AMERICAN VALUES AND CULTURAL ADJUSTMENT SHOWN IN

“THE ILLUSIONIST” MOVIE

Lecturer: Sri Marleni, S.S, M.Hum

Cross-Cultural Understanding

Nama : Nurul Latifah

Kelas : Reguler Pagi Cililitan

NIM : 200350046
 CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. BIOGRAPHY OF THE DIRECTOR

Neil Norman Burger was born in 1963 in Greenwich, Connecticut, United States

of America. After graduating from Yale University with a degree in fine arts, Burger

became involved with experimental film in the 1980s and went on to direct music videos

for such alternative artists as the Meat Puppets. In association with Ridley Scott

Associates, Burger directed commercials for companies such as Mastercard, IBM and

ESPN, and created a series of television spots for Amnesty International.

Burger made his directorial feature debut with Interview with the Assassin in

2002, which he also wrote. Burger’s follow up feature was The Illusionist starring

Edward Norton and Paul Giamatti. Burger’s screenplay for the film was based on the

short story "Eisenheim the Illusionist" by Steven Millhauser. The film premiered at the

2006 Sundance Film Festival and opened the 2006 Seattle International Film Festival and

the 2007 Deauville Film Festival.

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B. SYNOPSIS OF THE MOVIE

This film tells the story of a famous illusionist from the city of Vienna named

Eisenheim. At the beginning of the film, Eisenheim, who is performing a magic show

(magic/illusion) is arrested by the chief inspector Walter Uhl for allegedly using black

magic in organizing the show. This arrest was also inseparable from the role of Prince

Leopold who had bad intentions due to what Eisenheim did. Eisenheim was the son of a

simple family where his father was a sculptor. Little Eisenheim becomes interested in the

world of magic when he finds an old magician who shows various magic tricks.

Eisenheim was self-taught and finally tried to learn the art of magic, creating his

own tricks until finally little Eisenheim met Sophie who was attracted by the talent that

Eisenheim had until they fell in love with each other. Sophie herself turned out to be a

noble, so their relationship certainly did not get the blessing due to Eisenheim who did

not have blue blood ancestry at all. Eisenheim finally went abroad to learn and present his

magic tricks to the world.

C. PROBLEM FORMULATION

1. What are American Value reflected in “The Illusionist” film directed by Neil Berger?

2. How did Eduard and Sophie cope with cultural shock?

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 CHAPTER II

THEORIES

This chapter discusses about the concepts or theories of Cross Cultural Understanding.

The concepts are American Values and Cultural Shock.

A. American Values

American values is independence. Americans are very proud of being self-reliant,

or being able to take care of themselves. They tend to think others should be self-reliant

as well. When someone reaches a goal, that is typically seen as the result of his or her

own hard work. This is different than in many other cultures which are more collective.

There are 13 types of american values, namely personal control over the

environment, change/mobility, time, equality, individualism, self help, competition and

free enterprise, future orientation, action and work orientation, informality,

directness/honesty, efficiency, and materialism.

1. Individualism and privacy

Being an American is being a respectful, unique individual entitled to

independence and privacy. Americans think outside the box, they shy away from

mainstream thinking, and speak for themselves. They have been trained from early in

their lives to consider themselves separate individuals who are responsible for their

own situations in life and their own destinies. They have not been trained to see

themselves as members of a close-knit, tightly interdependent family, religious group,

tribe, nation, or other group.

 Americans think they are more individualistic in their thoughts and actions than,

in fact, they are. They resist being thought of as representatives of a homogeneous

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 group, whatever the group. They may, and do, join groups -- in fact many groups

-- but somehow believe they’re just a little unique, just a little special,from other

members of the same group. And they tend to leave groups as easily as they enter

them.

 Privacy, the ultimate result of individualism is perhaps even more difficult for the

foreigner to comprehend. Theword “privacy” does not even exist in many

languages. If it does, it is likely to have a strongly negative connotation,

suggesting loneliness or isolation from the group. In the United States, privacy is

not only seen as a very positive condition, but it is also viewed as a requirement

which all humans would find equally necessary, desirable and satisfying.

2. Future Orientation

US Americans are generally less concerned about history and tradition than are

people from older societies. "History doesn't matter," many will say. They look ahead.

They have the idea that what happens in the future is within their control, or at least

subject to their influences. They believe that people, as individuals or working

cooperatively together, can change most aspects of the physical and social

environment if they decide things to do and a schedule for doing them. The ideal

person is punctual (that is, arrives at the scheduled time for a meeting or event) and is

considerate of other people's time (that is, does not "waste people's time" with

conversation or other activity that has no visible, beneficial outcome).

