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Madison McTigue's AAST355 Coggle Map, Villainous and Animal Lineages,…

- - - - Perpetual Foreigner
        
        Even in a silent film, the lines of Asian characters were written in broken English. This choice distances the white characters from the Asian characters even more, reinforcing their otherness and depicting them as the forever foreigner, another Asian American stereotype often demonstrated in western media.
      - Exoticism
        
        Haka Arakau is shown to have collected items from foreign places that are of high value. This fulfills an Asian archetype of a rich man from overseas who has these beautiful, unique items not found in the western world. These unique collectibles emphasize Haka's exoticism and solidifies his role in the film as "the other."
      - Yellow Peril
        
        Haka Arakau is displayed as a violent man, while Richard Hardy is displayed as a hero. While Haka physically brands Edith and forces her into a sexual interaction, Richard ends up valiantly taking the blame for Edith after she shoots Haka in the shoulder. It is clear that Haka is the villain in this story, while Richard is the hero. Early films like the Cheat depicted Asian Americans as heartless and savage, reinforcing stereotypes at the time and the idea of yellow peril, where Asians were considered a threat to western culture. This representation reinforced Asian Americans as "the other", which resulted in political repercussions.
        
        The film delivers the message that Asian immigrants cannot coexist with Americans. It writes, "The west is the west, the east is the east, and never the twain shall meet" (43:27). This quote is displayed on the screen after Edith says a sad goodbye to Richard before he goes to jail for her. From this sequence of scenes, the viewer can interpret that the film is trying to explain that the mixing of eastern and western cultures could have horrible repercussions. In the case of Edith and Richard, welcoming Haka into their circle resulted Richard going to jail and never seeing his wife again. This is a prime example of Desai's argument that film can influence cultural citizenship by reinforcing stereotypes that further Asian exclusion in American society.
    - - Villainous and Animal Lineages
        
        Asian American (Hyper)Sexuality
        
        Whither Asian American Masculinity?
        
        Asian American Experimental Narrative and Documentary
        
        History and Memory: For Akiko and Takashige
        
        The Importance of Memory
        
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        Third Cinema
        
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        When watching the documentary, I noticed that all of the pictures and clips of Japanese Americans in internment camps pictured smiling individuals. This was unexpected, as an internment camp is clearly not a place for joy and camaraderie. I believe these filmmakers displayed these specific moments to demonstrate the strength of Japanese Americans at that time, who smiled even in the face of isolation and hatred.
        
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        Displaced in the U.S: Empire, Capitalism, and Unhoming Asian Americans
        
        The Fall of I-Hotel
        
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        Aka Don Bonus
        
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        Enter The Dragon
        
        Villainizing Asian Men
        
        1:15:17 "There were some questions I needed to ask. I got no answers." Han says this as he drops Williams into what looks like acid. Williams has clearly been tortured to speak about the mission. This extreme violence demonstrated by Han is very similar to how Asian Americans were represented in the Cheat. In the Cheat, Haka Arakau was an Asian American who showed extreme violence to a white woman when she denied his sexual attempt. In both these cases, Asians and Asian Americans are depicted as savage without remorse. This intensified the yellow peril idea, where westerners spread the idea that Asians would be a danger to the western world.
        
        Orientalism
        
        At time 36:42, there is a large banquet hosted by Han with extravagant food, sumo wrestlers, acrobats, ornaments, and exotic birds. This banquet demonstrates how the west views Asia as exotic. This reiterates the western idea of orientalism and furthers Asians and Asian Americans as "the other".
        
        Hypersexuality of Asian Women
        
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        Model Minority
        
        Asexuality of Asian Men
        
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        Better Luck Tomorrow
        
        Masculinity of Asian American Men
        
        The depiction of Asian American men in Better Luck Tomorrow defeats the common archetype of the undesirable Asian nerd. Although these boys were obviously smart, they took part in things that were inherently masculine and "cool." Han drove a sports car, Ben played basketball, Steve drove a motorcycle and had a girlfriend, they all went to parties, ect. It is clear that the four main characters are not made undesirable. They are even seen attracting the gaze of women at several parties. However, these women were always Asian. Therefore, it makes me ask the question, were they depicted as desirable only toward other Asian Americans?
        
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        Model Minority
        
        Better Luck Tomorrow is a demonstration of Asian Americans breaking the stereotypes made for them. While they are often said to be the "model minority", prioritizing school, work, and structure, Better Luck Tomorrow completely derails this image. The film depicts a group of four Asian American boys who turn to crime and drugs in an attempt to seek experiences outside of school and grades. Early in the movie, the main character Ben says the line "it felt good to do things that weren't on my college application" (12:00).
        
        Separating Asianess and Creating Individualism
        
        Daric, Han, Ben, Virgil, and Steve, although all Asian American, did not demonstrate any cultural differences from the American lifestyle. There were no hints to their background or ethnicities and no cultural influences in their choices. They were simply shown attending high school, pursuing relationships, and navigating very unethical choices. This allowed the film to focus less on their "Asianess" and more on who they are as human beings and what truly drove them to make the choices they made. If culture was added to the film, the thematic choices and messages would be interpreted completely differently.
        
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        The World Of Suzie Wong
        
        Hypersexuality of Asian Women
        
        When Robert first meets Suzie on a ferry into Hong Kong, Suzie lies about being a virgin (10:06). You can see Robert grin in response to this information. This immediately sexualizes Suzie, and for her alleged innocence. This coincides with the message in The Hypersexuality of Asian American Women, where delicate Asian women are sexualized.
        
        At 25:23 Suzie is pictured kissing a white sailor. This is the first time in this class that an Asian woman is shown being intimate with a white man. This demonstrates a change in political circumstances at the time. The film must have been released after they repealed the law that banned interracial intimacy on screen.
        
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        Orientalism/exoticism
        
        At 52:49 Robert explains that he is "fascinated by the oriental face" which is why he paints Suzie. His paintings of Suzie and her beauty are another instance of oriental exoticism. Her being different compared to other women make her a unique subject for his paintings.
        
        Even the title exhibits the idea of oriental exoticism in western society. The title insinuates that Suzie Wong's world is one of her own. That life in the orient is an entirely different world.
        
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        Otherness
        
        When Robert was trying to understand Suzie Wong's life she responds with "you're not Chinese, I'm not American" (8:20). I thought this was a very overt way of emphasizing the difference between Suzie and Robert, and that they will never understand each other because of their different backgrounds. This lays the foundation for the entire movie, as Robert navigates his relationship with a Chinese woman that he does not fully understand. However, the roles are never reversed. Robert is never explaining his actions to Suzie. It is as if Robert's actions are correct, and do not need an explanation to be justified.
        
        Daughter of the Dragon
        
        Whitewashing
        
        The man who plays Fu Manchu in the daughter of the Dragon is named Warner Oland. He is a Swedish-American actor depicting an Asian man. This is an active representation of yellow face in film. He wears clothing of oriental nature, has sharp eyebrows, and long facial hair. I wonder why the daughter of Fu Manchu and the detective in the movie are played by Asian American actors, but they chose Fu Manchu to be white?
        
        Orientalism
        
        A gong is continuously used in the movie under multiple circumstances. On occasion, it is used to transition from scene to scene. It is also used for dramatic effect when something of importance takes place. This is another oriental exaggeration used for the benefit of the film. This is a similar concept mentioned in Color As A Hue and Color As A Race , where the other explains how the colors of western orientalism is used to advertise technicolor films.
        
