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ASIAN REPRESENTATION IN FILM

Vanier College

The Farewell : Asian Representation in Film

Gisele Vu
530-HSA-VA
Owen Eric Wood
November 27 2023
Word count : 850

ASIAN REPRESENTATION IN FILM
Group you are discussing
Identify main film (title,
director, year)
Thesis statement
Argument 1
Explain
1st evidence from main film
nd
2 evidence from main film
Evidence from contrasting
film
Argument 2
Explain
1st evidence from main film
2nd evidence from main film
Evidence from contrasting
film
2
Outline
Asians
The Farewell, (Lulu Wang, 2019)
- Navigate Asian-American experience
- Nuanced and accurate portrayal
- Defies traditional stereotypes
- Complex characters, identity struggles, family
dynamics
- Complex characters
- Usually rely on cliche
- Not based on model chinese figure
- Own thoughts and personality
- Billi confrontation with family about Nai Nai illness
- Outburst : not reserved, not obdient, has her own
opinions
- Layered personality
- Nai Nai (crab, lobster scene)
- Speaks up about the mistake
- Defies the idea of chinese women being quiet and
can’t speak up for themselves
- Mei Ying from Rush Hour 2
- Soft spoken
- Submissive
- One-dimentioned personality
- Powerful family dynamics
- Usually : emotionally cold + distant families
- The farewell : close + filled with love
- Family dinner gathering
- Converse
- Concern for one another
- Enjoy each other company
- Powerful example of deviation from typical
stereotypes
- Wedding ceremony
- Emotional
- Not focused on negativity = Celebration of life
- Shared commitment = family bond/ wants whats best
for Nai Nai
- Crazy Rich Asians (Jon M. Chu, 2018)
- Dynamics of wealthy asian family

ASIAN REPRESENTATION IN FILM
Argument 3
3
- Importance : materialism, societal expectations,
individual success = no family unity/bond
- Cultural identity struggles

Explain - Clash between chinese heritage and american

1st evidence from main film
2nd evidence from main film
Evidence from contrasting
film
upbringing
- How to balance dual identities
- A lot of people resonate with struggle = relatable
topic
- Decision not to tell Nai Nai about illness
- Collectivity vs individuality (harmony vs honesty)
- Western vs eastern communication styles
- Memories of China
- Opening up to her mom about her struggles with dual
identities
- Feel disconnected
- The Joy Luck Club (Wayne Wang, 1993)
- June goes to China to meet twin sister
- Raised in USA, but connects with her chinese roots
unlike Billi

ASIAN REPRESENTATION IN FILM
Source 1
Source listed (in MLA
format)
Identify what specific info
you will use (e.g. quotation)
Explain how (specifically)
you will use that info to
support your essay
Source 2
Source listed (in MLA
format)
Identify what specific info
you will use (e.g. quotation)
Explain how (specifically)
you will use that info to
support your essay
Source 3
Source listed (in MLA
format)
Identify what specific info
you will use (e.g. quotation)
Explain how (specifically)
you will use that info to
support your essay
4
Annotated bibliography
Joanna Min Jee, Rooney. “Development of the
Multicultural Gender Role Scale for Asian American
Women.” Colombia University, 2019, pp. 1-117.
https://doi.org/10.7916/d8-rtny-fh86/download
“Asian American women, specifically, face a host of
negative stereotypes that impact their experiences. For
example, Asian women have been depicted as passive,
weak, quiet, excessively submissive, slavishly dutiful,
sexually exotic, and available for White men”
When talking about the typical stereotypes of asian
women in media
Janell L, Carroll, et al. Sexuality Now : Communication
and Culture. Nelson Education, 2017.
“Individualistic cultures encourage individual goals and
values and an independent sense of self (Matsumoto,
1996), while collectivist cultures encourage members to
value group needs over individual ones. Canadian,
American, and British cultures tend to be more
individualistic, while Asian and Latin cultures tend to be
more collectivistic”.
Using this information to explain the contrast between
Western and Eastern communication styles in my second
argument.
Ide, Wendy. “The Farewell review – beautifully
bittersweet Chinese-American family drama.” The
Guardian. Acessed November 23 2023.
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/sep/21/the-
farewell-review-lulu-wang-awkwafina
“The American tendency to freely share thoughts and
feelings collides with the Chinese way of parcelling up
emotions. The two identities co-exist in Billi, until the
moment that she learns that Nai Nai has been diagnosed
with terminal cancer and that her family have decided to
keep the information from the elderly lady”.
Dual identities of Billi. Explaining her struggles between
her Chinese heritage and American upbringing
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ASIAN REPRESENTATION IN FILM
The film The Farewell, directed by Lulu Wang (2019), navigates the complexities of the

Asian-Americain experience by presenting a nuanced and accurate portrayal of Asians. The story

revolves around Billi, a Chinese-American, who discovers that her grandmother has been

diagnosed with terminal cancer. The family, adhering to Chinese culture, decides not to tell the

grandmother. Instead, they plan a fake wedding as an excuse for the family to gather in China

and spend her last moments together. In China, Billi explores the cultural clash between Eastern

and Western values within her. The Farewell defies traditional Asian stereotypes by having

complex characters, powerful family dynamics and identity struggles.