3. Action and Work Orientation

Most american value work, regardless of the rewards involved. American view

discipline, dedication, and hard work as sign of virtue. They often view those who

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 choose not to work as lazy or even immoral. Americans routinely plan and schedule an

extremely active day. Any relaxation must be limited in time, pre-planned, andaimedat

“recreating” their ability to work harder and more productively once the recreation is

over. Americans believe leisure activities should assume a relatively small portion of

one’s total life.

 Such a “no nonsense” attitude toward life has created many people who have come

to be known as “workaholics,”or people who are addicted to their work, who think

constantly about their jobs and who are frustrated if they are kept away from them,

even during their evening hours and weekends.

 The workaholic syndrome, in turn, causes Americans to identify themselves wholly

with their professions. The first question one American will ask another American

when meeting for the first time is related to his or her work.

4. Change/mobility

In the American mind, change is seen as an indisputably good condition. Change

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strongly linked to development, improvement, progress, and growth. American belief

in the virtue of hard work and the belief that each individual has a responsibility to do

the best he or she can do have helped.

5. Equality

US Americans also believe in the idea, as stated in their Declaration of

Independence, that "all [people] are created equal." Although they sometimes violate

this ideal in their daily lives, particularly in matters of interracial relationships,

Americans have a deep faith that in some fundamental way all people (at least all US

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 American people) are of equal value, that no one is born superior to anyone else. "One

person, one vote," they say, conveying the idea that any person's opinion is as valid

and worthy of attention as any other person's opinion. US Americans are generally

quite uncomfortable when someone treats them with obvious deference. They dislike

being the subjects of open displays of respect - being bowed to, being deferred to,

being treated as though they could do no wrong.

 In the US, men and women are considered equal under the law. While US

Americans often violate the idea in practice, they do generally assume that women

and men are equal, deserving the same level of respect. Women and men may be

different, but they should be treated equally in all professional and social

encounters.

 This not to say that US Americans make no distinctions among themselves as a

result of such factors as gender, age, wealth, or social position. They do, but the

distinctions are acknowledged in subtle ways. Tone of voice, order of speaking,

choice of words, seating arrangements-such are the means by which US Americans

acknowledge status differences among themselves.

B. Cultural Shock

Cultural shock is a multifaceted experience resulting from numerous stressors

occuring in contact with a different culture. Cultural shock reactions may provoke

psychological crises or social dysfunction when reaction to cultural differences impede

performance. The four primary phases of cultural shock are typically considered to

involve the following:

I. Stages of Cultural Shock

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 The honeymoon or tourist phase

The first phase is the typical experience of people who enter other cultures

for honeymoon, vacation, or brief business trip. It is characterized by interest,

excitement, euphoria, sleeplessness, positive expectation, and idealization about

new culture.

 The crises or cultural shock phase

The crises phase may emerge immediately upon arrival or be delayed but

generally emerges within a few weeks to a month. The host culture is confusing

or the systems are frustrating. It's a small step from saying that they do things in

a different way to saying that they do things in a stupid way. You may blame

your frustrations on the new culture (and its shortcomings) rather than on the

adaptation process.

 The adjustment, reorientation, and gradual recovery phase

This phase is concerned with learning how to adjust effectively to the new

cultural environment. A variety of adjustment will be achieved during cyclical

and individually unique adjustment phases. During the adjustment phase the

problem do not end, but one develops a positive attitude toward meeting the

challenge of resolving the issues necessary to function in the new culture.

Adjustment is slow, involving recurrent crises and readjustments.

 The adaption, resolution, or acculturation

This stage is achieved as one develops stable adaptions in being successful

at resolving problems and managing the new culture. It is important to recognize

and accept the fact that an effective adaption will necessarily change one,

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 leading to the development of a bicultural identity and the integration of new

cultural aspects into one's previous self-concept. Reaching this stage requires a

constructive response to cultural shock with effective means of adaption.

II. Strategies to Cope with Culture Shock

 Awareness of Culture Shock

Awareness of the primary value conflict to be encountered in the new

environment is essential. Value assessment are an important tool for self-

awareness. If one is unaware of one's own values, then one is unprepared to

manage potentially conflictive situation.

 Acceptance

Accepting the fact that it is normal to face problems in a new culture and

seeking solutions for problems instead of denying their existence.

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Michael James. 1994. Cultural Shock and Adaption. Journal of Counseling and

Development, 73, 122

2. https://www.up.edu/iss/advising-services/american-values.html

3. https://ivn.us/2014/01/24/10-values-make-american

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