        Gender Roles
        
        In the film, Fu Manchu treated Ling Moi as if she was his son, showing that he believed that only a son can earn vengeance for him. This demonstrates the early gender roles in Asian American culture. Only sons were capable of handling important family matters, while daughters were fragile objects that needed to be protected .
        
        Otherness
        
        Similar to The Cheat, the Asian characters in The Daughter of The Dragon are depicted as heartless and vengeful. Fu Manchu and Ling Moi would go to great lengths to kill the Petrie family. The Cheat and The Daughter of The Dragon emphasize the message that when Asian Americans mix with western culture, death and pain is to follow. Ironically, one of the most virtuous characters in the film is played by Sessue Hayakawa, the same man who played the evil Haka Arakau in The Cheat. It should be noted that while Fu Manchu and Ling Moi are pictured in oriental nature, Sessue is dressed in traditional American attire and intermingling with the white American characters.
        
        Anna May Wong transitions in and out of broken English throughout the film. Oftentimes she speaks in broken English when surrounded by white characters. For example, after Fu Manchu is shot to death, Anna May Wong's character thanks the detective by saying, "and Ling Moi graciously thank you for his death" (24:11), but proceeds to pray to her father in perfect English in the next scene. I believe this could be her character's attempt in making the the Petrie's and others think of her as less than. This would allow her to go unsuspected in her attempt to bring her father's request to completion.
        
        At 1:03:29 there is a scene where a group of men searching for Ronnald Petrie passes Ah Kee who is tied up in in the window above them. I think this scene was an interesting addition to the film. As they are searching for Ronald, they completely forget Ah Kee and his disappearance. This is even more palpable as you watch them pass him as he struggles to get their attention to the point where he throws himself out of the window. I think this scene reiterates that the safety of Ah Kee is not as important as that of Ronald.
      - Toll of The Sea
        
        Orientalism/exoticism
        
        The Toll of the Sea heavily plays into the orientalist setting. The Chinese characters wear colorful silk robes and show the gardens with beautiful full foliage and flowers. The film emphasizes the dramatized western view of orientalism to gain appeal from its viewers. This is similar to what we see in The Cheat with the character Haka Arakau. Haka is shown wearing "Burmese" garments and possessing a room full of unique Burmese items. This dramatization of his Burmese origin is a clear demonstration of using orientalism for viewer appeal.
        
        Hypersexuality
        
        Anna May Wong in Toll of the Sea is referred to as Lotus Flower, an archetypal Asian symbol made by the west for a delicate, kind woman. Lotus Flower is never given an actual name, whereas Elsie Carver, Allen Carver's American wife is given a name. This emphasizes the tiers of importance within film at this time. Although Anna May Wong as Lotus Flower was the leading actress, the American actress is the one important enough to be given a name.
        
        Western Superiority
        
        Throughout the film Lotus Flower is so eager to become American. This yearning for assimilation into American culture makes it seem that Lotus Flower does not value her Chinese heritage. By the end of the film, when Lotus Flower gives her son to Allen and Elsie Carver, she states, "Lotus Flower only little Chinese nurse for you till sweet mother comes from America" (49:17). Here she is recognizing that she is "only Chinese" and cannot raise her son to be American. This constant yearning for assimilation into American culture emphasizes a superiority of American culture over Chinese culture.
        
        Throughout the movie Lotus Flower is the only character going through hardship. So much so that the film implies that she kills herself at the end of the movie. Lotus Flower goes to the sea and says, "Oh Sea, now that life has been emptied I come to pay my great dept to you" (54:26). With the loss of her 'honorable American husband' and child she loses her dream of having a nuclear family. The filmmakers portray this as a loss worth of ending her life. This yet again emphasizes how the film portrays the Chinese as longing for American culture.
- - - - Defining Asian American
        
        I find it interesting that Feng defined the term Asian American not as a demographic based on race but rather as a group of people experiencing similar political oppressions. He writes, "Asian American is not a cultural term at all, nor even an ethnic label, but rather the name of a coalition of Americans who have come to realize that their political situation requires them to act together" (pg. 1). This definition recognizes that Asian Americans have the same goal for Asian American films; to use film as a means to educate others on the Asian American experience and to gain cultural citizenship.
        
        Feng argues that the Asian American experience cannot have one definition. Many races and culture fall under the western term Asian, each with different immigration experiences. There are even generational differences. While younger generations still receive political exclusion, it may not be comparable to Asian Americans who were born many years ago. Therefore, Asian American cinema is too complex to have one correct definition.
      - Defining Asian American Film
        
        There is a large argument of what qualifies as an Asian American Film. Is it a film that depicts Asian American life? What if that film was created by someone who was not Asian American? Or is it a film created by an Asian American? What if Asian Americans were not featured in this film? I think these unanswered questions make it difficult for Asian American films to be recognized and supported. The ambiguity of the definition distracts from which movies to honor in Asian American film.
        
        The "market for Asian American Cinema looks for Asian faces and looks no further" (pg. 3). Asian Americans are seen as objects in film. They are used to demonstrate exoticism, a means in which to bring appeal to films. Feng argues that films that seek only for Asian American faces are not deemed Asian American film. Once Asian Americans are given perspective and a voice in the films that they are a part of, will the films be considered Asian American. This provides an authentic representation, void of stereotypes.
    - - The Importance of Film
        
        Film is a means of reinforcing social hierarchy. By depicting Asian Americans in a negative light, the exclusion of Asian Americans in American culture is intensified. These stereotypical representations have an influence on politics surrounding Asian Americans at, especially that of U.S citizenship.
        
        Desai recommends looking beyond the positive and negative representation of Asian Americans in film. When we do this, we are able to further understand the meaning of what we are viewing with regard to the political and social landscape of our environment. This interpretation also sheds light on how the representation we are viewing reinforces power within certain groups. He writes, "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" (pg. 94). With this understanding, more well-rounded decisions can be made about how to represent Asian Americans in film.
      - Cultural Citizenship
        
        Desai claims that film is a means of solidifying cultural citizenship. Cultural citizenship is different than political citizenship. An individual can have a political citizenship but not be accepted by society and therefore are treated as less than by the people around them. Feng writes, "understanding, interrogating, and claiming political citizenship has been accompanied by attempts at seeking self- representation in film and video as a modality of cultural citizenship" (pg. 92). Film can be used to demonstrate Asian American perspective, identity, and experience. Being recognized in media is a means of being recognized in American culture. Therefore, film can be a means of gaining cultural citizenship.
    - - The Other Question - Stereotype, Discrimination, and the Discourse in Colonialism (Bhabha)
        
        Stereotype
        
        Stereotypes are used to create "Fixity", or unchanging order. Colonialism and the superiority complex that is associated with it are fueled by stereotypes, which ensure that the colonizers remain in power of the colonized. Colonizers accept stereotypes so easily even though they are not logically proven because it validates their superiority over the colonized. Therefore, many stereotypes are reinforced through the media. By demonstrating Asian American stereotypes in film, fixity is furthered.
        
