While reading the chapters from “East Main Street” for Fridays seminar I was putting my best efforts forward in order to find connections between the chapters in which I chose to read. The chapters I chose looked at the Iconography of Tiger Woods, The Japanese Beauty pageants, and finally the subject of Keanu Reeves, the show Smallville, and Racial Outing. From these chapters I noticed several themes in which linked one chapter to another.

One of the connections I noticed was the use of both Tiger Woods, and the Japanese Beauty Queens as a link between those who are of color and “White America.” Furthermore I couldn’t help but notice the way both were used as a form of bringing in revenue for business. The Japanese beauty Queens were used to show that the Japanese had assimilated into American culture and were “All American girls,” while Tiger Woods was depicted as “America’s son.” However I noticed that their were alternate motives towards creating this image. In the beauty pageant’s case Japanese businesses were attempting to create business by proving their daughters and their race have assimilated into American society and from this image would create more business from White Americans. Nike too, used Tiger Woods, as a poster child to show off his success in golf which has predominantly been a sport for the upper class members of white society. I found it interesting how business and money have aided in creating an image for both Tiger Woods and the Japanese community. I also wish to know if any of my fellow classmates noticed this connection and would like to hear their thoughts on the matter?

There was another connection that I noticed but am not sure if it is even plausible. However for the sake of getting my readers brains churning I feel it is important to mention this observation I have made between the chapter pertaining to Tiger Woods and the chapter discussing Keanu Reeves. It is this idea that we only see what is easily visible to us through appearance. Tiger Woods stated that he is “Cablinasian” which pertains to his being part Caucasian, Black, Indian, and Asian. However from “East Main Street” we see that though his mother is Thai the commercialization of Tiger Woods leans towards the relationship he has with his African American Father(234). If it wasn’t for the knowledge we have read on Tiger Woods that clarifies he is of Asian and African American descent would we see him as anything other then an African American male? Along with this Keanu Reeves is a mixed race celebrity, however his appearance is that of a white male. He is able to therefore cross between being a person with a mixed racial background, and of the prototypical white leading man in Hollywood. What I am getting at from all this rambling is that color or appearance always seems to play a role in some way. No matter how much we accept other peoples race and culture in our society, race itself will never stop being an issue in our society until these physical appearances become unnoticed. Until when we as a nation look at Tiger Woods or Keanu Reeves and only see a person, and not the color of their skin. When only the character of a person is noticed and marketed to the public and not their racial affiliation.

Waverly takes her mother, Lindo, back to her fancy apartment and shows off the expensive fur coat that her fiance, Rich, bought for her. Lindo is unimpressed and remains stoic even as her daughter throws underwear and condoms at her in an attempt to force her to acknowledge the relationship.

In Orientals Lee brings up the example of The Cheat. In this movie wardrobe are used to set apart Tori and Edith, who dress in a flashy metaphor to consumerism, and Edith’s husband Richard who dresses in the dark clothes of a ‘rational’ businessman. “The West has historically viewed the Orient with desire as the source of luxury…”.

Waverly attempts to get her mother’s approval by showing off the luxury that she can afford because of Rich. Lindo, on the other hand, is unimpressed. Later, at the hair salon where Waverly is trying to make her mother presentable for the wedding, the two of them finally have a conversation in which Waverly admits that she wanted her mother’s approval and that she loves Rich. Lindo, who was unimpressed with his wealth, is moved instead by her daughter’s admission, telling her that she likes Rich.

In this movie there is a moment of consumerism where Waverly tries to impress her mother with the gifts she’d received from her boyfriend. Lindo, however, can’t be bothered with these things, even as they’re being literally thrown in her face.

In Slaying The Dragon there’s a moment where they ask people on the street why Asian women are attractive to them. One of the reasons, based on a Hollywood movie, was that Asian women lived to serve their men and treated them well. In the Joy Luck Club this was represented with Rose. When she married her husband she did everything that she could in order to keep him happy, including getting pregnant and having a child in an attempt to hold their marriage together. At one point in the movie she talks to her husband, Ted, and asks him what he wants for dinner. He pointedly says that he wants to hear her opinion, and instead she says “I want what will make you happy.” It’s at this point in the movie that it becomes obvious that he has lost interest in the subservient woman who takes care of him all the time, and he ends up having an affair. When Rose realizes that she is following in her grandmother’s footsteps, who didn’t see her own worth until it was too late, she takes charge, telling her husband to leave her house and to leave her daughter with her. By breaking the stereotype of being a subservient Asian wife, she and her husband remain together.

I loved a lot of things about this movie. The fact that they showed the story behind each member of the club was wonderful. It helped show all the unique situations that different immigrants might have been in that caused them to move to the states. It was also a great illustration of the generational gap between the parents that moved to America and their children born in America. Although these people all have different lives and stories, America was their vision of hope or freedom. Many of these parents aimed to do whatever they could to make a better life for their kids but this was not always understood by the children. Growing up with distinct but different backgrounds, the gap between the two generations was apparent in this movie.

