Slaying the Dragon, Joy Luck Club and reading from Lee.

Slaying the Dragon is a name in itself. In a lot of films based around the Asian culture there is some form of reference to the idea of the Dragon like it represents Asian culture and something that has to be slated so it isn’t representing the stereotype formed by films. In the reading from Lee on page 119. “The cracks of old, laboring hands are the cracks that tell stories. Yet they can also be understood as the cracks through which we can recognize alternative social practices, alternative modes of pleasure and community that emerged out of the material conditions of the manongs.” Where a crack can tell a story where it be a crack in a door, a crack in the ‘laboring hands’ a crack in a cell phone or a crack anywhere theres normally always a story behind that crack evolving and well where does the crack begin that evolved the idea of Dragons relating to the Asian culture, in my opinion more specifically Chinese but whose to say someone else wouldn’t list something different. Within the movie Slaying the Dragon it shows the ideal image that directors wanted from roles for Asian/Woman characters. A lot of time it was the woman that fell in love with a white man, normally a G.I and the struggles of having a child together that would face the informality of being half/half. Or the sexual image as a exotic looking female who is rumored to cater to their men and care for them so much. From my opinion not many individual, strong woman roles have been see as female in movies in the past, but today Asian-American woman are seen everywhere. When I think of the evening news, I think of one of the casters who is Asian, but as I think on that more in dept I look at other Big name media roles who are also Asian and they all sort of portray the same image physically with the short curled out hair, bright lipstick (usually red) and very accentuated check bones with make up. As they overcome taking big roles today, there is still a stereotype that bosses, directors etc. look for when picking someone for a part that is Asian-American. I can only hope that this will change in time and we will gradually overcome the stereotype, crisis and image we see in all different ways.

Crisis: A time of intense difficulty, trouble, or danger. A time when a difficult or important decision must be made. “a crisis point of history”. The turning point of a disease when an important change takes place, indicating either recovery or death. http://www.google.com/#q=define+crisis