        Ambivalence
        
        Stereotypes are ambivalent, meaning they can never be proven or denied. This, along with the generational lifespan of a stereotype, makes them so hard to break. This ambivalence “ensures [the stereotype’s] repeatability in changing historical and discursive conjunctures; informs its strategies of individuation and marginalization; produces that effect of probabilistic truth and predictability which, for the stereotype, must be in excess of what can be empirically proved or logically construed” (95). In other words, stereotypes are held as truth unless proven otherwise, but marginalization in the media make it extremely difficult for this to happen. Therefore, stereotypes have perpetuated in film and media for years. This can be seen in the from of orientalism, model minority, yellow peril, and the machine myth. It is evident how these stereotypes changed overtime throughout history to further exclusion and keep westerners in a position of power over Asian Americans.
        
        Analysis
        
        Similar to Desai, Bhaba believes that we should not focus on the good or bad of stereotypes. Bhaba suggests a "shift from positive or negative, to an understanding of the process of subjectification made possible through stereotypical discourse" (pg. 95). Bhaba aska that we ask look into how stereotypes are created/enforced, and how they impact people. With this understanding, it is more possible to make strides to combatting hurtful stereotypes.
      - "Making Movie Magic" (hooks)
        
        The Power of Film
        
        Films have the power to alter the way we think, which makes it essential that filmmakers do not merely reflect everyday life. Although it may seem that adding politics to a piece may take away from its "naturalism", it empowers a film to be more than just entertainment. Film can be a tool to incite change society. Therefore, it is important that organizations are formed to mediate the portrayals of Asian Americans on screen. The importance of these organizations is demonstrated in Lopez's Asian American Media Activism.
        
        Filmmakers that tell the story of "the other" give people the opportunity to "look at the different without having to experientially engage "the other" (pg. 2). Bell Hooks argues that cinema gives people a safe space to learn about the perspective of "the other." This makes filmmaking a crucial way to universally help people understand the minority who may not have necessarily been open to changing their perspective.
        
        When a film reaches a point where the interpretation of the viewer is trumped by the "persuasive strategies the film deploys to impress a particular vision" (pg. 3) , filmmakers have the opportunity to change the way the viewer thinks of the world. This makes film a powerful tool to influence societal change. This can be both a positive and negative aspect of film. You can see this in films that we have watched in this course. The Cheat and Toll of the Sea are films that convince the viewer of yellow peril and orientalism, while films like Everything Everywhere all at once and Saving Face demonstrate the multifaceted identities of Asian Americans. The different films in this class persuade in both a negative and positive way.
        
        Film and Politics
        
        Bell Hooks argues that it is necessary to write about the films that enrage us politically, as these are the films that welcome political discourse. These films encourage discussion of a taboo political subject, and discussion of the subject is the first step to change. This can be seen in the Fall of I-Hotel. It is enraging to see the I-Hotel be disbanded despite the protest of the filipino community. However, the film encourages discourse on the topic and therefore the opportunity to fight against the injustice. Eventually, the building of the I-Hotel was preserved as a historic marker of the filipino community in San Francisco.
      - Technologies of Racemaking
        
        Color as a Hue and Color as A Race (Peng)
        
        Exoticism
        
        The Toll of the Sea took advantage of the western idea of orientalist exoticism to demonstrate the newfound technology that was technicolor film. By using color in things like the foliage of Chinese gardens and dresses they were able to showcase exoticism, distracting from the limits of 2-tone technicolor technology. This exploitation of Chinese culture for the purpose of viewer appeal furthers the western misunderstanding of Asian culture and the idea that Asian American actors and Asian cultures were simply objects to achieve a larger purpose.
        
        Anna May Wong was always pictured in beautiful gardens of in colorful gowns. She was used as an ornamentalist object to bring appeal to the film. This could be proven even more true by the fact that her character was not even given a real name, but was rather called Lotus Flower, a literal object of western orientalism.
        
        Otherness through color
        
        It was suspected that adding color to film would accentuate racial differences due to the difference in skin tones. However, in the Toll of the Sea there was no "Chinese-American colouring of Anna May Wong" (pg. 2). The skin tone of Allen Carver and Anna May Wong appeared very similar. While the skin tone of the characters did not racially divide them, the color used in the mese-en-scene of the film did. The vibrant Chinese gowns of Lotus Flower intensely contrasted with the bland suites of Allen Carver, signaling their differences.
        
        The idea that East Asians are 'yellow' came from the notion that they could not be called white. "East Asians became yellow in the Western
        imagination" (pg. 16) in order to group them as a race outside of western white. Xin Peng previously states that the colors exhibited in technicolor film were a choice. I wonder if that choice led to the yellowing of Asian American actors' skin tones when producing films in an effort to exemplify racial division.
        
        Racism within technological development
        
        The technicolor technology was based on whiteness. Hollywood ran tests for technicolor films by using "a beautiful redhead model as the subject for photographic tests" (pg. 8). Technicolor films were designed to best present the white face, putting minority skin tones at a disadvantage in the creation of film. Not only did Asian Americans in film have to overcome overt racism in filmmaking decisions, they also had to deal with racism ingrained within the technology that produces film, putting them at an even further disadvantage.
        
        Made-Up Asians (Lee)
        
        Exploitation of Asian Exoticism
        
        Yellow face was viewed as a form of "art" by white Americans. It was "created by actors, designers, singers, directors, and makeup artist who viewed their work as artistic practice" (pg 10). This can be compared to the Toll of The Sea, and its use of orientalist ideals to portray the art of technicolor film. It is clear that there is a common pattern of Asian exploitation to achieve artistic accolades.
        
        One perspective that Esther Kim Lee presents in her book Made-Up Asians that surprised me is that yellowface was considered an art by those who practiced it. Lee writes, “Of course, the practice of yellowface was more than technical and political; it was also artistic. Yellowface was created by actors, designers, dancers, singers, directors, and makeup artists who viewed their work as an artistic practice” (p. 10).When I think of the term yellowface, I primarily consider it a means of exclusion or a way to mock another race and reduce them to stereotypical archetypes. While this is certainly true, it was also seen as a form of art by those who engaged in it.The idea that yellowface could have been considered a display of art was something I had not previously considered. Any mimicry of another race naturally carries a negative connotation, so to call a tool of exclusion an “art” was surprising to me. However, this idea supports Lee’s argument that yellowface still persists in the 21st century. If it was viewed as an artistic expression by those who practiced it, it becomes easier to understand why they may not have recognized the inaccuracy and offensiveness of the representations they were creating.
        
        Exclusion
        
        Yellow face was a "tool for exclusion" during the Exclusion Era. By "excluding real Asians, theatrical stages and cinematic screens featured caricatured, distorted, and ridiculous versions of Asians (pg 8). Yellow face allowed filmmakers to continue to portray the desired western idea of orientalism while not having to cast Asian actors during a historical era of exclusion for Asians in America. This emphasizes how yellow face reinforced discriminatory legislation, and showcased that Asian Americans were not needed to be able to portray orientalism.
        
        Yellow Face and Black Face
        
        Esther Kim Lee mentions that some people argue that yellow-face is the equivalence of black-face for Asians and Asian Americans. She also notes that although the two are similar in practice, yellow face still persists into the 21st century and is not given the same backlash. However, Esther Kim Lee fails to answer why this phenomenon occurs. Does it have historical implications?
        
        Technologies of Racemaking (Cont.)
        
        Indian Accents: Brown Voice and Racial Performance (Davé)
        
        Stereotypical roles
        
        When a minority race is featured in an American film there exists a portrayal of how "the minority group fits into the dominant narrative" (pg 28). American filmmakers use this idea to retain superiority over immigrants. Specifically, South Asian Americans are often depicted side characters with little relevance in the film, reinforcing their place as foreigners in America.
        
