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AAST335: Asian Americans in Film, The World of Suzie Wong 9/26 - Coggle…

- - - - barbaric nature of Asian men
        
        THE BRANDING IS CRAZY. It seem like a barbaric, uncivilized, horrible crime that fits the stereotypical mysterious Oriental image. (Note from Class: one classmate also notes that the branding happened in front of a Buddha statue; also commentary on non-Western religions?)
        
        "Introduction", Marchetti interracial romance narrative framework: rape and captivity (associated with yellow peril) "rape narratives pose the danger that the "pure" but hopelessly fragile and childlike white woman will be "ruined" by contact with the dark villain" -> literally helpless and ruined with the branding
        
        Film, Desai "Representation itself is neither positive nor negative, but is always produced through and in relation to power. Moreover, representation, like race, has very real effects within social hierarchies of power" - clear social hierarchy in this story with how the story ends. the white couple "wins" while the Asian man "loses." The film has the power to reinforce the stereotype of Asian men being lesser than, more violent, etc.
    - - Orientalism, Said "The Orient... it is one of its deepest and most recurring images of the Other. In addition, the Orient has helped to define Europe as its contrasting image, idea, personality, experience." All the music and props are meant to "other" Arakau and cement his identity as an outsider
  - - - seems to be something dark, unattainable, and forbidden for the audience. something that the white woman can indulge in without concern from their loving husband. He never "gets the girl" and seems to stay in the "forbidden lover stereotype"
        seems to emasculate him to some extent; he will never win over the white man
- - - - white woman seen as composed, not as "catty" and immature about the whole situation as Suzie is; she responds to conflict maturely while Suzie fights back in a "low brow" type of way. the white woman is also seen wearing more respectable clothes, as if implying that she has more respect for herself
    - - this idea along with the fact that Lotus Flower is sexualized seems to create the narrative that Asian women are an object that you can indulge in before you choose to settle for a real woman. It's a fantasy for the white male audience to absorb.
- - - - Ling Moy must be completely stripped of her femininity to be accepted by her culture. in an American culture where classic femininity is valued and protected (just look at how they treat Joan and protect her beauty), it seems like a disgusting and perverted part of Asian culture
- - - - pulling back her eyes, gluing on monolids, whitening the skin, brown contacts... so much emphasis on the eyes, though
      - her accent when speaking english, her fake japanese... my mouth was AGAPE every time she spoke
        
        Made Up Asians, Lee "Yellowface does not exist separately from its creators or the creative process; it is not merely a discrete image or sequence, but rather A PRACTIVE manifest through the technologies of performance, one that includes acting, staging, lighting, cameras, costumes, music, and make up" consider the absolutely crazy amount of WORK that went into perfecting this yellowface. Insane.
  - - - "they've been raised to please everyone" - Paul, when discouraging Bob from marrying Yoko
        
        Asian women are just objects that you can play around with... who just throw themselves at men
        
        why is Yoko the horrible one when this dude has had like 4 marriages? i feel like Paul should be warning Yoko of that red flag bro
      - sexual assault scene... bro crazy there's so much to unpack. Pretending to commit suicide, laughing after the whole ordeal is over... it feels so dehumanizing. The potential sexual assault and aggression towards an asian woman is used in the movie as a comedic moment instead of a horrific truth. The characters take it so lightly it was even more disturbing to watch.
      - "Our upbringing is for pleasing men"
        
        "Sympathy" implying geishas sleep with tons of people and have no self respect
    - - "No one before you my husband, not even I"
      - "The western woman is no match for the eastern" - Paul, who wishes that his wife was as submissive as a geisha and just serves him... "I could be the man so she could be the woman"
  - - - Even though there is no "real" Asian person to break up the white couple this time, Yokomori is still portrayed as the mistress who gets between Lucy and Paul
        
        WEDDING SCENE ENDING: just like in The Cheat, the white couple seems to have a "second marriage": Lucy is onstage with a white dress, and Paul has decided against divorcing her... now that Yoko is out of the picture at a CONVENT...
        
        fake Asian woman still sacrifices herself for the sake of saving a white relationship.. just like Toll of the Sea
    - - Almost like Lucy's submissive side kick
      - insanely talented, should be incredibly honored and celebrated... but no one seems to acknowledge that
      - real Geishas were only used as background characters in the filming, white actress still gets the main role
- - - - Straightjacket Sexualities, Shimizu an 'infinity of Asian American manhood" to reinterpret Asian masculinity: the complex relationships in both movies allows for an "infinity" instead of a "fixity"... in the confusing battles between two men in Better Luck Tomorrow and the unclear ending between Stephanie and Ben at the end of the movie allows for infinite interpretations... in Enter the Dragon, Lee's lack of focus on women provides for interpretation of manhood without woman, but also leaves his relationship with Mei Ling up for interpretation as well. Complexity!
- - - - virgil pulling a gun on the white woman. two things about this scene. first, they need to pay someone to have sex with them. is this really hypermasculine if they can't get the girl themselves? Also, it still depicts asian men as predators against (white) women. ...and why didn't they get an asian prostitute?
- - - - It still seems like the point of the movie is that to some extent, their American dream was fulfilled; Waymond and Evelyn were able to escape the confines of their parent's disproval and expectations and start a life and family for themselves. They find love in just doing "laundry and taxes together" in this life. Interesting how the film criticizes the inaccessibility of the IRS/life for immigrants in America, but also celebrates it. Very Asian American.
  - - - some of those identities in her "main world/life": seeking acceptance from her family for being gay, navigating being Asian American with her family insulting her for her inability to speak Chinese well.
- - - - History on the Run, Vang "Silence in the archive and the silencing of Hmong histories is a gendered process, which obscures the familial narratives that suture Hmong histories about war, leaving, and the remaking of shattered lives."
      - However, in the midst of this representation, the grandmother is source of knowledge on Hmong history, with her glaring at Walt and providing context to the relationship between the US and Hmongs due to war. Her lines were a threat to the driving force behind the story (pushing a white narrative), so they were kept untranslated; but us witnessing even that shows a tension and fight behind the scenes
- - - - generational trauma, doesn't want her to struggle the way he did so therefore he restricts her
        
        "after 34 years he told me africa is for black africans, people stick to their kind, im only trying to save you the pain"