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The Media’s Portrayal of Asian, African, and Caribbean Americans

Student Name

Assignment #1

5229225299085Introduction

Introduction

Date

The Media’s Portrayal of Asian, African, and Caribbean Americans

58578753257550Body

Body

Cultural stereotypes in the media are constantly evolving. This paper looks at nine films across four cultural groups, Asian Americans, African Americans, Caribbean British and Caribbean Americans. Each of these cultures’ depiction in the media has evolved in some way. African Americans, for example, went from being shown as poverty stricken and uneducated to the Huxtables from the Cosby Show, a respectable family with professions in the fields of medicine and law. Asian Americans were once depicted as untrustworthy, but today they are generally shown as the model minority. Caribbean Americans and Caribbean British are also shown as the hardworking immigrant type, while in the past they were generally depicted as criminals involved in the drug trade. Unfortunately, not all of these negative stereotypes have disappeared from our films and television shows, but the development of more positive images of these cultures shows that times have changed for the better.

5857875316865Discuss each culture, stereotypes and films.

Discuss each culture, stereotypes and films.

Today’s views of Asian American culture in the media were explored through two more recent films, The Namesake and The Last Samurai. The Namesake takes a look at Indian culture with a special attention on the assimilation of the younger generation. Although the newer model minority stereotype is still present in this film, many common stereotypes for Indians can be seen throughout this movie. For example, the newly immigrated Indian couple are shown to be primitive in a sense because they are unaccustomed to the luxuries of America. The arrange marriages emphasize the spirituality and ritualistic nature of this culture, which is another common stereotype. The stereotype of the younger Americanized generation wishing to stray away from their parents’ strange culture is seen in the way Gogol feels about his name and in his relationship with Maxine. Gogol resents his parents’ odd choice in a name to the point that he legally changes it and his relationship with Maxine develops as a need to escape and deny his culturally identity. However, at the film’s climax Gogol shaves his head in honor of his father’s passing as a way of symbolically going back to his roots and, thus, his cultural heritage. The Last Samurai looked at Japanese culture and also contained many common Asian stereotypes, such as the strong value they place on discipline and honor. This is especially shown in the beginning of the film when Katsumoto cut off the head of General Hasegawa during the first battle against the Samurai. This symbolically showed that he had dishonored his culture by denying their tradition and embracing Western ways. This shame was enough to make him ask Katsumoto to aid him in his own suicide. Suicide in response to shame is a stereotypical act that is common in the depiction of many Asian cultures. This Asian culture is also depicted as primitive by showing that they need the Americans to show them how to use modern weaponry, which is depicted as superior to their traditional modes of warfare. However, the relationship that develops between Captain Algren and Katsumoto is meant to counteract this theme of Western superiority by showing that both cultures have a lot to learn from each other. Captain Algren is the rude American who is tormented because he is unable to find honor in the battles he has fought. Katsumoto is wise and disciplined, but his idea of honor in battle is stereotypical of Japanese culture. As their relationship develops, they teach each other about what honor means to them and, eventually, find true honor in their final battle together. In fact, Captain Algren decides to stay with the Samurai even after he is given the opportunity to return, not because he is brainwashed by the Samurai, but because they had given him a moral and honorable reason to fight.

579120022860Discuss each culture, stereotypes and films.

Discuss each culture, stereotypes and films.