        South Asian Americans in science fiction films are often portrayed as either uber genius individuals with poor social abilities or memorable villains and mad scientists. The author writes, "Asians are cast as the threatening foreigner who seek to disrupt the status quo" (34). This can be seen with Haka Arakau in the Cheat, where his character shown to be aggressive and lacking empathy. This depiction reiterates the message that mixing of the East and the West is "dangerous".
        
        Objectification
        
        The author argues that brown-face is a mechanism that depicts South Asian Americans as objects. This is believed to be true because South Asian characters, often played by white actors, are not given their own story. This is very similar to the argument present in Colour-as-hue and Colour-as-race where Anna May Wong in Toll of the Sea is said to be an ornamentalist object, used to bring appeal to the film.
        
        Whitewashing
        
        Bellhook argues that going to the movies and engaging with a film that depicts "the other", is a means of learning about "the other" without having to engage with them. This excerpt gives a similar argument by stating that brown-face is a way for American filmmakers to portray the exotic without engaging with them. This form of whitewashing, defined by Oh, is a means of erasing the other from media while also keeping the parts of them that are deemed "entertaining".
- - - - Anna May Wong is a clear representation of the roles that Asian American women were often given in film. She was either cast as the dragon lady, provoking "masculine racial pride and anti-white hatred", or the lotus flower, "personifying naivete and self-abnegation" (pg. 24). This can be seen in the two Anna May Wong films that we have watched in class: Toll of the Sea and The Daughter of The Dragon. In Toll of The Sea Anna May Wong's character still showed respect and kindness to Allen Carver after he moved to American and found a new wife. This shows the docile and easily manipulated attitude of the Lotus Flower archetype. On the other hand, in The Daughter of The Dragon, Anna May Wong's character seeks revenge on the Petrie family after they killed her father. She demonstrates a clear, anti-white hatred as spoken about in the reading.
    - - Unlike the other readings we have had so far, Lui goes beyond interpreting solely the films that Anna May Wong has starred in and investigates the life of Anna May Wong that is known through press interviews and magazine reports. It is clear that Anna May Wong's real-life portrayal as an Asian American Actress was used for "confirmation of refutation of [her] image" (pg. 30), that image being the one formed from the stereotypical roles she had been given. It is interesting that Wong's mysterious personal life would bring even more fame during her acting career. Westerners sought to prove whether or not Anna May Wong lived up to the stereotypes she was given in her films. The press and media give Wong a chance to prove that was is depicted in film is not always a direct reflection of real life.
    - - Anna May Wong's inevitable onscreen deaths were a product of American views of miscegenation at the time. When Anna May Wong's character is unable to pursue her white love interest, due to its inappropriate nature at the time, the filmmakers often killed off her character to end the unethical romance. This went to show that "her 'butterfly' deaths were as much a product of legislated morals as they were a product of Jesse Lasky's instructing his screenwriter specifically to include the plot twist involving Wong's character suicide" (pg. 32). While these written deaths may seem to be an artistic addition to the plot, they are often just the result of the surrounding political atmosphere at the time.
- - - - A film can be recontextualized by through critiques. Peter feng argues that "Asian American filmmakers can recontextualize and thereby reinvest spectator pleasure by critiquing The World of Suzie Wong" (3). In a sense, this makes a film an evolutionary concept. Films can take on new meanings and importance overtime. It can be argued that The World of Suzie Wong, although condemned for its overt racism, gradually became an important film in the study of Asian Americans in film. This changes the films meaning, and almost makes it an extremely significant catalyst for change in the film industry.
        
        Later in the text there is an example of how The World Of Suzie Wong is used in another film. "Sally's Beauty Spot, a film that quotes Suzie Wong in the course of mediation about the cultural field in which Asian women negotiate their relationship to their bodies and their lovers" (43). The text was cut off at this point so I am unsure whether or not this movie critiqued this notion or reinforced it. But nonetheless, The World of Suzie Wong is making waves even years after its release. This proves that it must be recontextualized, and understood by its role throughout film history.
        
        Another way to change the way an audience perceives a film is through star discourse. Feng writes, "star discourses are, of course, nowhere near as coherent as the narratives of individual movies. Stars are incoherent texts whose meanings are constantly contested" (41). Unlike their characters in a film, stars are multidimensional and complex. Who they are may contrast to who they portray on screen. Like Anna May Wong, they may even disagree with the roles they play. This also recontextualizes a film. By understanding the actor as an individual outside of the context of their character, you begin to understand their character and the overall film more deeply.
    - - Feng writes that The World of Suzie Wong follows model: "Rupture, critique, containment" (43). After watching the film, I paid particular attention to the scenes where this took place. Progressive moments would take place but be instantly dismissed. Suzie would explain her situation and the hardships of a woman living in Hong Kong, but Robert would continue to disagree with her lifestyle as a prostitute. Feng argues that you can find pleasure within scenes like these by focusing on the "ruptures" and sustaining their message even after their dismissal. This rupture, critique, and containment feels similar to the forms of whitewashing spoken about in Oh's Whitewashing The Movies. When the viewer finally gets a look into the life of Suzie Wong, the film immediately shifts to the story of Robert in order to contain the rupture. This allows the film to center on a story of whiteness in an Asian setting.
  - - - In modern day film, there are actors whose performances are meant to embody "Asianess or a multicultural Asian character who simply 'look White'" (18). This is the modern-day version of whitewashing, where exotic stories are told through the face of a white star. This is especially true for mixed-race characters. An example of this is in early films can be found in the Toll of the Sea. Lotus Flower's mixed child has entirely white features. This is another way in which a story of whiteness is upheld in an exotic setting. Lotus Flower's baby is a part of the ending to Allen's story because he fits the white plotline. Lotus Flower on the other hand is Asian and is killed out of the entire plot.
    - - According to David C Oh, there are three main forms of whitewashing in media. The first is yellowface, where white actors use clothes and makeup to portray an Asian character. We saw this in the Daughter of The Dragon, where Fu Man Chu is played by a white actor named Warner Oland. The second form is the replacement of Asian characters with white actors. Whether or not the story is true or fictional, the Asian character is essentially erased and replaced by a white character with a white background. The final form of whitewashing is movies that center around whiteness in an Asian world. You can see this in The World of Suzie Wong, where the setting is Hong Kong but the main character is a white man who is attracted to exoticism. Its almost ironic that the film is entitled The World of Suzie Wong but really focuses on Robert within Suzie's world.
        
