Cultural Essay

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Mackenzie Chan

The first film we watched, And The Spring Comes, focuses on the life and hardships faced by Wang Tsai Ling, a vocal teacher with aspirations of becoming a famous opera singer. While she strives to complete her own goal, she meets other artists and singers who are struggling and attempting to find their path to success as well in this cold world. While in Mona Lisa Smile, Katherine Watson is a newly graduated art history teacher trying to get a full-time position in a women’s campus called Wellesley. Although, this campus is teaching women traditional views of life and marriage rather than the progressive beliefs Watson has in her own life. While she values the idea of women being able to choose marriage and a job, her students are being taught that marriage is the only key to success and a happy life. Both films showcase society’s ideals of normality through marriage and cultural viewpoints. Still, these protagonists are attempting to break free from these cultural norms through their dreams and their own choices in life.

One aspect of cultural norms that can be analyzed between these films is the student’s relationship with their respected elders/ teachers. The film Mona Lisa Smile shows the struggles of Watson as she attempts to educate her students, but it is difficult for her because her students talk above her voice and believe they know everything there is to her lecture. There is even a student, Betty, who writes an editorial on campus where multiple sections of the paper as focused on degrading teachers on her campus and tarnishing their reputation and getting the school nurse fired. These students harassed previous teachers according to Watson’s co-workers, and it was difficult for her to stand her ground as an educator, a higher-up, in comparison to the students who should be learning from her. Meanwhile, And The Spring Comes, shows Chinese students respecting their teachers with the willingness to improve and learn from their higher-ups. Even when these students have the basic skills of singing, they still follow the lessons and ask for help in achieving their goals, ultimately wanting to improve themselves with the help of their teacher. This is the opposite compared to the students in Wellesley who believe they know everything, have a negative attitude towards teachers, and don’t want to improve themselves within the classroom.

The idea of marriage and women’s roles is apparent within these films as well. Wellesley women are taught courses on being a proper wife and how to handle situations surrounded her husband’s job rather than her dreams/ career. Joana never put thought into attending Yale because she figured her goal was to marry a man and that was it, even when she was accepted into this Law School. She chose to follow her husband to make him happy with the five p.m. dinner on the table housewife. This university gave married students leeway with their learning, and Betty expected that her missing the midterm and six class lectures with her honeymoon and moving into her new married life as an excuse because other teachers ‘turned their head’ to these scenarios. When Wang visits her family, she is bombarded with questions regarding her finding a man to marry and Wang tells Huang, an aspiring artist, that she would give up her own dreams and support him with marriage. Watson was in a similar situation as her students continuously discussed her marital status amongst themselves. Betty even used this as a form of harassment since she was married while Watson was single or in a recent breakup with her fiance.

In reality, we should be able to follow our own dreams and pursue what we want in life. Though, in these films, it becomes clear that social and cultural traditions make that difficult when those around us believe in traditional values that clash with our own views. Both of these women fought for their views; they positively affected others’ lives around them. An example being, Betty in Mona Lisa Smile learned that there is more out there than just being a housewife as she can find her path to success possibly through Law school.

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Generally, the essay focused on the pursuing dreams under the condition of hardships from the perspective of students’ respect and women roles in marriage. It is marvelous that the organization and design is very clear due to the subject sentences’ conciseness. Also, the evidences abstracted from the movies are convincing with appropriate words. However, the title “cultural essay” could not signify the writer’s main idea. And the conclusion is OK, but needs improving if sublimated. And the words of the summary in the first paragraph need more simplifications. Moreover, the two sub-points might not be included/ concluded by the main point, from where the viewer stands. To be more specific, pursuing dreams should not embrace the students’ respect and women roles in marriage according to the logic. And it might look like the writer’s coercive artificial movement. Maybe the writer should change a way of writing to express the idea and the relation more apparently. And the viewer advises that the writer concentrate on one cultural norm/point if you have the empathy with me.

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We are surprised that your group has found so many detailes which can show us something similar or different in Chinese and American cultures. After reading your words, we recognize that we may ignore many small things. For example, we didn't pay too much attention to the students in the Chinese movie And the Spring Comes when we were watching the movie because we thought they were not so important and those scenes were just some students' daily life in China. Besides, it didn't come to us that the scene where Wang was willing to give up a chance to live in Beijing if Huang need her was also something that could show us an idea of marriage. Your words really inspire us of many small aspects.

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Hello, Mackenzie. If you have any approaches like Wechat, maybe we can reply to each other in time. For the time difference and website delay, it is a little inconvenient. By the way, my Wechat number is wyr15050535495.

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Hi,Mackenzie. U mentioned that the respect of students to teacher is very important. I can’t agree with that any more. In the movie, I found most students were free to talk in class. This showed a kind of positive and active cultural factor. In China, we didn’t do that. Even nowadays, most of our students are reluctant to share their ideas in class. Maybe that came from the timid instinct. But China is a country filled with politeness. We must raise our hands before talking. This may help keep the order. However, it also may cut down the students’ active instincts.