It did follow some of the typical stereotypes that were pointed out in the documentary. There were multiple girls in the film that had white partners, which follows the idea that Asian women are perfect for white men to marry since they are “subservient” and “quiet”. Men were often portrayed as “villains”  in the movie but I don’t feel like that is an issue with the movie. Overall, this movie was a great change of pace from the norm.

There was quite a few connections between Lee’s book and the film Slaying the Dragon. The big points being that minorities and minority women suffer a variety of media attention that stereotype them into categories of people vs people being individuals. Some of those stereotypes being the dragon-lady who was a cunning, evil, conniving, sexually empowered, and sneaky in which they are always a Japanese woman.

Another being the lack of masculinity for Asian men in traditional media. Comparing the western ideas of sexuality contrasting with things such as Chinese queues, “women’s work” and other tropes of Asian behavior that contradict the white American idea of sexuality. While both men and women in the minority both had to deal with stereotyping in movies the women were particularly impacted due to the societal views of all types of women at the time. It wasn’t until the feminist movements and the like did some forms of change start to occur and even today there persists these stereotypes, Dragon Lady in 47 Ronin anyone? Or even the model minority martial arts master Japanese pilot in Pacific Rim.

With 8 different stories, the Joyluck Club shows the audience 4 mothers were forced into their lifestyle with a powerlessness that prevented them from achieving their desires, they transcribed their experiences onto their daughters who they put hope into that they would leave a life in which they wanted. The mothers all came from China and the daughters came from America, all having similarities but will suffer the typically generational differences.

Even with the introduction of female Asian newscasters there was still a very prevalent stereotype of how one should look. The women in film are shown to be either sexy/naughty/sneaky or a variation of docile/quiet/loving housewife. These ideas of what Japanese women were was transcribed onto the real world where women would have to deal with men being legitimately surprised that a woman that has slanted eyes won’t have a personality that matches the cinema.

Breaking stereotypes with the introduction of lesbian Chinese Americans, Saving Face shows how people are always individuals regardless of which group they belong to. Beyond the unique lesbian story of Wil and Vivian. There was still plenty of other stereotypes scattered throughout the movie. One being the “funny black friend”. There was additional racist moments that occurred ranging from the dislike of black Americans by Wil’s mother with other similar off handed comments of her blind dates “He’s not white is he?” “No don’t worry he’s Chinese”

The multiple crises happening throughout the movie varied from Wil’s mother being 48 and getting pregnant without being married, the father is an a crisis being a very young man not able to show his true love for her, Wil dealing with being lesbian and having her mother understand in addition to having a successful relationship with Vivian.

Another point being how important family legacy and honor is in the Chinese ideology. Wil’s mother was a “good daughter marrying at a young age, and always put her families reputation in high regard, especially in regards to what her father wanted. Again she would be forced on a path by marrying Cho, a nice man but not one Wil’s mother loved. It isn’t until the intervention of Wil did her mother finally get to see Little Yu confess his love for her and they could become happier, it is also after this powerful moment Wil’s mother is more understanding of Wil being a lesbian.

Linking this to the reading and the movies we’ve been watching this week in regards to film and its portrayal of Asian women and men’s sexuality it was a contrasting point in which the Asian women are lesbian but nonetheless both attractive young people. In addition the two daughters Wil and Vivian are both in the stereotype of being brilliant surgeons/graceful dancers. In addition all of the potential suitors to Wil were either successful businessmen or comfortably employed, there was no group in the movie to contrast the model minority.

If there is a stereotype of doing something well such as Asians being good at math, get straight As, etc, does that discourage them from striving to do great things? The general stereotype of Asians having higher family values and wanted to strive to be the best it seems to put a pressure on the whole group in terms of achievement.

I really disliked several moments in the movie where they forced drama excessively and unrealistic within the film’s universe. One being the marriage cancel and everyone fighting/unleashing their true emotions all at once like in a soap opera, which i understand they might of done on purpose given how much Wil’s and her mother watched soap operas it was still done in a way that wasn’t convincing or enjoyable.

As a whole however the movie had a lot of redeemable qualities involving following your true intentions and being true to  yourself. All the different people dealing with their own demons and moving forward gave one a feeling of satisfaction. Beyond cheesy acting and stereotypes in the “anti-stereotype” movie I liked the movie overall.

From both the films we watched today including ¨Saving Face” and ¨The Slanted Screen: Asian Men in Film and Television” along with the readings from Robert Lee’s book ¨The Orientals” there are several connections between the three that can be made. Furthermore all of them can be considered to meet in this fictiscous street known as Crisis street we discussed in Lecture.