        David C Oh writes that "whitewashing is the erasing of Asian characters" (3). This is interesting, because in a lot of movies that we have watched so far (all of which have included whitewashing), Asian characters are not erased but rather reimagined by westerners. This raises the question, which would have been better in this time, for Asian Americans to be "erased" or for Asian Americans to be misrepresented?
    - - David C Oh argues that whitewashing "elevate the actors or U.S cultural industries by using the culture of the Other" (18). As a result, Asian actors and their cultures are used as objects to increase media interest in the exotic. This is similar to the use of oriental exoticism in the Toll of the Sea to elevate technicolor films. The colors of the Oriental gowns and gardens made technicolor more appealing, but overall, the film was centered around whiteness.
  - - - A United Front
        
        The author gives an overview of social groups that formed at the time of Bruce Lee's stardom. He emphasizes that it is important to recognize the time in history where different minority groups banded together to fight against white-supremacy and imperialism. He states, "the problems are the same, but the political organizations must work independently, and jointly, to create a united front in practice" (60). Therefore, Bruce Lee's representation in film where he showed that "Asian people can kick some ass" (64) was a victory for all groups struggling under the same cause.
      - Racism from a distance
        
        Vijay Prashad defines something called "racism from a distance" where other cultures are appreciated from one's own cultural box (52). This can be seen from the social trends at the time of Bruce Lee's movies, where people were excited by Kung Fu and the adventures of Bruce Lee, but failed to connect with Asian culture. This is similar to Bell Hook's idea that movies are a way of people to view otherness without being a part of it. Westerners are given the ability to pick and choose what parts of another culture they find interesting and want to practice, but Asian Americans are not given that same freedom.
      - Polyculturalism
        
        Prashad takes about a page to discuss the interconnectedness of cultures around the world. He brings up connections between cultures in food and even mentions that we are all a biological mix of various racial identities. He argues that "we were multi-ethnic and polycultural from the
        get go (53)." Prashad is one of the first authors within our readings so far that brings up the point of historic interconnectedness. I think this is a very optimistic approach to what we have learned so far, as it is very unlikely there will ever be a time where we as humans do not define ourselves by race. But it is very interesting to argue that our self-categorization is what brings about the notion of "otherness."
        
        Stardom
        
        When bridging stardom and the roles that the stars play, there is a clear trend. The stars outwardly express their discontent with the racist roles that they are being given. Bruce Lee does so with his role as Kato, where he plays the traditional Asian American sidekick, once again being denied the role of the hero. The author writes, "Trapped by the shackles of a racist role, Lee nonetheless broke free whenever he could, with a quiet determination" (57). Bruce Lee, along with many other Asian American actors and actresses are unhappy with the stereotypical roles they are given. It is important to recognize the bravery of stars such as Bruce Lee and Anna May Wong who spoke up during a time of alienation and hate. It is these people who set the stage for future Asian Americans in film to achieve revolutionary successes.
    - - Technology of ethics
        
        Shimizu emphasizes in her writing that film is a technology of ethics. She writes "movies teach men and women how to move, look, and love" (pg. 132). This is very similar to Bell Hook's idea that film influences life. What we see in film is inherently mirrored by us in our real life. This is why film is a "technology of ethics." It holds the power to change our views and ideas of others.
      - Male Binary
        
        Shimizu says that one way the macho half of the binary framework of Asian American men is denounced is through the recognition of "one's needs for others" (pg. 125). This is demonstrated in Better Luck Tomorrow when Han finds Virgil after he attempted to kill himself. You are able to recognize that Han is distraught in this scene, showing that he needs and loves Virgil. This breaks Han's macho exterior and shows that he is multifaceted.
        
        Shimizu describes the rivalry between Ben and Steve as passive vs. aggressive respectively. However, both Ben and Steve lose in the end. Steve is of course dead and Ben is shaken, unable to fully grasp the consequences of his actions. This is a demonstration of the destruction of the binary framework of Asian American men in film; One macho (Steve) and one lack (Ben) or one aggressive and one passive. This framework falls apart at the end of the movie, demonstrating that there are greater complexities within Asian American men that we do not often recognize or consider in film.
        
        Interracial relationships
        
        Celine Shimizu writes that interracial dating "is considered a traitorous kind of race suicide or, conversely, a slave and step forward in racial progress" (pg. 124). I believe that the interpretation of interracial dating in film is very dependent on the historic background in which that that film is based. For example, older films such as Toll of the Sea or The Cheat that were released during the time of the Chinese Exclusion Act and the idea of "Yellow Peril" demonstrate interracial relationships. However, they both end with same race couples (white couples) succeeding in the end, demonstrating that interracial romance only ends in tragedy. However, if a film was released today depicting an interracial couple, it would most likely be to push the progressive nature of having the freedom to love beyond race.
      - Defying Fixity
        
        Shimizu considers the ending of Better Luck Tomorrow "an important strategy to keep the subjectivities of Asian American men at the forefront of cinema-making" (pg. 159). In other words, not giving them a finite ending allows for further interpretation, giving the viewers the chance to imagine the characters realities beyond this scene in a multitude of ways, keeping them multifaceted. This defies "fixity" which is talked about in The Other Question. Fixity fuels stereotypes and keeps minorities in a "less than" position. Therefore, the ending of this film actively challenges fixity and colonial attempt to stay in power.
        
        Complex Identities
        
        Better Luck Tomorrow demonstrates multifaceted Asian American characters that defy stereotypes and show that the lives of Asian Americans are rich in complexities. Shimizu uses the character Stephanie as a way of proving this. She writes, "Stephanie, the Cheerleader and adoptee in a white family who wants to be a cop, does her own homework, and may or may not be a porn star" (pg 156). While Stephanie does not feel as important of a character compared to the boys in the film, her multifaceted background makes her a subject of stereotype defiance. We learn that her upbringing is complex, her goals are unexpected, and her confident demeanor is atypical. She is yet another way in which Justin Li attempts to showcase that Asian Americans are beyond what is typically represented in film.
    - - In the Afterglow of Regenerative Violence: Third Cinema and Asian America Media Discourse (Mimura in Ghostlife)
        
        Third Cinema
        
        Mimura defines Third Cinema "as a political project - as a democratic, participatory, socialist cinema that seeks to challenge and provoke the collective consciousness of its viewers toward the revolutionary transformation of society" (30). While I understand that out of all of the films we have watched, History and Memory: For Akiko and Takashige would be the closest to this definition of Third Cinema, I do not believe this documentary is truly fits this definition. It is not a political project seeking to provoke change, it is a personal story seeking to inform others of the hardship that many Japanese Americans had to go through during WW2. I believe that defining the documentary as a Third Cinema piece under this definition does it an injustice, taking away its personal nature of a daughter trying to tell her mother's story.
        
        Mimura states that when filming a Third Cinema piece "they would include the input of those whose lives were being represented on film into editing and revising the storyline" (32). This idea is far different than the films that we have watched so far. We have learned from our readings that actors like Bruce Lee, Anna May Wong, and Sessue Hayakawa disapproved of the representations of Asian Americans that they portrayed in their movies. First cinema films were not eager to listen to Asian American actors because they were made for profit. Films like Toll of The Sea, The Cheat, and Enter The Dragon portrayed Asian Americans in a light that would bring in the most box office money, with no regard to how it impacted the western view of the Asian American.
        
        Visual Communications
        
        Mimura mentions the creation of independent film programs that worked on creating Third Cinema films. "Asian Americans sought to establish an independent media practice outside of mainstream industries" and did so with Visual Communications (38). Visual Communications sought to democratize filmmaking, represent Asian Americans, and challenge perspectives. This leads me to ask the question; would members of this group support the work done by famous Asian American actors like Bruce Lee and Anna May Wong? Although these actors represented Asian Americans in media, there were times in which their roles were stereotypical and demeaning.
        
