For this assignment, I chose the movie "Snow Falling on Cedars". I had never heard of this movie, let alone actually watched it. That's probably why I chose it. The story revolves around the murder trial of a fisherman, the love of two people who can't be together, and the racial tension between Japanese immigrants and white Americans. The movie is a drama set 9 years after the attack on Pearl Harbor (1950), but includes several flashbacks of life before the attack and during the interim camps. For the purpose of this assignment, I think it is helpful to consider the mindset of people in this era. While we certainly don't lack racial problems today, the idea of interracial dating was not as accepted back then.
The cultural patterns I chose are: Understanding between cultures, preservation of cultural norms, and humanity
The first pattern, understanding, is seen all throughout this film. This can also be expressed as a lack of understanding, so I'm putting both into the same category. The movie has a deep sense of foreignness experienced by both sides, and the Americans and the Japanese come into conflict over their differences. But the also rise above their prejudices. I think this is best illustrated by the love story of Ismael (Ethan Hawke) and Hatsue (Youki Kudoh).
The second pattern, preservation, is also seen throughout the movie. The Japanese parents retain their heritage by teaching the children Japanese language and writing, hanging paper cranes, and I'm pretty sure I saw a Buddhist statue.Hatsue's mother even tells her to stay away from American boys and to marry a Japanese man.
The third pattern, humanity, is mostly expressed by the end of the movie. Ishmael has let go of his resentment for Hatsue rejecting his love, and helps to clear her husband Kabuo (the man on trial) of murder charges. He presents new evidence for the judge, who agrees it is important to hear for the sake of justice, and ultimately sets Kabuo free.
oldhollywoodtrailers (Jan 9, 2012) Snow Falling on Cedars official trailer # 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SY6mC4I4SWk
I have never heard of this movie before either, but it sounds really good! I like how you explained the three patterns you saw throughout the film. It put the movie into perspective.
ReplyDeleteGreat description of the themes that you found. I really appreciate the historical context that this movie provides. Often when we talk about WWII and post war history, the story of the Japanese internments are certainly overlooked.
ReplyDeleteSo what are the strengths and weaknesses of taking a interpretive approach to understanding cultures? Make sure you answer all of the questions included in the blog prompt.