电影《刮痧》的文化冲突研究 --毕业论文.doc

【标题】电影刮痧的文化冲突研究 【作者】 【关键词】刮痧；文化冲突；原因；解决途径 【指导老师】 【专业】英语 【正文】I. IntroductionGua Sha is a movie which embodies many cross-cultural conflicts between China and America. The story happens in St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A. A Chinese couple Datong Xu and Jane immigrated to America eight years ago. They achieve their America dream after eight years: a happy family, an adorable son, Denis and enviable social status. Datong is a successful video games designer. At the seventh anniversary of video games award, he tells everyone excitedly:“I love America. This is a piece of my American dream”. However, unexpected disaster suddenly happens to this family. To do his filial piety, Datong brings his father to America. One day, Denis has stomachache. The grandpa uses the Chinese traditional medical treatment-Gua Sha to Denis, because he can not read the English on the medical bottles. The Gua Sha treatment leaves three deep and red trails on Denis back. On that evening, Datongs father comes across his friend Huo. They go out together. Unfortunately, Huo dies of heart disease on their way home. Datongs father has to stay at the police station to wait for his son to pick him home because he doesnt know the way home. Coincidently, Jane is at work, anxious Datong has to leave Denis alone at home, and goes to the police station to pick his father home. When he gets home, Denis runs to him and falls down in the dark with the forehead broken. Denis is sent to the hospital immediately because his forehead is bleeding. When Denis is treated by the doctors, those three trails on his back are found by the doctors. Denis is thought to be maltreated by his parents because of those three trails. Thus, the hospital does not allow Datong and Jane to take Denis home. Denis is under the charge of the Children Welfare Bureau, who later accuses Datong of child abuse. In order to protect his father, Datong lies to the judge that it is him who does the Gua Sha to Denis. The couple hides the truth from their father. They tell him that Denis has to stay at the hospital for a few days to receive further examination. But their father finds the truth eventually, and goes back to China. Datong is adjudicated to depart with Denis and his wife Jane. On the Christmas night, Datong climbs to the ninth floor of his own house along the water pipe to see his son and wife. In the end, the family gets the reunion, the conflict is settled. It is a happy ending. Apparently, the movie is not only about a misunderstanding and judicial dispute but also conflicts between two different cultures.II. Cultural Conflicts in Gua ShaWith the development of science and technology, the world seems to be shrinking. Modern transportation and communication, electronic media and international organizations have brought near the people in the other hemisphere as if they were our next door neighbors. The mobility of people and the contact between countries have greatly increased cross-cultural communication. When there is communication, there is conflict. Therefore, cultural conflicts will be caused inevitably in cross-cultural communication. Gua Sha is a typical movie which embodies typical cultural conflicts between Chinese culture and American culture. It can help people acquire a better understanding of cultural conflicts, thus behave appropriately in cross-cultural communication.A. Family Education Conflict1. Chinese Family Education ViewIn China, when children do something wrong, parents will scold and beat children as a punishment. Chinese family education is famous for strictness. There are Chinese old sayings can show the strictness, such as“to feed without teaching is the fathers fault”,“spare the rod, spoil the son”, just as the words Datongs father said:“打是亲,骂是爱(to scold and to beat a naughty boy is due to love)”.It is also common for parents, especially parents in the rural areas, to leave their children alone at home, Chinese parents are always busy with their jobs or farming, and there is not enough time for them to take care of their children, so they have to leave their children at home. It is not surprising at all in the rural areas to find children lying on the floor with fly flying around them. Nowadays, with the popularization of the television, it is safer and more convenient for parents to leave children at home.2. American Family Education ViewIn America, parents never hit their children for their mistakes.They do not think it will do any help to scold and beat them. It will be more useful to encourage them to stand up again than to scold and beat them, which will only discourage their confidence. And most importantly, it is illegal to beat children.In America, it is also illegal to leave their children alone at home.3. The Reason for Their Different ViewsThe reason for the differences between Chinese parents and American parents is that they each have different role orientation. Chinese parents consider their children as their own property. They think the children are affiliated to them. The children can only grow up under their control. Most of the Chinese parents play the role of arranging childrens fate. This kind of relationship is obviously unfair. However, American parents regard their children as free and independent individuals since their children are born. They put their children in an equal position. They pay much attention to the equal communication and respect childrens ideas and needs. In the process of their childrens growth, they give them guidance and help.1 Hence, Chinese parents have rights to scold and beat the children when they do something wrong and to leave them alone at home, while it is illegal to do such things in America.4. Family Education Conflict Reflected in Gua ShaIn Gua Sha, Datongs son Denis hit his friend Kunlans son Paul, Datong asks Denis to apologize to Paul, but Denis refuses to say