        History and Memory
        
        Mimura notes that in the documentary History and Memory: For Akiko and Takashige, Tajiri is seeking to understand the pain that she feels from her family's experience. She senses the pain they still hold from their time in internment camps, but she does not fully understand it. They hide this part of their lives from her in an attempt to protect her and avoid speaking about a time they would rather forget. Tajiri demonstrates that confronting a difficult history can lead to emotional resolution and a deeper understanding of family experiences.
      - Asian American Rom-Com
        
        Inscrutable Belongings (Sohn)
        
        Judicial vs. Cultural
        
        Sohn writes that Often times “queer progress” that is felt on the judicial level is not directly translated to the cultural level (ie. certain cultures are less tolerant of “queerness” making it harder for those who exist within them to be queer). This is similar to Desai’s Film where he argues that citizenship is not just legally recognized but gauged through social belonging. This shows that cultural citizenship is out of reach for other minority groups as well, including the queer community.
        
        Second Cinema
        
        Sohn writes, "The choice to imagine such a life and voice in the narrative space offers these writers a chance to recenter a figure radically unrepresented in fictional worlds" (7). Queer Asian American writers use fictional narratives to give a voice to those that often go unheard. This is practiced in the film Saving Face, and is Similar to Mimura’s discussion of second cinema in Ghostlife of Third Cinema where she states that second cinema seeks to entertain and give voices to those on the fringes of society. Second cinema is often used to provide a visual reimagining of what could be. It provides examples of the possibilities beyond the norm or, in the case of saving face, the nuclear family, while also giving a voice to people who go unheard.
        
        When closing his introduction, Sohn writes, "I expect that narratives concerning alternative families and kinships; nontraditional relationships, courtships, and romances...will always continue to proliferate, always pushing us to imagine more ways to endure and belong" (9). As more stories of nontraditional love, family, and community are told, our understanding of belonging is expanded.
        This is similar to Hooks’ point in Making Movie Magic that film can change the way we see the world.
        
        Survivalist plot
        
        Sohn notes that oftentimes queer Asian North Americans are given a "survivalist plot" where they simply undergo hardships due to their sexual identity. He writes, "two patterns become most evident: queer Asian North American protagonists are lucky simply to survive, and their survival depends on a community of other characters (including nonliving entities) who do not come from the protagonists’ biological families." Saving Face avoids the common survival narrative talked about in Inscrutable Belongings through its rom-com genre. Its lightheartedness and happy ending avoid a narrative of constant strife and instill hope and possibility in the audience, especially those who relate to the characters.
        
        Global Dimensions of Asian American Film
        
        At the Crossroads of Two Empires (Seshagiri)
        
        Happy Endings
        
        Diaspora films that provide happy endings and optimistic messages receive popularity due to the fact that they give viewers hope. "Such films often times promise a multicultural future where the celebration of difference will triumph over familial and social misunderstandings" (pg. 178). People gravitate more toward films that question social restraints and offer alternate realities where those who are "deviant" find their place in the world. This can be seen in Mississippi Masala and Saving Face where Wil and Mina find themselves being able to pursue relationships that were originally not accepted by their families. If these films did not provide happy endings, there would not have been as much appeal toward the movies.
        
        Mississippi Masala ends with Demetrius and Mina together, having run away from home. It is uncertain to the viewer where they are or where their futures lie. "Exiled from family and community, they face an uncertain future with neither a destination-point nor means of subsistence" (179). This ending leaves the viewer with the responsibility of imagining what might be next for these characters, allowing for an ending with a multitude of possibilities. This is very similar to the ending in Better Luck Tomorrow. Better Luck Tomorrow also ends with uncertainty, and the viewer not knowing what is next for Ben. The use of these ambiguous endings avoid boxing in the characters to one fate.
        
        Race Narratives
        
        Mississippi Masala "shifted cinematic race-narratives well beyond the entrenched Hollywood depictions of binary black-white conflict in America" (178). The film introduces the viewer to the racial conflicts of two minority groups within America, shedding light on discrimination that is less broadcasted in the media. When reflecting on the movie, there were no white characters of importance. The film truly focused on the relationships between Ugandans, Indians, and African Americans, avoiding any form of whitewashing.
        
        Throughout Mississippi Masla, Nair demonstrates many moments that Seshagiri calls racial crossovers. For example, "Indians and African Americans line-dance in a blues bar in Greenwood; Mina wars a Bob Marley t-shirt while listening to Hindi film songs"; the movie ends with Afro-Indian fusion music (186). These subtle yet important demonstration of racial crossovers further emphasize the masala that Nair was trying to depict. Despite conflict and racial differences, these instances prove that different races can coexist in harmony.
        
        Geography and Ethnicity
        
        One line that I really enjoyed within the reading was when Seshagiri states, " Geography, Nair suggest in this opening section of the film, influences identity as fundamentally as ethnicity" (184). Jay's heart is still with Uganda even though he is Indian by origin and is now in America. Demitrius and his family share American culture and customs even though they are African. Even Mina shows a tendency to prefer American customs having lived in America for majority of her life. It is clear that geography plays a major role in the development of your ethnicity, and those who do move from place to place develop an ethnicity unique to them and the places that they call home.
        
        Seshagiri suggests that "assimilation to one world produces exile from another" (190). We see this in Mississippi Masala when Mina begins to behave "American", putting herself above the wants of her family and community. Due to this, she was no longer accepted by her family and the Indian community in the area. This is a further example of how Geography influences ethnicity. When living in America and developing American tendencies, conflict between ethnic values begin to arise. This in turn removes the person from their community, as they "betray" their original community. Geography, especially a change in geography, can lead to clashing values but also the opportunity to discover one's personal dreams and wants.
        
        Are Asian Americans posthuman?
        
        Model Machines (Bui)
        
        Legislative
        
        The model machine myth impacts Asian Americans on a legislative level. Similar to Desai's argument that citizenship comes from both a social and legislative level, Bui argues that "the model machine thesis holds specific queries about personhood, citizenship, and rights in the transnational making of Asian/America" (pg. 3). The idea that Asian Americans are robotic influences their rights as citizens of America. In a capitalistic country, they are seen as tools for wealth rather than humans, and in turn, their legislative representation is diminished.
        
        Model Machine Paradox
        
        The model machine myth is both seen as a tool and a threat to Americans. It depicts Asians as "the best kind of workers and worst kind of enemy... that could bear a life of struggle beyond human comprehension" (pg. 4) This invincibility can be used to the advantage of the American capitalist system, but also be a threat. If these "machine-like" individuals were to break off from the chain of power and chase their own ambitions, they pose a threat to those in power. Therefore, this myth encourages those who see them as a threat to keep them in powerless positions.
        
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        Model vs. Copy
        
        Bui argues that westerners are the model and non-westerners are the copy (pg. 7). Therefore, westerners hold this inherent superiority over non-westerners because they believe that they are the societal being that all other societies base themselves off of. This superiority can be seen in many of the early films that we have watched in this class. For example, The World of Suzie Wong centers around the story of a white man while based in an Asian setting. This shows that even in an Asian world, the white man is the focus because he is the model and Asians are merely the copy of that model.
        
        Asian American Media Activism (Kido Lopez)
        
        Politics in the Media
        
        Asian American representation in media is held to a greater standard compared to others. No matter what, the show or film that is in question will recieve criticism, regardless of its achievements. Lopez writes that these shows "were being held at a different standard than other shows" (pg. 1). This adds another layer of difficulty for representation of Asian American groups in the media. Not only are there roadblocks to achieve representation, there are also roadblocks once that representation is gained. This reminds me of my experience as a woman in a male dominated field. I work hard to gain certain opportunities, but once those opportunities are gained I must work even harder to justify why I deserve them.
        
