通过电影《刮痧》来谈谈中美文化的差异性

本科毕业论文第1页共10页1IntroductionThefilm“ScrapingTherapy”reflectsthedifferenceofvalueandcultureviewsbetweenwesternsocietyandorientsociety.ChinasocietyhasbeenreceivingimpactofConfucianismforthousandsyears.Confucianismisknownaspayingregardtohumanrelationshipandethic.Piety,courtesyandlocalismaremostimportantethic.ButinWesternculturewhichismoreemphasisonindividualism,independenceandequality.Soconflictsincultureandvalueareunavoidable.Theseconflictshaveshowninthestory.InChineseculture,physicalpunishmentiscommonlyusedbyChinesefamily.Theythinkthiswillhelptogrowingup.Butinwesternsocietyitisabsolutelyforbidden.Anyabusingchildrenwereviewedasillegalconduct.Astoshowrespecttofriends,DaTongXupunishedhisownsonphysicallyinfrontoffriends.Butthiswasmisinterpretedasviolencebyhisforeignfriends.ThisisamisunderstandinginculturebetweenEastandWest.Inthisfilm,grandpawhohadlivinginChinaformanyyearstreatedhisgrandsonwithawidespreadtreatmentinChinesefolknamed“ScrapingTherapy”.ThisisaveryancientChinesemedicinetherapy,andishandeddownfromonegenerationtoanotherwhichhasthousandsofyearsofhistoryinChina.IntheUnitedStates,thisisanunfoundedtreatment.Whenthechildgetssick,hospitalistheonlycorrectchoice.ScrapingTherapyinthestoryledtogreatconflictandmisunderstanding.Therearemanyothercultureandvalueconflictsperformedinthefilm,suchasconflictbetweenChinesetraditionalcultureandWesternindustrialcivilization,conflictoftheeducationoftheirchildren’sdailyhabitsandsoforth.Howtoavoidthetragedyofthestory?WemuststrengthentheEast-Westculturalexchangeandlearning,andonlywithrespecttodifferentculturesandinclusivewillitbe本科毕业论文第2页共10页possibletoavoidthecultureandvaluesofconflict.2ComparisonofChineseandAmericanvaluesbasedonthemovieChineseandAmericanspossessdifferentvaluesaboutsuccess.Atthebeginningofthemovie,XUDa-tongisrewardedasthebestdesignerofvideogamesbythecompany.Whenheisrequestedtomakeashortspeech,hementionsthathewouldespeciallyextendthankstohisbossandallofhiscolleagues.ThisisatypicalChinesespeechmadeafterbeingsuccessful.Theyattributetheirsuccesstoother’shelpandcooperation.ItiswhatChinesepeopleusuallydoonthatoccasion.InChina,relationshipplaysacriticalroleinpeople’slives.ManyChinesepeoplegetaheadwiththehelpoftheirfamilybackgroundandfriends.Therefore,theyareusedtoextendingtheirgratitudetootherpeopleeventhoughtheirsuccesshaslittletodowithsomeofthem.Theyseldomsaythattheysucceedbecauseoftheirownabilityandhardwork.Nevertheless,Americansholddifferentvaluesinthisaspect.Americansaremorelikelytoexpressprideinthemselvesandtheiraccomplishmentratherthantoexpressprideintheirgroup,company,familyorhometown.3FamilyEducationConflict3.1.ChineseFamilyEducationViewInChina,whenchildrendosomethingwrong,parentswillscoldandbeatchildrenasapunishment.Chinesefamilyeducationisfamousforstrictness.ThereareChineseoldsayingscanshowthestrictness,suchas“tofeedwithoutteachingisthefather’sfault”,“sparetherod,spoiltheson”,justasthewordsDatong’sfathersaid:“打是亲,骂是爱(toscoldandtobeatanaughtyboyisduetolove)”.Itisalsocommonforparents,本科毕业论文第3页共10页especiallyparentsintheruralareas,toleavetheirchildrenaloneathome,Chineseparentsarealwaysbusywiththeirjobsorfarming,andthereisnotenoughtimeforthemtotakecareoftheirchildren,sotheyhavetoleavetheirchildrenathome.Itisnotsurprisingatallintheruralareastofindchildrenlyingonthefloorwithflyflyingaroundthem.Nowadays,withthepopularizationofthetelevision,itissaferandmoreconvenientforparentstoleavechildrenathome.3.2AmericanFamilyEducationViewInAmerica,parentsneverhittheirchildrenfortheirmistakes.Theydonotthinkitwilldoanyhelptoscoldandbeatthem.Itwillbemoreusefultoencouragethemtostandupagainthantoscoldandbeatthem,whichwillonlydiscouragetheirconfidence.Andmostimportantly,itisillegaltobeatchildren.InAmerica,itisalsoillegaltoleavetheirchildrenaloneathome.3.3TheReasonforTheirDifferentViewsThereasonforthedifferencesbetweenChineseparentsandAmericanparentsisthattheyeachhavedifferentroleorientation.Chineseparentsconsidertheirchildrenastheirownproperty.Theythinkthechildrenareaffiliatedtothem.Thechildrencanonlygrowupundertheircontrol.MostoftheChineseparentsplaytheroleofarrangingchildren’sfate.Thiskindofrelationshipisobviouslyunfair.However,Americanparentsregardtheirchildrenasfreeandindependentindividualssincetheirchildrenareborn.Theyputtheirchildreninanequalposition.Theypaymuchattentiontotheequalcommunicationandrespectchildren’sideasandneeds.Intheprocessoftheirchildren’sgrowth,theygivethemguidanceandhelp.1Hence,Chineseparentshaverightstoscoldandbeatthechildrenwhentheydosomethingwrongandtoleavethemaloneathome,whileitisillegaltodosuch本科毕业论文第4页共10页thingsinAmerica.3.4FamilyEducationConflictReflectedinGuaShaInGuaSha,Datong’ssonDenishithisfriendKunlan’ssonPaul,DatongasksDenistoapologizetoPaul,butDenisrefusestosaysorrytoPaul,thenDatonghitDenisonthefaceinfrontofthepublic.InChineseeye,itisperfectlyjustifiedtodosobecausetheythinktheydothisforchildren’sgood,andtohitchildrenistolovethemandtomakethembecomeausefulperson.Chineseparentsisalwayseducatingtheirownchildrenfirstwhentheydealwiththequarrelorfightamong