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AAST 355: Asian American in Film - Coggle Diagram

- - - - Just used as objects in the story
      - Exotic
    - - Seen with her clothes. Always in proper attire.
    - - Saving his wife by confessing for a crime he did not commit.
  - - - Implying that the West will always protect their own.
      - There will always be a division between the two hemispheres.
    - - At the time it would be an interesting case because it is a white man commiting a crime against an Asian man.
    - - Furthering the narrative that Asians are inherently bad by showing this symbol of ownership.
  - - - Might be a symbol that Asian cannot fully assimilate for Western culture.
  - - - The cheat shows Arakau as a violent man that tries to take the innocence and purity of Edith
    - - It was hint of an affair with Arakau and Edith
      - It was clear that reltaionship is not accepted arpart from it being an affari
        
        It would never work out and it is shown at the end
  - - - Shown with the barbaraic character of Araku following the troubles during disagreements and war with Asia
- - - - Ends up with a white woman because it is a "sensible" option for him
    - - Portrayed as innocent, doting, and submissive
      - Had to suppress her feelings and feeds into the stereotype of being submissive and the racial order
  - - - Lotus Flower thought that being in "American" clothing allows her to treat her neighbors differently
      - Creates the division between Asian and Caucasian People
    - - The child was given bright clothing but when Lotus Flower gives him away, he is in beige clothing
      - Emphasizes the "exotic" nature of Asia
  - - - In this movie it was used to show the difference between the Eastern and Western culture
        
        Costume: Asians wore bright and colorful clothing to symbolize how exotic they were. White people wore beige to signify their civilized nature
        
        Settings: Asia is portrayed as exotic so there is a use of bright colors while the Western world uses more mute tones to match
      - Used to separate skin tones between white and asian actors
- - - - Fu Manchu wished he had a son for his legacy.
        
        Constant comments made by Fu Manchu or Lu Chung about her being weak or stupid when showing "characteristics'" of being a women
      - Ling Moy begs her father to consider her as his son
      - Fu Manchu calls Ling Moy a Man Daughter
        
        Ling Moy was forced to be masculine in her actions
  - - - An object of beauty
      - Dragon Lady
      - Submissive
    - - Unable to get the girl
      - Unable to fully be accepted
      - Emasculine
  - - - Fu Manchu and his men in traditional clothing
      - Ling Moy in traditional clothing when she is carrying out her plan but in Western clothing in the beginning
      - Ah Kee in Western clothing until he professed his love for Ling Moy
  - - - Asian Man is weak while the Asian Woman is alluring
      - "romantic plots can never be 'satisfactorily' resolved between on-screen Asian American men and women"
        
        Both Ah Kee and Ling Moy had to die at the end
    - - Ling Moy was made to make men fall in love with her through her beauty, making people believe this is what her life is actually like
  - - - Asians in this movie are portrayed as objects and ornamentals
      - In comparison, white actors get roles that are heroic and justified in all their actions
- - - - Also mocks the Japanese accent when speaking in English
    - - He commented on how Tokyo has lot of ad boards and that its not authentic
      - Also commented on how he wants an authentic Japanese girl and dismissing all the actual Japanese girls because they become "too American"
  - - - Paul wanted to be recognized as a director rather than the husband of Lucy. It is a way to be more masculine.
      - Lucy wanted to further her career and felt that taking this role can evolve her status as an actress to play more serious roles
    - - Bob was infatuated with Yoko Mori when he was told that she never kissed a man. Yoko was an "innocent girl" that Bob wanted to take for himself.
      - Really liked the attention from the young asian girls. It felt like he was infantilizing asian women and fostering his asian fetish.
  - - - Perpetuates the idea that Asian women are objects used for reproduction and then can be disposed of
  - - - Once Asians were more prevalent in the American population, yellowface signified the lack of space for Asians in Hollywood and how space will not be created for Asian actors
  - - - This narrative is then put on actual Asian women and can be seen with how Asian women are treated by men
    - - "Yoko Mori" embodies this stereotype and plays into it
      - Reminds me of men with "yellow fever"
- - - - All Asian women shown in the movie were working at the bar and seducing the sailors and businessmen
      - When Suzie was introduced, she manipulated Robert by acting like someone else.
      - Even when Suzie was in the "Western" clothing, Robert saw her as a prostitute from England.
    - - When Robert had dinner with Kay, her father, and friends, everyone was in glamorous attire and had remarks against Chinese people
    - - Robert was portrayed as open minded when wanting to paint "oriental" features and being in love with Suzy
      - Robert was heroic because he stood up for Suzy when she was beaten up by the sailor
  - - - Suzie wanted to get beaten by Robert to show he "cared"
      - The absence/lack of accountability from the father of Suzie's baby
    - - Robert was the heroic one wanting to save Suzie and her baby
      - Kay already placing her self higher than Suzie when she suggested that she would seduce Robert like Suzie did
- - - - Williams was excited to pick many girls when he had the chance
      - Lee was emasculated when he declined such relations with the women even when he was offered
  - - - When William was sneaking out, the women were fully exposed to the audience
      - The women were being pimped out to the fighters in the tournament.
      - The women were treated more like objects in the movie by the way they were placed on the screne
  - - - It is a contrast to the lavish lifestyle of the top 1%
  - - - Multiculturalism is meant to divide and categorize cultures.
      - I would put Kung Fu as polycultural because different cultures can adopt the discipline and integrate that into their community
        