        Defining Asian American Representation
        
        There are various interpretations of what is a successful representation of Asian Americans in the media. Due to these contradictory opinions, media activists can oftentimes be found fighting each other over what should be enforced. This is similar to my interpretation of Feng's In Search of Asian American cinema where I argue that the contradictory definitions of what makes a film Asian American can be counterproductive. It complicates which films receive funding and support by the Asian American community and therefore introduces another barrier for Asian American films. Media Activists arguing over a good Asian American representation reflects this counterproductivity, because under these circumstances no film will ever receive a consensus of positive reviews.
        
        Representation and Cultural Citizenship
        
        Similar to Desai, Lopez believes that representations in film play a large role in the development of cultural citizenship. He argues that Asians have been historically represented in stereotypical nature that deems them inferior and labels them with otherness. This is similar to Bhaba's definition and purpose of the stereotype, where stereotypes are used to keep westerners in power. Overall, influential representation in the media will result in a change in perspective from those viewing that media. Therefore, many media activists evaluate representations, even those created by Asian Americans, with the goal of achieving cultural citizenship.
        
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        Media Activism
        
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        Are Asian Americans posthuman? (cont)
        
        The Transformers: How Chan is Missing led to Better Luck Tomorrow les to Everything Everywhere All At Once
        
        Chan Is Missing
        
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        Better Luck Tomorrow
        
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        Everything Everywhere All At Once
        
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- - - - In order to diversify sexual representation, we have to stop seeing sex as either good or bad. The author writes, " while acknowledging that sex is not simply good, what if we assume that sex is not entirely bad either" (22). This is very similar to Desai's argument of moving away from seeing Asian representations in film as solely negative or positive. When we do this, the possibilities of our interpretation are expanded.
- - - - Model Minority and the "Emotionlessness" of Asian Americans
        
        (48:17) "Archie: Should I address you as Mr. Mackendrick or Bob. Bob: Look, I know you're designed to interact and adapt and all that, but I don't think people here are really into that." Archie joined the corporate world designed to respect his colleagues and get to know them in order to evolve. His emotional intelligence almost makes him more human than the humans themselves. From this, the filmmaker is recognizing the shortcomings of human society. From the perspective of this course, Archie could be a representation of the Asian American stereotype that Asians are "robotic" or do not experience emotions. This short film contradicts this stereotype by showing Archie develop human emotions.
        
        Archie had a system where if he had work to do that he was not attending, a voice would remind him. Even when Archie was interested in something other than work, he would listen to this command. This behavior reflects an overexaggerated version of the model minority, where work is prioritized over emotional connection and well-being. However, this is also a representation of American society, where climbing the corporate ladder and putting work first is recognized as success.
      - (56:13) Archie gets up from his desk and walks across the street to the other office to meet the female robot that worked there. In the beginning of the short film, it was said that the G9iPerson was designed to learn and adapt based on what it witnesses of human behavior. In the end, the G9iPerson stopped working and pursued emotional desires. Through watching the people in the office, Archie learned that humans don't want to work, they want to find love, so he mimics this behavior. Archie found this notion beneath the facade of the corporate work environment.
    - - Asian Americana and Technology
        
        At 14:30 the audience gets a glimpse of a poster hung up on the mechanic's wall that states "There ain't no yellow in the red white and blue." It is clear that even in this alternate future, racism still exists. As Yang is being operated on by this mechanic, it is clear that the mechanic holds an aversion to Asian techno's, believing that they are tools for corruption. This can be connected all the way back to the late 1800s when the idea of yellow peril was present. For example, in the Cheat, a quote appeared on the screen that stated, "the West is the West, the East is the East, and never the twain shall meet." These two instances in films created many years apart highlight yellow peril. It is interesting that even hundreds of years later, in a world where robots and clones exist, yellow peril is still prevalent. It is clear that the filmmaker wants to demonstrate that these biases are so deeply ingrained in our society that they continue to exist alongside technological innovation and the passage of time.
        
        At 23:00 the mechanic states, "some bots were equipped with spyware, especially the foreign ones". We later find out that this was not spyware, but a memory bank which was tested to see what the technnosapians had a tendency to save in their memories. This assumption that "foreign bots" contained spyware is a common association between Asian Americans and technology. Oftentimes it is assumed that when Asians or Asian Americans are involved in the development of some new technology that it is a means of espionage. You can see this stereotype subtly displayed in this scene.
      - Asians as Objects
        
        Jake and the mother specifically bought Yang to "teach Mika about Chinese heritage" (16:03). Yang was bought as a tool to help Mika understand her culture as an adopted child. This inherently makes Yang an object, purchased solely for the betterment of the family. This is a form of literal objectification, of which we have seen in a figurative sense within our films. You often see Asian American characters as objects of exoticism, used to create viewer appeal.
        
        Identity struggles
        
        Ada tells Jake that Yang "questioned whether or not he was Chinese" (1:15:00). As a techno, it was difficult for Yang to figure our how he was connected to Chinese culture. This is similar to how people of mixed race identities feel; not knowing which identity they belong to and if they are "enough" of either of those identities. Yang reflects this struggle in his shared identity as a robot and a Chinese man.
      - Asexuality of Asian Men
        
        When reviewing Yang's memories, Jake discovers that Yang has developed an affinity to a girl. He asks the museum curator if it is "possible for cultural technos to have romantic interest" (1:02:00). This reminds me of the asexuality that is often associated with Asian American men. It was not thought possible that Yang, as a cultural techno, could feel and experience love, similar to how many films depict Asian American men. This can be seen in Enter the Dragon, where Bruce Lee's character is the only one that does not indulge in sexual relations with the female characters. Both depict the male Asian characters as lacking desire for intimacy and love.
    - - Everything, Everywhere, All At Once
        
        Sexuality
        
        In the film, Evelyn's daughter Joy is dating a white girl. While Evelyn and Waymond accept their daughter's sexuality, Evelyn is afraid of what her father would think of the relationship. She also showed some clear resentment to Becky, Joy's girlfriend, likely due to the fact that their relationship was not traditional. At the new year's party, Evelyn refused to tell her father about Joy's relationship, stating "he would come all the way from China to die" of the news (00:06:00). Evelyn constantly lived in the shadow of her father. When looking into her past it was clear that her father's word carried a lot of weight, and since running away with Waymond she feels she must prove to her father that her life is a success, and Joy being gay does not fit into this plan. Therefore, she is sacrificing her relationship with her daughter to please her father, the same way her father failed to have a meaningful relationship with her. This is similar to what is experienced in the movie Saving Face. Wil feared telling her mother about her sexuality because she feared disappointing her. Both movies demonstrate how belonging to the Asian American community means making decisions in the favor of the community and not yourself.
        
        When Joy is fighting Evelyn as Jobu Tupaki, Evelyn believes that her resentment is due to the fact that Evelyn still does not fully accept her sexuality. In response, Jobu Tupaki states, "you're still hung up that I'm with a girl in this universe? The universe is so much bigger than you realize" (57:00). To Jobu, who has expansive knowledge about the size and reality of the universe, being gay is extremely trivial. Overall, the film emphasizes that we are small aspects of an ever-expansive universe and social constructs are essentially meaningless. It shows that Asian Americans do not need to stay within the box of their expectations, but can pursue identities outside of the norm because nothing really matters when you look at the universe from a broader perspective.
        