The Farewell – movie about family bond and identity struggles

The inclusion of complex characters, exemplified mainly by Billi, challenges the

conventional stereotypes that often depict Asians as one-dimensional characters. Unlike typical

portrayals that frequently rely on clichés, the characters in this film are crafted with dept and
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ASIAN REPRESENTATION IN FILM
complexity and are not constructed based on a model Chinese figure. They possess unique

emotions and perspectives, providing a more authentic and genuine representation of reality. For

example, in a scene, Billi confronts her family about the decision to keep Nai Nai’s illness a

secret. Her emotional outburst showcases Billi’s layered personality, challenging the stereotype

of Asian women as submissive and reserved (Rooney, 1). Billi fearlessly shared her feelings and

opinions, demonstrating that she can assert herself, express herself confidently, and is not the

obedient woman often portrayed in movies. Nai Nai is another example of a character with a

confident personality. At the wedding banquet, instead of quietly accepting the mistake made by

staff, she loudly expresses her dissatifaction, yells at them and demands what she expected,

countering the stereotypes of Asians being meek and afraid to stand up for themselves. However,

Mei Ying from Rush Hour 2 (Brett Ratner, 2001) reinforces that stereotype as she is depicted as

a soft spoken submissive Chinese woman. She lacks personality and is defined by her

relationship with male characters.

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ASIAN REPRESENTATION IN FILM
Although the film portrays generational clash within the family, there is a rich and

powerful family dynamic. Contrary to the often depicted stereotype of emotionally distant and

cold Asian families, The Farewell offers a refreshing portrayal of familial closeness and warmth.

In other words, a tightly knit and overflowing with love kind of bond. It is showcased during the

family gathering around the dinner table. Here, the characters engage in heartfelt conversations,

express genuine concern for one another, and simply enjoy each other's company. This scene

serves as a powerful testament to the film's deviation from conventional stereotypes, presenting

an authentic and relatable depiction of an Asian family bound by emotional connection and

shared moments. Moreover, during the wedding ceremony, everyone is emotional. The family

bond is important in this scene as they come together to celebrate a joyful occasion underlying

their shared commitment to protect Nai Nai. Instead of focusing on the negativity, they choose to

celebrate her life with genuine smiles, emphasizing their collective strength. Everyone is

enjoying themselves as it might be the last time they can be gathered together. Crazy Rich Asians

(Jon M. Chu, 2018) portrays the opposite as it explore the dynamics of a wealthy Asian family,

where materialism, societal expectations, and individual success take precedence over family

unity.
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ASIAN REPRESENTATION IN FILM
The Farewell – The whole family celebrating Nai Nai’s life (disguised as a wedding). Portrays
thight family bond.
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ASIAN REPRESENTATION IN FILM
The film vividly depicts cultural identity struggles through Billi, who grapples with the

challenges of being a Chinese-American. The central theme revolves around the clash between

her Chinese heritage and American upbringing. This resonates with many viewers who, like

Billi, struggle with balancing dual identities. The Farewell portrays it in a relatable manner

by highlighting the decision to not disclose Nai Nai’s illness. While Western culture promotes

individuality, Eastern culture celebrates collectivity (Carroll et al., 301) This decision aligns with

Chinese culture, emphasizing the importance of family harmony and protecting the elders.

Discussing the topic disrupts the harmony. For Billi, raised in Western culture, she struggles as

she inclines towards openness and honesty. Her internal conflict lies between prioritizing

familial harmony and the importance of transparency and direct communication (Ide, 2019).

Furthermore, she was raised in a society where communication holds significance, yet within her

family, communication is not straightforward, making it challenging for her to express herself.

Billi opens up to her mom, expressing the deep impact of their sudden move to the United States.

Her memories of China are one of the only things connecting her to her Chinese heritage. She

does not identify with any culture, as the contrasting values create a sense of disconnection,

leaving her caught between two worlds where neither fully mirrors her own experience. A movie

that depicts the seamless integration of both Chinese and American culture is The Joy Luck Club

(Wayne Wang, 1993). June who travels to China to meet her long-lost twin sister. Despite being

raised in America, June discovers a profound connection to her Chinese roots. These types of

stereotypes perpetuate harmful misconceptions and reinforces biased views about Asian people.

The Farewell - Billi opening up to her mother about her struggles of having a dual identity

The Farewell stands as a commendable example of positive representation for Asians in

film, achieved through the integration of intricate characters, powerful family bond, and identity
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ASIAN REPRESENTATION IN FILM
struggles. Good representation of Asians in film is crucial as it not only reflects the diversity of

experiences within the Asian community but also abolishes stereotypes, fosters understanding,

and is a more inclusive cultural narrative for audiences worldwide.

Works cited

Carroll, Janell L. et al. Sexuality Now : Communication and Culture. Nelson Education, 2017.

Ide, Wendy. “The Farewell review – beautifully bittersweet Chinese-American family drama.”

The Guardian. Web. Acessed November 23 2023.

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/sep/21/the-farewell-review-lulu-wang-

awkwafina

Rooney, Joanna Min Jee. “Development of the Multicultural Gender Role Scale for Asian

American Women.” Colombia University, 2019, pp. 1-117. https://doi.org/10.7916/d8-

rtny-fh86/download