Transformation

John Dunbar no doubt started out his time at the fort the same as any other U.S. soldier. He was prejudice and scared of native people. Luckily for him, however, he was given an opportunity to expand his understanding and appreciation for the rich culture that they have to offer. One difference is how he refers to them. He starts out calling them "Indians" which is a false term coined by uneducated psychopaths hundreds of years earlier. By the end he calls each of the Sioux people by their Sioux name, or simple as the "Sioux people". This understanding of the importance of names and getting to know them on a personal level is part of why he was able to assimilate himself into their community and grow to love them.

By the end of the movie, there are several changes that have been made to his appearance as well as to his heart. When confronted by the Army officer as to why he is not in uniform, he simply states that he is no longer a member of the United States Army, but he is now a Sioux named Dances With Wolves. He says this in Sioux, a language which he has made a priority to learn so he can better communicate with his friends. Throughout his transformation he does little things to become Sioux. For example, he eats the heart of the buffalo raw which is very strange to Americans, but such a key part of how the Sioux felt one with the animal they harvested. He fights with them, lives with them, and marries under their ceremonies. Although starting out as an American hero, he becomes a true Sioux hero at heart.