Upon watching Big Trouble in Little China, many different aspects of culture were present in the movie. To begin, the movie introduces an American trucker named Jack. Jack is in California’s Chinatown visiting his friend Wang Chi, at his restaurant. This is the first case of cultural difference. While driving in his semi-truck, Jack wears his dirty graphic tank top, worn denim jeans tucked into his cracked cowboy boots. On the other hand, Wang Chi is wearing nice slacks with a pressed shirt and a little fedora. In Communication Between Cultures, Samovar states that, “clothing attempts to tell other something about your identity” (277). Throughout the movie it is obvious that Wang Chi is much more reserved and conscious about how others view
The past one hundred and fifty years of Baltimore’s history have included many turbulent fluctuations in the way the city manages to thrive during the vast changes in how consumer-related products are manufactured. One of the most important ingredients to the city’s prosperity is in a mineral called chromite. Chromite is typically found in acidic soil along with serpentinite rock, a dark-green brittle rock in the soapstone family. During the late nineteenth century, chromite suddenly became a hot commodity as it was discovered in abundance on what is now a federally protected reserve called Soldier’s Delight, located just northwest of Baltimore City. At that time, the land was ripe for mining and chromite was found to be very versatile in the manufacturing of many items that were, at that time, unavailable like yellow and red paint, tanned leather, bricks for firing kilns, and, the most valuable use of all, chrome. The mining operation at Soldier’s Delight suddenly went full throttle during the early part of the twentieth century and Baltimore was seated in the perfect location for transporting these new products to places all over the world due to its connection to the Chesapeake Bay. However, the processing plant that received the mined chromite was not conscientious enough with the oxidized discharge from the chromite and allowed it to seep into the soil beneath the plant and enter into the groundwater. The effects were not known at the time, but the plant was doing the
Setting is one of the many way we learn about character. In Amy Tan’s “A Pair of Tickets,” June May, the protagonist, at the age of fifteen denied that she had any Chines whatsoever in her. Now at the age of thirty-six June May is on way to China carry her mother’s dream of going back home, with her seventy two year old father, Canning Woo. Their first stop will be Guangzhou, to visit Canning Woo aunt who he had not seen since he was ten years
Jin Wang was born in America but is also Chinese. He faces some difficulties with racism and stereotypes as he grows up. He just moved to a new school from San Francisco. The teacher introduces him to the class and says,” Class, I'd like us all to give a warm Mayflower Elementary welcome to your new friend and Classmate Jin Wang...He and his family recently moved to our neighborhood all the way from China!”(30). Jin has this look on his face of annoyance. Like, did she actually say this. She is too ignorant to ask so she just assumed that since he is Chinese, that he must be from China. He was born in America. This just shows how ignorant people are about other cultures. It makes it even harder to fit in if people don't even care where you're from and just make assumptions. Jin now experiences this first hand. He tries so hard to fit in and be normal. He goes as far as changing his hair to match the guys hair that Amelia likes. When he isn't noticed as much he wants to become someone else, someone who will fit in. He wakes up in the morning a new person, as he has transformed into someone he is not, he thinks to himself,”A new face deserved a new name. I decided to call myself...Danny”(198). He changed his race he didn't like his heritage and cultures so much
Chinatown is a drama/thriller starring Jack Nicholson who played the character of Jake Gittes. The plot of the story develops around Gittes job as a private investigator, and Gittes researches the background information of the water system for Los Angeles. Through Gittes investigation, the sudden death of Mr. Mulwray becomes the main plot line of the story. Ms. Mulwray, the wife hires Jake Gittes to investigate her husband for infidelity, but through his inspecting, he starts to uncover the truths within the Los Angeles water system. The characters of the film have a strange connection with each other, which makes the story rich in depth. This is powerful for the viewer because the potential of the plot can be expanded with extraordinary plot twists and character development. Personally, I thought the Roman Polanski constructed a phenomenal movie, because of the drama aspect. The conflict was clear thirty minutes into the film, and the direction of the film perfectly kept the audience glued to the plot of the movie. Chinatown provides effective elements of drama through intensive detail, and a strong plot; which makes the movie highly entertaining.