[mlc5948]

Hi,Mackenzie. U mentioned that the respect of students to teacher is very important. I can’t agree with that any more. In the movie, I found most students were free to talk in class. This showed a kind of positive and active cultural factor. In China, we didn’t do that. Even nowadays, most of our students are reluctant to share their ideas in class. Maybe that came from the timid instinct. But China is a country filled with politeness. We must raise our hands before talking. This may help keep the order. However, it also may cut down the students’ active instincts.

Hello,
I may need to add a sentence or alter my paragraph to make it my statement more clear to the audience. I agree with what you're saying and that's what I was trying to portray within a paragraph, showing the culture differences between the students through respecting/ not respecting their elders/ teachers. As you mentioned, and my essay states, the American students talked over the teacher, harassed her, and wrote poor articles on her. While the Chinese students are not like that and from my personal experience with Chinese friends none are like that either.
I'll work on clarifying my paragraph but my intentions were what I said/ in agreement with your response. I think I just didn't write it clearly or didn't emphasize my statement enough.

[mlc5948]

Hello, Mackenzie. If you have any approaches like Wechat, maybe we can reply to each other in time. For the time difference and website delay, it is a little inconvenient. By the way, my Wechat number is wyr15050535495.

Writing my reply to say I read your comment here and appreciate the communication. I added you on WeChat as you know. Thanks for the fast response!

[mlc5948]

Generally, the essay focused on the pursuing dreams under the condition of hardships from the perspective of students’ respect and women roles in marriage. It is marvelous that the organization and design is very clear due to the subject sentences’ conciseness. Also, the evidences abstracted from the movies are convincing with appropriate words. However, the title “cultural essay” could not signify the writer’s main idea. And the conclusion is OK, but needs improving if sublimated. And the words of the summary in the first paragraph need more simplifications. Moreover, the two sub-points might not be included/ concluded by the main point, from where the viewer stands. To be more specific, pursuing dreams should not embrace the students’ respect and women roles in marriage according to the logic. And it might look like the writer’s coercive artificial movement. Maybe the writer should change a way of writing to express the idea and the relation more apparently. And the viewer advises that the writer concentrate on one cultural norm/point if you have the empathy with me.

Yes the title is incorrect I just named it this since it was in the Google Drive with that title, most of my classmates have that title as well in our drafts until we finalize it and submit it. Thank you for your reply and I won't forget to alter/ change the title prior to submitting my final paper.

[921649141]

Hello,
I may need to add a sentence or alter my paragraph to make it my statement more clear to the audience. I agree with what you're saying and that's what I was trying to portray within a paragraph, showing the culture differences between the students through respecting/ not respecting their elders/ teachers. As you mentioned, and my essay states, the American students talked over the teacher, harassed her, and wrote poor articles on her. While the Chinese students are not like that and from my personal experience with Chinese friends none are like that either.
I'll work on clarifying my paragraph but my intentions were what I said/ in agreement with your response. I think I just didn't write it clearly or didn't emphasize my statement enough.

Hello, Mackenzie. Thanks for your sincere response.By the way, how do you like the words “ I would rather have one bite of a fresh peach rather than a whole basket of rotten ones.” said by Wang Cailing? I perceive her fortitude to pursue the beauty and to court her dream.
Maybe that also explains why she chose Huang Sibao- the youngster who had the talent of drawing and a good-looking face instead of the black and fat guy.

[mlc5948]

Hello,
I may need to add a sentence or alter my paragraph to make it my statement more clear to the audience. I agree with what you're saying and that's what I was trying to portray within a paragraph, showing the culture differences between the students through respecting/ not respecting their elders/ teachers. As you mentioned, and my essay states, the American students talked over the teacher, harassed her, and wrote poor articles on her. While the Chinese students are not like that and from my personal experience with Chinese friends none are like that either.
I'll work on clarifying my paragraph but my intentions were what I said/ in agreement with your response. I think I just didn't write it clearly or didn't emphasize my statement enough.

Hello, Mackenzie. Thanks for your sincere response.By the way, how do you like the words “ I would rather have one bite of a fresh peach rather than a whole basket of rotten ones.” said by Wang Cailing? I perceive her fortitude to pursue the beauty and to court her dream.
Maybe that also explains why she chose Huang Sibao- the youngster who had the talent of drawing and a good-looking face instead of the black and fat guy.

Wow, this is a very interesting quote and question! I find it to be rather inspiring because it sort of proves and displays the idea of quality is better than quantity. I do like how you compared this and gave your own explanation to the quote/ scene. I guess it can be interpreted as the reason she chose Huan Sibao. I'm going to be replying to your essay soon/ later tonight with any final suggestions or touchups. I really appreciate you giving me feedback and talking to me about culture. Do you have any final suggestions for my paper? thank you!