sorry to Paul, then Datong hit Denis on the face in front of the public. In Chinese eye, it is perfectly justified to do so because they think they do this for childrens good, and to hit children is to love them and to make them become a useful person. Chinese parents is always educating their own children first when they deal with the quarrel or fight among children, while American parents pay attention to the truth. Thats why Datong first asked Denis to apologize to Paul without finding who is wrong or right. However, in America, parents are just the childrens keepers. They cant go too far scolding their children, let alone beat them. Thats why Datongs friend kunlan is startled when he sees Datong hit Denis on the face.There is another typical plot can embody the different family education views of Chinese and American. When Datongs father stays at the station, and Jane is at work, Datong has to leave Denis alone at home in order to pick his father home. When Datong is on his way to the police station, he calls Jane. Here is the conversation:Jane: Datong, where are you? I called twice, and no answer.Datong: I was at the police station.Jane: What? What happened?Datong: Dad has aJane: Is he ok?Datong: Yes, hes met up with an emergency.Jane: where is Denis? Is he with you?Datong: Hes home, I mean hes sleep.Jane: You mean you left Denis at home all by himself?Datong: Oh, Jesus! You called home.Datongs father: Datong, you are driving too fast. Isnt it breaking the law?Datong: Dad, I left Denis alone at home. Ive already broken the law.From the conversation, it is known that it is illegal to leave children at home.B. Interpersonal Relationship Conflict1. Different Views of Interpersonal RelationshipDealing with the interpersonal relationship, American culture pays attention to individualism, while Chinese culture pays attention to collectivism. The following statements by Ting-Toomey are very clear:Individualism emphasizes the importance of individual identity over group identity, individual rights over group rights and individual needs over group needs, which gives priority to individual, advocates individual benefits and individual freedom. Americans think that everyone has the freedom to do everything he wants as long as what he does will not interrupt others benefit, and he will be responsible for what he does. In the contrast, collectivism attaches importance to“we” identity over the“I” identity, group rights over individual rights and in-group-oriented needs over individual want and desires. Collectivism promotes relational interdependence, in-group harmony, and in-group collaborative spirit. 2Not harming collective benefit is the precondition of what one does and what one says. When Chinese deal with the relationship of individual benefit and collective benefit, they think more of collective benefit. Sometimes, they will try their best to realize collective benefit at the expense of individual benefit. Chinese are always required to follow rules docilely and repress themselves. This kind of self-repression makes American scholars think that Chinese culture as I-less culture. Chinese culture emphasizes the full devotion to the collectivity and ignores individuality, while American culture gives a limited devotion to the collectivity.In Gua Sha, when Jane gave birth to Denis at the hospital, Datong did not accompany her at the hospital because he had a meeting at the company. This kind of choice is understandable in China, where collectivity outweighs individuality, but is unacceptable and unforgivable in American society. And this is not only the conflict between collectivism and individualism, but also the conflict in interpersonal relationship view.2. Family Conflict Reflected in Gua ShaFamily is the most basic element and carrier in the Chinese culture. Chinese family stresses the love of family and the love of consanguinity. They think that dog doesnt eat dog(虎毒不食子),so when the Children Welfare Bureau accuses Datong of child abuse, he thinks it incredible and ridiculous. He says to his wife Jane,“A father loves his son. Thats the way where it works. Why do I have to prove my love, make up speeches? What the hell are we doing, Jane? Its turning upside down. Everything is turning upside down!” However, it is acceptable in America, which is a place pays more attention to the truth and evidence. Filial piety is also a very important virtue in Chinese family. In the movie, Datong lies to the judge that he is the one who does Gua Sha to Denis in order to protect his father who is the real one does Gua Sha to Denis. He thinks that if he tells the judge it is his father does Gua Sha to Denis, he sells his own father out, and then he will not be a filial son. However, Americans will never understand the concept of filial piety in Chinese culture.3. Friendship Conflict Reflected in Gua ShaIn Gua Sha, Datong asks his friend as well as boss Kunlan to be his counsel in the hearing, while Kunlan is just a property right lawyer, who knows little about family law. Kunlan suggests Datong to find a professional family law lawyer, but Datong insists on asking him to be his counsel. The only reason is that Kunlan is his friend, and he trusts him. The following is the conversation between Datong and his friend Kunlan:Kunlan:Family law is a very special land. Its short time to ask a continuous day of hearing so that you can get someone who is qualified.Datong: John, you know how much I love Denis! Youre best lawyer I know and my best friend. I mean who is ready to help.Kunlan: But I am just a property right lawyer, I knew little about family law.Datong: Denis is my best creation. I have a property right over him, right? They made a mistake, and all that you should do is to point it out and I can take Denis home. Im counting on you!Take another example, in the second hearing, Kunlan tells the judge that Datong once hit Denis. Kunlans attestation