One of the scenes in particular, introduces the main antagonist of the movie, Mr. Chow, played by Ken Jeong. The movie set up of the scene is a part of the hostage exchange where the main characters looking for their missing friend, Doug. Mr. Chow however gives the main characters the wrong guy and left the scene. What is wrong with this scene is ultimately come down to the movie representation of the character, Mr. Chow and the many problems with different stereotypes this character trying to represent. The movies industry also play around with the Asian Stereotypes in movies of having really thick Asian accents if you look Asian, even if the actor is American. That principle also applied in this movie. One of the many problems of the character is his questionable appearance and his character movements. Within a few second into the scene, the camera shows a wide shot of him standing next his bodyguard. What makes Mr. Chow standing out from his bodyguard is his flashy appearance, which is consist of gold jacket, white pants, oversized women sunglasses and the excessive amount of jewelry and accessories on his body. And also with his body languages such as the popping of the hip, the easy flowing of the hand gesture and hand placements in various place in his bodies. The problems of this portrayal escalated even more when Mr. Chow reveal his full
In the story “Two Kinds”, author Amy Tan, who is a Chinese-American, describes the conflicts in the relationship of a mother and daughter living in California. The protagonist in this story Jing-mei Woo’s mother is born and raised in China, and immigrates to the United States to escape from the Chinese Civil War. For many years she maintained complete Chinese traditional values, and has been abided by it deliberately. This kind of traditional Chinese culture has also affected her daughter profoundly. However, Jing-mei is born and raised in the United States. Despite she has a Chinese mother; she is unfamiliar and uncomfortable with Chinese
The tale “American Born Chinese” by Gene Luch Wang depicts the story of three characters, Monkey, Jin, and Danny. They all have the problem of fitting into their new environments. Jin Wang has to deal with Asian stereotypes. Danny has to deal with embarrassment of his cousin. Lastly, Monkey has to deal with the fact that there is no position for him in the heavenly ranks. However, over time, these characters have to come together to fit in. Yet the question remains: what exactly about fitting in is the problem? Although Jin Wang takes the form of Danny to reject his Chinese roots, the embarrassment of Chin-Knee shows he cannot hide behind a false American identity, thereby delineating that race is the source of his problem.
Four Chinese mothers have migrated to America. Each hope for their daughter’s success and pray that they will not experience the hardships faced in China. One mother, Suyuan, imparts her knowledge on her daughter through stories. The American culture influences her daughter, Jing Mei, to such a degree that it is hard for Jing Mei to understand her mother's culture and life lessons. Yet it is not until Jing Mei realizes that the key to understanding who her
The focus of our group project is on Chinese Americans. We studied various aspects of their lives and the preservation of their culture in America. The Chinese American population is continually growing. In fact, in 1990, they were the largest group of Asians in the United States (Min 58). But living in America and adjusting to a new way of life is not easy. Many Chinese Americans have faced and continue to face much conflict between their Chinese and American identities. But many times, as they adapt to this new life, they are also able to preserve their Chinese culture and identity through various ways. We studied these things through the viewing of a movie called Joy Luck Club,
Jack’s predicament with finding himself being stuck between his original lifestyle and new desire to fit in was cleverly established in the story, drawing my sympathy, as I have also personally experienced this struggle. In the middle of the story when Jack began to realize that his Chinese life was different from others’, he narrated, “Mom learned to cook American style. I played video games and studied French” (4). These succinct sentences stood out, as the surrounding
culture. This movie clearly brings out the cultural clashes and conflicts between the high context Chinese culture and the low context American culture.
Chinese and American culture has a lot more differences than similarities. To the Chinese reputation of the individual is very important. If an action will humiliate someone or ruin a reputation, it is avoided. When shame occurs, the person sacrifices their job or whatever it is that will heal the shame. In America, reputations come and go overnight and in the end usually does not matter. “Go to an American home in exurbia, and almost the first thing you do is drift towards the picture window” [Example from American space, Chinese Place]. It is true that we American’s always want something more than what we have in front of us. We are always looking forward to the big picture of our
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” written by Eric Roth and based on a short novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald is a story of an interesting man who lives his life backwards. The movie takes place in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina and is told in a flashback perspective from the love of Benjamin’s life, Daisy and their daughter, Caroline. I heard many times throughout my life and nursing career, including from myself, “If I could only go back and know what I know now.” Benjamin Button lived this theory, a theory that seems very similar to the Gerotranscedence theory (Touhy & Jett, 2016, p. 37). Scheidt (2017) states in regards to his own aging “I am dealing with
Chinese families are highly misunderstood and stereotyped in the United States. It is important to understand a different culture before one makes the assumptions produced by these stereotypes. In order to find a better understanding about Chinese immigrants and Chinese Americans, one must do research on that countries heritage, traditions, and other customs before submerging one-self into a Chinese families home. I chose to experience and observe a Chinese family who was kind enough to let me be a guest in their home to share dinner.
In addition to the cultural conflicts and confusions with Chinese immigrants ethnic heritage , Amy also portrays how television shows during this era of American culture influences conflicts and confusions in the Chinese immigrant communities. In her attempt to