One connection I saw between the film ¨Saving Face” and the book ¨Orientals¨ is the connection with this idea of Asian American being the Model Minority. In the film the main character Wil is a lesbian Chinese American who has gone through life hiding her sexuality. She appitimizes this theory of the model minority by being a young surgeon with a bright future, as well as being a top student while in school. Her mother who was widowed also has played the role of the model minority as described in Lee’s book by displaying, “Obedience, self control, individualism, and loyalty to the needs of the nuclear family…” However during the film the mother becomes pregnant out of wedlock and eventually agrees to marry a man named Cho to appease her fathers wishes and to ¨save face” as he has shunned her for causeing shame to his name. While this is occurring Wl is also falling in love with a fellow Chinese American girl named Vivian. At the point of Crisis where Vivian is leaving for Paris to take a job as a ballet dancer and her mother is preparing to get married these deep inner secrets come out. For Wil she has to make the decision to keep her sexuality a secret and lose the one she loves, which is also true with her mother who has to make the decision to appease her father and marry without love, or to expose the fact that she loves another. Faced with this crisis they disrupt this concept of retaining the stutus quoand decide to express their true feelings, and reveal their true identity. This for me shows that though their are characteristics of both the mother and Wil that adhere to this idea of model minority, they are individuals and are able to move forward and show their true identities that reliquishes some of these aspects that ties them to the model minority concept described in Lee’s book. The main one which is described by Lee is the idea of not going against the Nuclear family.

Along with this model minority idea, we see in ¨The Slanted Screen” the Asian Americans in Hollywood are wanting to relinquish and earn equality in the roles they depict on the television screen. Throughout history they are forced to play these roles where they are either seen as a ¨wimpy businessman” or a “villain” which can be seen in the evil character of Fu Manchu. Furthermore throughout the history of Hollywood they have notoriously been thwarted the chance of playing the role of the romantic Hero with a person of a different race. A good example of this is in the film Romeo must die where Jet Li is the Hero and Aaliyah is an African American Juliet. After a special viewing of a scene where the two kiss at the end of the movie to an urban audience the audience found this romantic connection as unfavorable and therefore the scene was changed to include only a hug. This idea of not ruffling this almost taboo subject of an Asian Hero with a female which is of a different race can also be linked to the characters in Saving Face. Both the main characters described previously in saving face have this choice to relinquish this idea of being the perfect image of the model minority. However unlike many Hollywood movies in the past, in Saving Face we finally see Asian Americans going against what is thought to be acceptable and showing them in a light that is not just stereotypical of their race but as actual people where their feelings of love and passion do not give way to the image of how they should act in a time of crisis.

First off, I recognized Ming-Na Wen, or Jude in this movie, by her voice immediately as Fa Mulan in both Mulan and Mulan II by Disney and Finn’s mother on one episode of Adventure Time.

With that out of the way, I found this movie fascinating. Instead of focusing on one character or one family, the movie views all the women involved in the Joy Luck Club and the lives of their daughters as well. Each woman in this film had an interesting back story before Jude’s party, each one unique to their lifestyles. If there is one thing that irked me in this movie, it probably has to be the depiction of Asian males. They were depicted as sexually aggressive or thinking that marriage is always half and half. It reminds me of The Slanted Screen where it mentions that the movie business does not want its villains depicted as “white”, but “Asian” works out. Besides that point, the movie was pretty good, even tragic, in a dramatic way, at some parts.

In connections with Slaying The Dragon, I noticed a few things. First off is that most of the daughters of the Joy Luck Club’s members had white husbands, which brought in the whole “white man and Asian woman” tidbit to mind. Not saying that’s bad, but it has been done plenty of times in movies already. Another was the whole “servitude” attitude. A few times in the movie, some of the women, mostly the mothers of the daughters, displayed this. For example, one of the mothers kept doing what her cheating husband told her to do, even though the audience knows it’s just wrong to follow him. In a broken state of despair, she drowns her own child to avoid him from being raised by such a man. Finally a minor one was the Asian woman being manipulative. This is subverted in a way since Waverly’s mom used manipulation to save herself from a life that was not the one she wanted to live. Sure she lied and tricked a few people, but at least she escaped from the wretched ex-mother-in-law.

“There’s no going back.”  This is the last line that was said in the film Better Luck Tomorrow.  Better Luck Tomorrow took the stereotypes of Asian Americans and put a spin on them.  The film did include the typical stereotype of the brainy and determined Asian American, however, underneath those stereotypes is a whole different world.  This movie takes advantage of the idea that not everything is as it seems.  It also shows how quickly things can escalate from making cheat sheets, to doing drugs, to killing someone.  Why?  Because the more you break the rules, the more rules don’t affect you.  The line between what’s right and what is wrong becomes blurred and all of a sudden things are out of hand.

In chapter 10 in Dave’s book, I had the question how to choose the queens. And, I checked the Nisei Week web site, and found this movie which was the last year’s festival.

Click here to view the embedded video.

As we could know from this movie, they had to introduce themselves as one of the basis for the judgment. I noticed all of candidates in this festival must have had great courage, because to introduce themselves would mean that they became to know their backgrounds. As this book told us, “They were a perfect form of popular culture through which to see larger struggles over race, gender, and nation.” (Dave, p205) I suppose that they accepted this fact already before running for the queen. And, this festival would be great opportunity for them to know about themselves.

Reference material: http://www.niseiweek.org/lauren-naomi-iwata-crowned-73rd-nisei-week-queen/