Draft 1 Outline

Draft 1: Outline

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1. Presentation of relevant background, including other research, related to your project

With the improvement of cultural exchange between China and Western countries, there are a growing number of western movies that have Chinese women characters. However, different cultures shape different characters. The purpose of this ethnography study is to develop a great understanding of the representations of Chinese women in western movies. Therefore, I would like to find some resources to figure out the following problems: How do western people portray the Chinese women in their movies? Do the Chinese women characters perform in Chinese traditional thinking or in western style in the movies? What characteristics do Chinese women have in western movies?

According to the resources, I figure out that Chinese women in western movies have two main representations. One is that Chinese women are the exotic incarnation in western movies. Another is that Chinese women always play the week who are redeemed by western people. About the first representation of Chinese women, there are some authors’ arguments that related to my statements. Mark B., who is the author of Barbarism and Civilization in International Relations, argue that in any case, sex constitutes an important area of social ties. Impression of foreign country will become the impression of foreign women to the men (P.92). Similarly, Tuan, who writes Chinese Women's Cinema: Transnational Contexts, says that it is obvious that Chinese women become exotic incarnations for western man in most love movies (P.43). According to Philippa’s book, we can figure out that one of the most common modes of expression in western movie is interpreted that the West Prince Charming conquers oriental beauty in touching love story (P.89-92).

In addition to the first one, other scholars also elaborate some statements that can support my second argument. Christine, the author of Paying for Love: Women's Work and Love in Popular Film, states that psychological sense of salvation is typically reflected in love relationship of white men and Chinese women in the movies (P.212). In addition to this, Judge argues that Chinese women are the week, not only in physiology, but also in psychology (P. 58). Since Chinese women are delicate and easy to crumble, the western people always play the role of savior for them in the movies.

2. Discussion of the relevance/importance of your focus to (identify the “problem” or gap in knowledge that your research will provide more information about)

      Since my topic is the representation of Chinese women in western movies, the resources that I find have no directly relationship with my topic. For example, Chou, the author of Gender Politics in the Chinese Martial Arts Film, declares that weak oriental woman become prey to western white men. The oriental woman often cannot help herself, and is eager to throw herself, when she meets the majestic white man (P32). Chou focuses on one detail about Chinese women in the western movies, but I decide to figure out two main representations of Chinese women. Therefore, I will use Chou’s statement as part to support my argument.

3. Clear statement of a research question to focus your analysis=what the analysis will show

       In order to figure out Chinese women as the exotic incarnation in western movies, I will focus on Suzie who is the heroine in the movie, and the relationship between Suzie and the western man Robert. The representation of love story that western man conquers Chinese woman is “The world of Suzie Wong”. The old-fashion story about hero to the rescue took place in the fifties in Hong Kong. Robert, white painter, came to Hong Kong and was hooked on Suzie who is a beautiful, kind Chinese prostitute. To this inconceivable love, Robert rejected the pursuit of white banker’s daughter; beat up a sailor who molest Suzie, and even accepted her illegitimate son. After Robert run out of money, he refused to Suzie's generous assistance, stopped his painting, and tried to find work for a living. In the end, Suzie Wong's son died in flash floods, and this cross-border romance finally coming into fruition.

Therefore, according to this movie, it is obvious that Chinese women play as an exotic incarnation to western man in the movies. Compared with western women, Chinese women are more delicate, and they meet the machismo better. As an exotic imagination in the western movies, they are always passive to accept men’s requirements, and they do not have their own thoughts and pursuit. In a word, one of the main representations of Chinese women in western movies is exotic incarnation.

4. Clear identification & explanation of methods to conduct your research

Using literary analysis, I will study the treatment of different scholars’ opinions about Chinese women in western movies. Since there is no information has directly relationship with the movies I chose, I just quote part of their statements to support my statements. To illustrate my statements, I will use movies “The world of Suzie Wong” and “Pavilion of Women” as examples. First of all, I will summary movies. Secondly, I will analysis characters and the relationship between Chinese women and western people. During this process, I will use some details to support my statement. Finally, I remind the readers that my statement is proved by this movie.

