A Grandson

From America

孙子从美国来
The Main Characters

Yang ( Chinese
Grandfather) Brooks ( American Dongliang (Yang’s son)
Grandson)

Wang (Yang’s Neighbour)

Ai Hua (Brooks’ Mom)
 PLOT
Yang is an old man who dedicated his life to Shadow puppets (a
traditional Chinese art) living in a small Chinese village. One day his son
Dongliang suddenly comes back home with a foreign white American
fiancée and her son Brooks, whom she had with her ex-husband. Soon
the couple leaves for working reason without saying goodbye and
leaving young Brooks alone with Yang for a period of time.

Yang, facing this unexpected foreign white American “grandson”, with

a huge gap of ages, cultural differences and language barriers, was
being put in a challenge of Intercultural communication. This film
shows the change of Yang, from the beginning, when he doesn’t want
Brooks to be in his family to treating Brooks as his loving grandson,
achieving an Intercultural Rapport.

Curious about what have happened between them leading to this

rapport?

Now lets dive in to see more!

The Main Themes
▶Monkey King (Chinese Superhero) VS. Spiderman (American Superhero):
Meeting→interweaving-"fighting"→becoming friends (the process of achieving
Intercultural Rapport).

▶Face Management (Lien and Mien-tzu): Yang→ashamed of his American grandson.

▶ "Prejudices" and "Stereotypes": They forbid the achievement of Rapport.

Monkey King, The Chinese Superhero
The original figure of Monkey King. Son Goku, the protagonist of Dragon Ball.
He’s the representation of bravery , integrity and
Inspired by the Monkey King.
power.
1.Monkey king (Chinese Superhero) VS. Spider man
(American Superhero): The beginning scene.
2.Monkey king (Chinese Superhero) VS. Spider man
(American Superhero): Meeting

Yang: Oh, I remember now. I saw this on TV before. Yang: Do you know who he is?
What does this Spider Monster do in your country?
Brooks: It is not a monster, it is a superhero, he’s really
powerful. Yang: He Brooks: No.
doesn’t even have a face! In China it’s a monster.
Yang: He’s Monkey King, he can do anything.
Meeting between Chinese
and American culture.
3.Monkey king (Chinese Superhero) VS. Spiderman
(American Superhero): interweaving -"fighting"

Chinese culture interweaving with American "Fighting" = They’re arguing about which
culture=Yang accidentally broke Brooks superhero, between Spiderman and Monkey King,
Spiderman toy, so he tries to recreate Spiderman is stronger .
using his knowledge of Shadow Puppets .
4.Monkey king (Chinese Superhero) VS. Spider
man (American Superhero): becoming friends

Brooks: Can Monkey King really beat

Spiderman?
Yang: Why we have to let them fight? We
have to let Monkey King and Spiderman
become friends and protect our world
together. Do you think it’s a good idea,
Brooks?
Brooks: Yeah!
5.Monkey king (Chinese Superhero) VS. Spider
man (American Superhero): becoming friends
Final scene of the film=both Spiderman and Monkey King were being
put on the door, substituting the Menshen, which reflecting to the
beginning scene. Menshen (the guardian god of the door).
A symbolic meaning=representing the Rapport Brooks and Yang have
achieved; also relates to the previous conversation between Brooks
and Yang had about Spiderman and Monkey King protecting the world
together.
Meeting→interweaving-"fighting"→becoming friends
(the process of achieving Intercultural Rapport).
→

Meeting Interweaving-"fighting"

Becoming friends=Rapport
1.Face Management (Lien and Mien-tzu):
Yang →ashamed of his American grandson.