The depiction of African Americans in the media has evolved significantly and this development is apparent even in the changes in the four films viewed for this paper, The Jeffersons, The Cosby Show, The Best Man, and The Secret Life of Bees. The Jeffersons and The Cosby Show both broke ground by having their main characters be wealthy African Americans, but the Jefferson still showed the stereotypes of the uneducated African American through the maids on the show. The portrayal of George as a racist black man is something that would never have been shown on television prior to the Jeffersons, but emphasized that anyone can be guilty of judging others based solely on their outward appearances. The image George portrays of African Americans is both positive and negative. It is positive because it showed that this culture is capable of upward mobility. It is negative because he is also depicted as a stereotypical proud, arrogant, and hotheaded black male. The Cosby Show tended to steer away from these negative portrayals of African Americans, but, in doing so, many people have criticized the show for making it appear as if African Americans must assimilate completely to Caucasian American culture in order to be successful. Others criticized the show for being unrealistic, but the show gave this community hope that it is possible to move up in the world, despite the color of their skin. The Best Man also showed a more positive portrayal of African Americans than past films, but it does still have some negative stereotypes, such as the depiction of the African American male as oversexed and afraid of commitment. The film was a good example of how African American portrayal has evolved because almost every character in the film was driven and successful. This film defiantly has a positive impact on this community, because the characters can be seen as both inspirational due to their success and to the way they all embrace their cultural heritage. The Secret Life of Bees highlighted the struggles that African Americans in the past have faced, while simultaneously showing strong, successful, and cultured African American woman at the heart of the film. Lily, the main Caucasian character, represents the innocent blind love a child can have, because she does not mind the differences in race of the people who take care of her. She also represents the new liberal outlook of the youth of the sixties, which is apparent in the feelings she has for Zach, an African American boy. The Boatwright sisters are shown to be the strong, motherly types each in their own way. June is the disciplinary type, May is the emotional and sensitive type, and August is the nurturer. Rosaleen is probably the most inspirational character because she goes from being a stereotypical housekeeper to an educated, well spoken, and strong woman. The point at which this change occurs is signified by the Boatwrights renaming her July as if to say she has become as strong as they are. Each one of these films had characters that inspired people of African American decent and who broke the mold of traditional African American stereotypes of the characters before them.

5848350-877570Discuss each culture, stereotypes and films.

Discuss each culture, stereotypes and films.

The depiction of Caribbean Americans and Caribbean British was looked at through the viewing of three films, Marked for Death, In Living Color, and Small Island. Marked for Death depicted the common negative stereotype of Caribbean Americans as drug dealers and black magic practitioners, while In Living Color and Small Island showed the more positive stereotypes that surround this culture. The negative stereotypes of Caribbean Americans depicted in Marked for Death are, unfortunately, still around in the media, but they have also become associated with many other cultural groups. For example, in the television show Dexter the Cuban gangs are known to be drug dealers and practitioners of black magic. The In Living Color skit exaggerated the stereotype that Caribbean Americans are hardworking by depicting them having over ten jobs. In my opinion, the skit was not malicious. It was done just for laughs, because comedians often point out the ridiculousness of certain stereotypical beliefs by exaggerating them in humorous ways. Many Americans hold the belief that immigrants are hard workers. They often use them as a scapegoat for the reason they are unable to find work in this country. Immigrants are statistically more willing to do the work for less money than their native counterparts, which often results in resentment of these immigrants by the natives. Small Island also shows the stereotype of Caribbean British being hard workers and well educated through the character of Hortense, who is well-mannered, intelligent, and proud. The movie especially shows the stereotype that immigrants believe that life will be better outside their country, but it shows that even a native British woman like Queenie believes this to be true. This breaks this stereotype by showing it is not just the immigrants who believe this, but all human beings. Hortense and Gilbert’s relationship also plays up to the stereotype that Caribbean people value hard work because she does not let him into her bed until he has met her goal of having a house with its own doorbell. The ending of the film shows the stereotype that Caribbean people are willing to make extreme sacrifices to provide a better life for their children. Although it is Queenie who gives up her child because she knows it is best for him, Hortense understands the reasoning behind this sacrifice due to her own experience and is willing to raise the child herself.

5695950-748030Conclusion

Conclusion

Each of these movies showed how the portrayal of these cultures have developed in some way. The negative stereotypes that surrounded these cultures in the past have dwindled and have been replaced with a more positive image. However, in all of these films these negative stereotypes can be found in some form. It is important that we recognize when these depictions are ridiculous exaggerations in order to ensure that we are not making judgment of an entire group of people based on the stereotypical portrayals of that group in the media.

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