lead the case to be taken over by the formal court, Datong is very angry and decides to quit the job, thinking that Kunlans behavior betrays friend. Look at the conversation between Datong and his friend as well as boss Kunlan:Datong: I wont talk to you!Kunlan: I am so sorry. Im trying to tell you. I couldnt lie, they knew everything.Datong: I dont have the time and intonation to hear you to justify your action. I just want to get my son home and get my life back.Kunlan: And thats why more than ever you need this job!Datong: I consider you as my friend, but you sold me out. How dare you expect me to work with you again?Kunlan: I just told the truthIn China, loyalty to friends is very important, while Americans are more rational. They emphasize the truth and know exactly what they should do. In a word, Chinese friendship focuses on human feelings, American friendship focuses on truth and reason.C. Conflict between Love and LawAnyone who watched Gua Sha will be moved by the love of Datongs family-love between father and son, love between husband and wife and love between grandpa and grandson. In order to protect his father, Datong lies to the judge that it is him who does Gua Sha to Denis; to let his father see Denis again before his father goes back to China, Datong stoles Denis from Children Welfare Bureau; on the Christmas evening, Datong climbs to the ninth floor of the building to reunite with his family, he does this at the risk of being arrested and his own life. Chinese audience can not help bursting into tears when they watch these touching plots. However, for Americans, they think Datongs behaviors are absurd, because Datongs behaviors above in fact break the American law. America is a legal-systemic country. Law exists in every corner; any dissension is settled through law. They believe truth and evidence. In Gua Sha, no matter how much Datong loves his son, he can not prove that Gua Sha is a Chinese traditional medical treatment, and no matter what words he uses to express his love to his son, he just can not touch the judges heart and persuade the judge to hold his hand. In American, law outweighs love. Eventually, John is judged to segregate with Denis and his wife Jane. The judgment is cruel, but from the perspective of law, it is reasonable.It is common for Chinese parents to leave children alone at home and beat them, while it is illegal to do so in America. They think that everyone, boy or girl, young or old, is equal. Every member in America has full democracy and freedom. Therefore, they protect children by a series of laws. In Gua Sha, the truth that the hospital notifies the Children Welfare Bureau as soon as the doctors find the red trails on Denis back can fully illuminate this. Some American laws seem to be ridiculous to Chinese. For Chinese, the spouses fighting at home and parents leaving children alone at home are private things in ones family, and they have nothing to do with law, while they are illegal in America, and people can feel the existence of law any time and anywhere in America.The conflict between Chinese love and American law is a kind of cultural conflict.D. Face Conception ConflictMost people would probably associate the concept of“face” with Asian and Middle Eastern cultures. The reality, however, is that“face” is a universal concept. Its just that other countries call it something different. In the West, for example, it is self-respect, self-esteem or dignity. All individuals need it, and all individuals resent it when it is damaged by their own actions or those of others.1. American Face ConceptionWhat is face? The American sociologist Erving Goffman based much his work on the concept of face, and he says,“The term face may be defined as the positive social value a person effectively claims for himself by the line others assume he has taken during a particular contact. Face is an image of self delineated in terms of social attributes”3 Brown and Levison define face as“the public self-image that every member wants to claim for himself.”4 They think that face is composed of two related aspects:(i) positive face: the want of every member that his wants be desirable to at least some others, and(ii) negative face: the want of every“component adult member” that his actions be unimpeded by others.52. Chinese Face ConceptionChen Zhian, LI li and Liu Chengyu made a very detailed comparison between Brown and Levisons“face” and Chinese face concept:Brown and Levisons“face” only concerns the individuals wants and desires, but the concept of“face” in Chinese emphasizes the harmony of individual conduct with the views and judgment of the community. Chinese face encodes a reputable image that individuals can claim for themselves as they interact with others in a given community; it is intimately linked to the views of the community and to the communitys judgment and perception of the individuals character and behavior. It emphasizes not the accommodation of individual“wants” and“desires” but the harmony of individual conduct with the views and judgment of the community. Therefore, Chinese face, to quote Goffman again, is“on loanfrom society”; it belongs to the individual or to the self only to the extent that the individual acts in full compliance with that face. 6Besides, Li Qingming also has a clear and unique explanation to Chinese face conception:In deed, Confucian societies will go to extremes to avoid pointing out errors, faux pas, or indiscretions that would cause themselves or another to lose face in front of a group. The value placed on saving and giving face is closely linked to the preservation of group harmony in Confucian societies as well as deep respect for the existing social order. To cause someone to lose face is seen as a challenge to their position within the hierarchyand thus a threat to the group order.73. Face Conception Reflected in Gua ShaIn Gua Sha, there is a conver