Yang: But who is the father of this child? Dongliang: Father, Aihua and me, we need to
Dongliang: Aihua’s ex husband. go away for working reason for a while.
Yang: YOU HAVEN’T COME HOME FOR THREE Yang: Ok…but go away in the early morning
YEARS AND NOW YOU ARE TELLING ME YOU when nobody can see you.
WANT TO MARRY A WHITE WIDOW WITH A
BURDEN?!?! YOU HAVE LOST ALL THE “FACES”
OF THE ANCESTORS!
2.Face Management (Lien and Mien-tzu):
Yang → ashamed of his American grandson.

Yang: *sigh looking at Brooks* If you are not a

foreigner , even if you are a burden, it’s fine for me, but
you have this white kid face…everybody in the village
is going to make fun of me now.
Brooks: Grandpa , why are we still not going back
home?
Yang: *sigh again* let’s wait a bit more…we’ll wait
until it's dark, when nobody is out anymore.
3.Face Management (Lien and Mien-tzu):
Yang → ashamed of his American grandson.

*Yang took Brooks to dye his hair in black to make him look Wang: Wow this kid looks so pretty, just like a
more Chinese.* Yang: Good! So much better in black, prettier
and smoother. little foreign White kid. Is he your grandson?
Brooks: *screams* Yang: Yes, Dongliang had this kid with a
Yang: *covering Brooks’ mouth* Look at your hair before! woman from Xin Jiang.
Yellow like a ghost, now you look so much better in black.
Brooks: *screams again*
(People in Xin Jiang province
have a more similar face feature to white people)
Yang: stop screaming! I already told you that I did it for your
good !
1."Prejudices" and "Stereotypes"> They forbid the
achievement of Rapport.

Wang: Drinking milk is good for human’s body. You see all those
foreigners are tall, big and white? That’s because they drink milk
everyday.
Yang: But there are also Black people among them.
Wang: Ehm…then they must drink chocolate milk
since they were kids.
2. "Prejudices" and "Stereotypes"> They forbid
the achievement of Rapport.
1.Yang: Now tell me, how did you hook
up with that women?
Dongliang: Hook
up? Father, you are an educated man,
how could you say something like that?
Yang: Well then… How
did you guys get together?

2.Yang: Is it the first time she marry

someone?
Dongliang : No father, she has married
someone before. Yang:
*disappointed* It is not worth it.
 CONCLUSION
Why is achieving Rapport so difficult? Which are the obstacles?
This
This film
film shows
shows us
us the
the process
process of
of how
how an
an Intercultural
Intercultural Rapport
Rapport is
is achieved
achieved by
by a
a Chinese
Chinese grandpa
grandpa and
and an
an
American
American grandson.
grandson.

There
There have
have been
been many
many obstacles
obstacles during
during this
this process,
process, such
such as:
as: the
the prejudices
prejudices and
and stereotypes;
stereotypes; the
the cultural
cultural
differences;
differences; the
the age
age differences
differences and
and the
the language
language barrier.
barrier. These
These are
are the
the elements
elements that
that prevent
prevent the
the
achieving
achieving of
of Rapport,
Rapport, because
because they
they are
are rooted
rooted in
in both
both Yang
Yang and
and Brooks,
Brooks, forbidding
forbidding them
them to
to have
have a
a mutual
mutual
understanding
understanding and
and leading
leading them
them to
to conflict.
conflict.

However,
However, even
even under
under such
such circumstances,
circumstances, the
the sincere
sincere heart
heart and
and love
love between
between Yang
Yang and
and Brooks
Brooks still
still lead
lead
them
them to
to reach
reach the
the goal
goal of
of Intercultural
Intercultural communication.
communication. This
This gives
gives us
us the
the perfect
perfect example
example that
that even
even ifif it’s
it’s
difficult
difficult it
it is
is NOT
NOT IMPOSSIBLE.
IMPOSSIBLE.

If
If a
a traditional
traditional Chinese
Chinese old
old man
man living
living in
in a
a small
small village
village and
and a
a little
little American
American kid
kid can
can do
do it,
it, so
so can
can we!
we!
Thank you for listening!
感谢聆听

Silvia Zezza & Jimmy Qiu