        Identity
        
        Perspective
        
        There were two major perspective changes in the film that Evelyn undergoes. The first is that "nothing matters", something that was preached by Jobu Topaki after experiencing everything, everywhere, all at once. While Jobu interpreted this as the world is meaningless and there is nothing worth living for, Evelyn had a different interpretation. Evelyn saw that nothing matters, so she would experience life the way she wants with the people she cares about most. For example, at the New Year's party Evelyn goes up to her father and introduces Becky as Joy's girlfriend, something she hadn't done before because she feared what her father would think. She recognized that her father's opinion no longer mattered, as long as her daughter was living as her truthful self.
        
        The second perspective change is to treat people' with kindness. At the end of the movie, Waymond tells Evelyn to stop fighting. Evelyn realizes how special of a person her husband is. Waymond treats people with kindness, and always puts others before himself. Evelyn used this notion to form her own version of the bagel; the googly eye. With the googly eye, she helped others overcome their inner challenges and see that life is worth living.
        
        Everything Everywhere All At Once does a beautiful job of demonstrating that Asian Americans are not subject to one identity. When Alpha Waymond meets Evelyn for the first time he explains, "I'm not your husband. I am another version from another life path in another universe" (20:00). Waymond in this universe is working to defeat Jobu Tupaki and is an expert in connecting universes. He is daring and demonstrates clear leadership, while Waymond of the universe that the audience is original introduced to is kind, caring, and positive. This is seen from Evelyn as well, as she discovers versions of herself as a blind famous singer, a Kung Fu expert, or a sign spinner in front of a pizza shop. The film shows that there are endless possibilities of who you can be in life. The various identities throughout universes also demonstrate the multitude of identities that an Asian Americans can have. This is dissimilar to the earlier films that we have watched, such as The Cheat or Toll of The Sea, that box Asian Americans into stereotypical representations.
        
        In the beginning of the film, Evelyn is convinced that Alpha Waymond had the wrong Evelyn. She did not believe that she could be the person who saves the many existing universes from an all-knowing being. As she begins to learn how to use reality connecting to gain new skills, she developed this confidence that was not seen in her before. She says to Jobu Tupaki, "I'm the one you're looking for. I'm the one who is going to defeat you" (1:20:00). As she realized all that she could become in alternate realities, she recognized what she capable of. She was a simple owner of a laundromat who was going to save the universe.
        
        Family
        
        In the beginning of the film, Evelyn refused to say I love you to her daughter. Instead, she would tell her, "you need to eat healthier. You are getting fat (11:40)." This was her way of communicating to her daughter that she cared for her. Evelyn refused to express her feelings toward her daughter, reflecting her own relationship with her father when she was younger. As Evelyn underwent a reality bending adventure to stop Jobu Tupaki, she realized that her love for her daughter proceeds all. She states, "I don't care about the bagel. I only care about my Joy"(1:20:00). She gradually realized how important it was to make sure that her daughter was happy. She eventually refused to treat her daughter the way that her father used to treat her, and learned to express to her daughter how important she was to her.
        
        Evelyn believed that making the decision to run away with her husband Waymond had ruined her potential in life. She held this resentment due to the influence of her father's opinion of Waymond. Her father had believed that Waymond was too kind and not enough of a man for his daughter. In an alternate reality where Evelyn chooses to not leave with Waymond, she becomes a famous Kung Fu artist. She states, "let me finish talking to my husband, he needs to know how good my life would have been" (00:48:00). Eventually, Evelyn realizes how important her husband has been to her and how amazing his gentle approach to life is, something she neglected to see because of her belief that he had limited her life and the influence of her father's opinion. Overall, the film shows that success in life is meaningless if you don't have the people you love.
        
        Unlike the typical nuclear family, Waymond and Evelyn have reversed roles as husband and wife. Waymond is caring and nurturing toward their daughter. He is interested in the wellbeing of the family on an emotional level. On the other hand, Evelyn is more focused on financial success and appearances. Evelyn does not trust her husband handle the taxes in the beginning of the movie. She was disappointed in him for not being the "man" of the house. This film shows that traditional roles within the family are not necessary, and desire for the typical nuclear family can break the family apart.
  - - - (31:30) Harry Patel and Mina walk into the leopard lounge after leaving the wedding. This transition of scenes goes from a demonstration of Indian culture to a demonstration of African American culture. These back-to-back scenes demonstrate the multicultural emphasis in this film. Two Indian individuals entering African American culture. One detail I found interesting in this scene, was Mina changed her clothes into a more appropriate outfit for the bar but Harry stayed in his tux. I interpreted this as a representation of Minas willingness to enter and enjoy the culture of the bar, while Harry sat and observed.
        
        (43:46) "Black, brown, Mexican, all the same. As long as you are not white, means you're colored." This quote by the character Napkin in Mississippi Masala reminded me a lot of the argument made in the anti-imperialism of Kung Fu, where social groups united over common struggles. Minority individuals united under the discrimination they received from westerners. When napkin says, "as long as you are white you are colored" this refers to the common struggles that non-white individuals go through in America.
    - - (1:20:00) "You call this love? When all its done is brought shame on our heads." Mina'a parents have found out that she has been involved with Demetrious, an African American man and are disappointed in her and the shame that this "scandal" has brought onto them. This is very similar to Saving Face, where Hwei-Lan's father disapproves of her pregnancy with a younger man. He is more angry over the shame that it has brough him than the actual act itself.
      - Conflicting Identities
        
        In Mississippi Masala you see the conflicting values of American and Asian cultures. Mina, having grown up mainly in America, develops American behavior. She goes for what she wants and pursues things for personal benefit, whereas most Asian Americans base their decisions on whether or not those decisions will benefit the entire Asian American community. This conflict in behavior results in the Mina's family's disapproval of her relationship with Demetrius. The film demonstrates the sacrifices that are made when identifying with two conflicting cultures.
    - - (1:19:09) "You better leave those foreigners alone boy. They ain't nothing but trouble." Tyrone tells Demitrious to not get involved with Mina and her family. Even though African Americans go through the same strife as immigrants, Tyrone calls Mina's family foreigners, and tells Demitrious that they are a bad influence. There is an ironic system of discrimination exemplified in Mississippi Masala. Although Demetrious and his family are black, a demographic that has historically received a lot of hate in America, they demonstrate hate toward Mina and her family. The same can be said for the way Mina's family views black people in American.
- - - - After Hwei-Lan decided not to marry Mr. Cho, her father responded by saying “You have thrown away a lifetime of my reputation” (1:20:58). The film emphasizes the significance of reputation in Chinese American communities, revealing a communal mindset in which individual behavior reflects the values and standing of the larger community.
        In the context of this film, saving face is not just about your own reputation but also about your family, as the characters all struggle with staying true to themselves while maintaining their family’s expectations.
  - - - This opposition to the nuclear family contrasts with some of the earlier films we have watched in this course. For example, in Toll of the Sea, there was this idea that Lotus Flower was not worthy of having a family life with Allen because she was simply a "little Chinese nurse". She ended up giving her white child to Allen and his wife to form the ideal nuclear family. However, in Saving Face the movie does not end in the achievement of the nuclear family, but rather demonstrates the happiness that can be gained when we seek to be ourselves rather than the ideal societal image.