5. Presentation and analysis of data or information (see requirements for short analysis essay)

The representation of love story that western man conquers Chinese woman is “The world of Suzie Wong”. The old-fashion story about hero to the rescue took place in the fifties in Hong Kong. Robert, white painter, came to Hong Kong and was hooked on Suzie who is a beautiful, kind Chinese prostitute. To this inconceivable love, Robert rejected the pursuit of white banker’s daughter; beat up a sailor who molest Suzie, and even accepted her illegitimate son. After Robert run out of money, he refused to Suzie's generous assistance, stopped his painting, and tried to find work for a living. In the end, Suzie Wong's son died in flash floods, and this cross-border romance finally coming into fruition.

In the movie, there are a lot of plots that describes Suzie’s vanity. When she talked with Robert, She pretended as a high society lady Li Mei from wealthy family, and claimed that she would marry with an American in order to follow father’s requirement. In fact, she just was a prostitute in Court Hotel. Suzie showed off with her fellows in a bar that Robert loved her to distraction, in order to prove that Robert was jealous that she had intercourse with other men. Besides, Suzie became white man Ben’s mistress. Though Ben abandoned her very soon, she still repeatedly claimed that Ben is how to love her. The bar is a paradise for white men, and they were looking for excitement and pleasure in here. The Chinese prostitutes gathered in the bar, using sexy costumes and sweet words, looking forward to opportunities to do everything possible to please white men, eager to throw themselves.

Robert was not only tall, handsome, but also kind of warmth and generosity. Since he got bored about architects work and had strong interests in the Orient, he came to Hong Kong alone with his painting. In the first encounter on the ferry, he almost loved Suzie at first sight, and Suzie also became his prey. Robert wanted her to be a model in his studio, because she could meet his imagination to Chinese women: cheongsam, long hair fluttering, and a little mysterious. He never criticized the costumes of Suzie which was like street prostitutes in Hong Kong. He even let Suzie wear Chinese costumes that he bought for her, in order to make her dress up as “Oriental Princess” in Westerners impression.

The movie describes Robert’s love to Suzie in a moving and pure way. At first, he hesitated his love due to his economic trouble, but he overcame the difficulties and made his love became steadfast in the end. Robert rejected the white girl's sincere love, and tried his best to rescued Suzie from frustrated life. In the end of the film, Suzie burned incense in the temple for her dead son, and promised Robert to move to America with him. This is happy end for the Suzie. In short, the film not only demonstrates Robert has good upbringing and is a gentleman, but also gives him the most beautiful moral emotions. What is more, the movie shapes him into a near-perfect image.

Compared with white women Kay who was the daughter of banker, Suzie presence was weak and humble. Kay represented “new women” who influenced by feminism after World War II. Her superiority of identity and status and strong women momentum let man feel frustrated. Kathleen, who is the author of Sexuality, Gender and Power, states that men need a desire to dominate women, and they prefer women are supple and obedient. Suzie represented this kind of Chinese women in the movie. She was always in a passive and subordinate position, bore the white man’s abandoned and acceptance, felt her happiness and pain under man’s domination.

6. Discussion of findings

“The world of Suzie Wong” was produced on 1960. Compared with western countries, china was backward at that time. Therefore, in the movie, the white man Robert represented positive and active aspect, like civilization, justice, courage. However, the representation of Chinese women Suzie showed the negative values, such as lack of faith, jealousy, vanity and hypocrisy. Chinese women in the movie who carries a double meaning to be conquered by western men, conquered both in gender and their national culture. They are petite, docile, willing to be attached to man, so they are in line with the patriarchal culture of women's imagination. This includes cultural logic that is Chinese women should be conquered by white males. In addition to “The world of Suzie Wong”, “Year of The Dragon”, “Chinese Box” and “The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor” also can show this kind of Chinese women. They have Chinese traditional characteristics, and attract western man a lot. Although there are gaps between them and western man, they still fall in love with white man.

Therefore, according to this movie, it is obvious that Chinese women play as an exotic incarnation to western man in the movies. Compared with western women, Chinese women are more delicate, and they meet the machismo better. As an exotic imagination in the western movies, they are always passive to accept men’s requirements, and they do not have their own thoughts and pursuit. In a word, one of the main representations of Chinese women in western movies is exotic incarnation.

7. Conclusions that connect findings to the research question

Therefore, we can assume that the role of Chinese women in western movies plays as exotic incarnation and the weak to western people.