When it comes to the Asian-Amerian culture weather it be within a movie, book or stereotype the common image portray into our heads is not true and unfair to the individuals whom want to overcome that specifically. On thursday we watched  2 films, Slanted Screen which pulls a part and goes in depth on male asian actors and the model of the type of individual that is usually looked for to play these roles. Secondly, we watch Saving face…which i thoroughly enjoyed. Saving face is a movie based around Wil a Chinese girl who is trying to overcome the stereotype of the expectation as a child of a Chinese family and sort of going out of the box of the ordinary traditions. As the movie goes on you learn that Wil is lesbian and is slowly forming feelings for one of the other main characters known as Vivian. Vivian is someone from her past which she learns about during the movie and they are able to begin a relationship and form a romance that I believe most who watched the movie would feel they want to succeed and workout. For Vivian her mother already knows of her preference of woman and from what I got is accepting of the situation. Whereas on the other side Wil is keeping it a secret from who mother who has become pregnant out of wedlock. Throughout the movie you see what I would call crisis. As Wil and Vivians relationship progresses, the big question of Wil opening up to her mom and coming out of the closet is a huge factor in their relationship. With the way she acts your can see her scared of showing her emotions in public, showing affection in public and well telling her mother. Her mother knowns deep down that she’s lesbian,  but it becomes one of those topics that nobody really wants to bring up as they have completely opposite views. As the movie continues Wil is faced with letting her mother know the situation, trying to keep Vivian in her life while  trying to deal with being scared of opening up to the world and dealing with her mothers pregnancy. In the end Vivian’s mother and Wil’s mother see the love between their daughters and make it a point to bring the two girls together for the sake of their happiness as Wil does the same for her mother is helping marry the love of her life instead of a marriage based around money and just someone that will support her the rest of there life. This movie really shows how is can be scary to overcome something like this, especially with a cultural background that doesn’t see change, and with something like this very easily. It tradition to marry a man but overcoming this crisis is just the true moral of the story. In my own opinion I believe this is one of the stereotypes that younger generation Asian-American children face growing up. I’ve seen it myself, with friends, movies, and just a common factor. So many Asian families are based around following tradition, marrying a man whom your set up with, not really accepting of tattoos and piercings, the want of ‘top dollar’ jobs such as a doctor, or lawyer and really just getting to be ‘bragged’ about by your family members. As the older generation sees it as customs changing the younger generation sees it as crisis and something they all want to gain the strength to open up to their families about. In a majority of the films we’ve watched this quarter the films have something based around the idea that shows a younger actor who is scared of falling in love with the wrong person in the case of the family not approving, or obtaining the wrong job, not satisfying a mother, father, family or following tradition. You can see this in the movie Slanted Screen which is about the image that directors and viewers usually look for when an Asian actor is broadcasted with a leading role, or really any role at all. Theres a couple different ways in which this is gone about and some of those are seen as a crisis from a couple different views. As an Asian-American I believe its a little easier for me to point out these stereotypes, but than again I could be wrong. The reason I feel this way is because I can personally relate and have gone through similar situations. Sessue Hayakawa was one of the first top actors that began a kind of image that is looked for in films. A lot of these roles are a actor of Asian heritage who falls for someone of another race which is not accepted by his or her family, someone who wants to pursue a job or image that isn’t accepted by family and traditions or playing the bad guy who takes over and is considered evil and you form a hate for that person in the movie. All these stereotypes that I see can also relate back to the idea of crisis which I have pointed in the movie Saving Face as well. In Slanted Screen it interviews multiple male roles who a lot of us have seen in big name movies, shows etc. and their take on the typical ideal Asian requested role. The real question is how much have we truly been able to overcome this, have we overcome this and will anything change in the future. I think that no matter what there will truly always be a subconscious stereotype in a majority of roles of Asians, but don’t take my word for it as I obviously cannot read the future. The true struggle an crisis for these individuals that just want individuality, acceptance as a true American and the freedom of acceptance and respect of their individuals families is key that you can see in both films I have described. As I continue on with my connections on Thursdays reading and films I would like to start connecting the chapter that I personally loved and decided to speak about in class Thursday. In Lees chapter which talks about the Miss America pageant, Nisei week and happenings upon these two things, I really see the topics of crisis and stereotype within. When I think of Miss America pageants I think of the diversity you see in all the girls up on that stage, the people it brings together and the individuality you see from each and every girl picked by their home state. On the other side I still see the common thought of blonde hair, clue eyes, big hair, skinny and tall. What has allowed us to overcome that standard and become open to girls who have asian heritage, spanish heritage etc. being voted in as Miss America each and every year. One monumental past that has played a role into getting where we are today is Nisei week. Nisei week was sort of a sub topic to Miss America which allowed woman of Asian American decent participate in a pageant for that category only allowing to win the title of Nisei queen. With this is wasn’t necessarily always negative as the Nihonmachi part of town used this to attract business allowing a vote to the woman representing their store who usually stood outside greeting customers. With the purchase of merchandise you were allowed a vote toward the girl. This allowed to bring in more business, the participant of the Nisei woman in the pageants, a feeling of significance in communities with a vote that all of America could see and a representation of the culture. With the positives there was of course the negatives, because who was to say that beautiful had to be blue eyes, blonde hair and ‘American’. What the hell is American and who are we to define that when since that time period this country has become a mixing pot of cultures ultimately allowing the us to somewhat overcome the crisis of a typical Miss American winner and now allowing woman of all heritages to participate. As we have somehow overcome this from a great standpoint, up close I personally feel that we haven’t completely as its still pointed out by some when winner is not the full white representation of ‘American’. But, do we truly know if we will ever overcome this or will we always have to put up with the people who feel this way. Which i’m sure we will. In lees book it allows you to see the stereotypes, thoughts, positions and opinions of people who are becoming great roles in media today who aren’t ‘American’ but are doing ‘American’ things such a Tiger Woods. Crisis is something that can be seen all over the place, in the news, on the streets and within households but as i’ve pointed out in the films and reading crisis is in our past present and future and as we slowly overcome these ‘crisis’ we also open up doors to new topics being brought to the table. You can see crisis within the chapters which discuss who’s paradise? “The faces represented the various ethnic groups found in Hawai’i and were play by “local” actors, not imported ethnics perfuming “Hawaiian face”. The names were “authentic” rather than invented pseudo Polynesian or Asian.” I think this is one topic that i’ll never truly get over, I personally really hate when thing are referred to as “Hawaiian face’ ‘yellow face’ etc. where is it fair and where does it describe the person, where sadly I automatically catch on to what is talking about or representing, but I’ve never heard anyone being referred to a white face, when I know the stereotypes are out theres, its so much more apparent with other ethnic groups as they are considered “un American”.