        There was a scene with Williams and I assume is past dojo filled with many black athletes practicing Kung fu
    - - The movie has different moments that support anti-imperialism/anti-capitalist: trying to stop the expansion of Han's business of drugs and prostitution
      - Lee actively not choosing women to spend the night with unlike the other characters
- - - - With Stephanie, he was constantly shut down whenever Steve was brought up or brought into frame.
      - Being a benchwarmer for the basketball team is another way to show how he is a bystander and is not in charge
      - Only felt "strong" when committing crimes
      - Everyone had some sort of power over Ben which influenced all his decisions
      - Steve allowed Ben to take Stephanie to the dance because he was not threatened with Ben
    - - Ben when he killed Steve
      - Daric when he pulled out a gun
      - Virgil when he pulled out a gun in Vegas and started kicking the guy at the party.
  - - - Mentioned how she looked like someone from the adult movie
      - Steve not really caring whether or not Ben brought her to the dance
      - Steve cheating on her
      - Ben not telling her the truth about Steve
  - - - The film slips out of the organized agenda Ben does during the day once they start committing more crimes
  - - - Shows Ben losing his virginity
      - Displays Ben affection for Stephanie over and over
      - Ben getting Stephanie at the end
    - - Justin Lin (the director) had a hard time finding a studio to produce the movie.
    - - Every decision he had made was influenced by other people, but ultimately it was to benefit himself
      - Ben was still involved with Stephanie even though he killed Steve and knew how Stephanie was worrying. But it doesn't matter because Ben gets Stephanie at the end
      - He makes decisions without thinking about the other people involved and just goes with his emotions
        
