his avatar. When he is really focusing on the avatar's face, a heartbeat becomes audible. The heartbeat can be heard, but the way it sounds almost makes the viewer feel the heartbeat. This shows Jake's connection to the avatar because it is almost as if they share a heartbeat. Because the avatar once belonged to his brother, it also establishes a connection between Jake and Tom (Jake's brother). This plays to one of the themes of the movie: that all beings are connected. The Na'vi can feel this connection on Pandora, while the humans are ignorant of it. This is the first time Jake feels the connection. It is Jake's first step towards becoming a real Na'vi, not just an avatar.