        Killing Steve
        
        Ending his role in the crime spree
- - - - "recognizes and incorporates the value of entertainment, and reflects on the nature and value of art"
    - - "seeks to entertain, and often gives voice to those on the fringes of society"
    - - "invested in politics and aesthetics"
    - - "Our absence was our presence": It is like the silence we see in Gran Torino with the grandma and the Hmong history
      - "Where no images exist in history or appear on the screen": the lack of images goes to show the silence of that generation where they want to bury the trauma.
- - - - They were described as "nice people", "not racist at all," and said that they could not imagine him doing anything of the sort
  - - - "Anything Japanese, or presumed to be Japanese, became a potential target."
      - "Honda, Toyota - Pearl Harbor"
      - These comments made against Japanese Americans extends to all Asians.
      - The stereotype of "All Asians look the same" is a harmful rhetoric because this anger against Japanese Americans puts every Asian in danger, which we see in "Who Killed Vincent Chin?"
    - - "It was the first time that an Asian American-initiated issue was considered significant national news."
      - The support in the community following the sentencing, puts into perspective the lack of awareness of Asian American hate-crimes. Many still believed that hate-crimes against Asian Americans are not a real thing
      - "anti-Asian violence as a present-day phenomenon that should concern all people"
      - Reminds me of the hate-crimes that arise COVID-19. The same fear was instilled in Asian Americans today.
- - - - In the end, Walt sacrificed himself in order to save. Sue and Thao from the Hmong gang. He said that they will never be free unless all of the gang is gone. Instead of killing them, he decided to get himself killed in order get the gang off the street.
      - Walt was always there for Thao and stood up for him.
  - - - We can see that the grandmother's silence both through the lack of subtitles but also her silence about her past.
      - "Silence is both oppressive and productive" The trauma that they went through has pushed them to not talk about it, but within this silence, the audience can understand the weight of pain the grandmother has went through. By not sharing it with others, it protects younger generations to feel the same trauma.
    - - "Walt finds redemption for his actions in war" Uses his relationship with the Lor's as a way to do good for a community that haunts hims.
      - "Justifiably Benevolent" This description puts Walt on a pedestal in which he would feel like his sins have been absolved
    - - Reading mentions Detroit and its connections to Vincent Chin. We see how the animosity between Asians and White Americans still a huge part in society. Walt's aggressive comments towards the Hmong in the beginning of the film serves to represent how American society feels about Asian Americans at the time, despite not being Japanese.
- - - - At the beginning of the film, Wil and her mother seem to be more standoffish with each other. At first, I did not know where it came from but as the film progressed it made it clear that once the mother knew about Wil being a lesbian, there has been some unresolved tension with each other.
    - - The relationship with Wil's mother and grandfather at the beginning was very strained at the beginning. Even when she was pregnant, the grandfather found a way to make it about himself and the lack of honor/respect the mother had. The actions and words by the grandfather felt like he was projecting. It is similar to the way Wil's mother was scolding her for being lesbian and blaming herself.
    - - Wil felt uncomfortable to show her affection towards Vivian in the public. It is like she has to hide herself from the world becuase of the expectations everyone has on her.
      - Vivian was more comfortable with being herself with Wil in public. It seemed like the transition of being a ballet dancer to a modern dancer symbolizes how she accepts who she is and is ready to express herself in whatever she chooses.
- - - - Comments made about skin color stems from colorism. The idea of being white is prettier is based on racist ideologies. As a Southeast Asian women, comments about skin tone can be traumatic and not realize that their ideals of beauty stems from colorism.
  - - - The ending with Mina and Demetrius shows the lengths in which they have to do to be happy. In the reading it was said that they are "trapped in the same exploitative geography." It represents how they would still face racism and prejudice wherever they go.
      - The idea of "hybridity" within the paper described the mixing of cultures. ex: Jay with the Ugandan baby ending scene with Mina in an Indian-print and Demetrius wearing an African tunic.
    - - Jay being a "champion defender of blacks" is ironic because he does not allow/approve for his daughter to date Demetrius.
      - Jay saying "People should stick to their own kind" to Mina seems like a lie. With the colorism in the community, would these comments be said if Mina fell in love with a white man?
- - - - An example of emasculation in the film is Astrid's husband. We see that having money in this society is very important and if you don't have it, people would look down on you. Astrid's husband has felt this type of discrimination leading him to feel emasculated.
    - - In the film, we can see that Nick and Eleanor has a very close bond. When Rachel was in the picture, Eleanor was not shy to show her distaste for Rachel.
      - The introduction of Rachel seemed to threatened Eleanor. Rachel's American ways makes Eleanor worried for her own relationship with Nick.
    - - Social Class becomes part of the family dynamic when we see those who are not as wealthy be treated differently. Astrid's husband had felt like he was an outsider because he is not born into the money.
      - Marriage is scene to be part of the social status, meaning that when the elite marry, it is usually to someone in the same class as them.
      - The relationships between different social classes in the film seems to have tension based on the difference in class. Eleanor tries to push Rachel out of the picture because she is so different.
- - - - Changez tries to compensate cultural difference through hard work and climbing the corporate ladder.
      - It symbolizes the divide within society. By climbing the ladder, it is like Changez is able to feel accepted into the American society.
      - Motivated by class and money. With a certain population in New York, having money and social status opens a lot of doors that allows for further growth in the elitist culture.
    - - Post 9/11, Changez is still trying to reach the American dream and be successful as an economic analyst. However, he is in a standstill between his culture and the culture of the US.
      - When he returned home and embrace his Pakistani culture, there is an acceptance to his place within the world. Despite is best, staying the U.S. would only make him lose his identity and assimilate to this American machine he is now realizes its corruption in the world.
  - - - When Changez told Erica to pretend that he was her old fiancee, it seems like Changez himself is not man enough and needs to cosplay a white man to be loved.
      - At the art show where Erica made Changez her muse, this act humiliated him. His vulnerabilities are displayed for the public to see.
  - - - Financial and military power dynamic shown as a type of aggression that ultimately aid in the harmful stereotype against Southeast Asians.
      - There is a bit of fear mongering to instill this idea within the American society.
  - - - "... repositions South Asians alongside Arabs and Muslims in the period following 9/11." It is like saying all Asians look the same, therefore, if you look the part then you get the same unwarranted prejudice. In the case of South Asians and Arabs, looking similar to those committed the attacks will forever be labeled as terrorists.
      - "racial blurring of brown peoples." In the reading, it mentioned targeting Filipinos at airports, which goes to show the ignorance of society because of lumping together all those who are tan into one category despite being widely different.
    - - " We international students were sourced from around the globe .... until the best and the brightest of us had been identified." Shows that Western society would only accept the top percentage of the "foreign community." Within Western society, locals will only see Asians as the model minority because those are the only people able to get through the lengthy process.
      - "the model minority becomes the percent corporate employee" All corporations care about is profits and if they employ a minority, they have to be nothing less than percent in comparison to their white counterparts.
      - "individuality is put aside" Changez has to conform to US corporate culture to be accepted. One main example is appearance, many where uncomfortable with his beard (which is part of his culture). To thrive as a minority in a white majority community, we have to perfectly assimilate to U.S. culture. (All part in the model minority myth)
- - - - Puts in order of where the western world is higher in the racial hierarchy, where Asians are made to service the needs of the european countries
  - - - Competition with Japan and China threatens economies in the West
  - - - The statement puts a blanket on the history and traditions, minimizing life in Tokyo into objects
- - - - Using the word "girl" has a certain look
      - Describing someone as a "schoolgirl" portrays a younger girl in a uniform. This idea is present fantasy, especially when taking about Japan and anime
      - "glued to their cellphone": being oblivious to society/robotic
  - - - Using the word "modern" differentiates the old and new society
      - "techno-cult": the wording has a negative connotation
    - - Being described as "boys" make it seem like asians need a figure to look up to and guide them
  - - - Robot sushi bar = efficiency