论文题目：解析《我的盛大希腊婚礼》中希腊和美国家庭观的差异popc
The analysis of family value between Greek and
American in MY BIG F AT GREEK WEDDING
2013年06月28日
The analysis of family value between Greek and
American in MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING Introduction
With the globalization of economy, international communication has been increasingly relevant today. Films play an important role in diversified forms of intercultural communication. The films in different country reflect the different spiritual connotations of values and morals, thus the film works are the significant means to achieve cross culture communication and the fusion of culture.
The film MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING is a mi-autobiographical work of Nia
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V ardalos who write and star in. Toula portokalos, the heroine in the movie, is a 30 years old Greek wo
man with an old look. She is a middle class Greek –American woman who falls in love with a non-Greek upper middle class man, Ian Miller. Although Toula grew up in American, she has big Greek family with strong Greek tradition and culture. What would be happen when the traditional Greek culture meet the American culture? MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING shows us a typical ca that Greek American immigrants face numerous culture shocks between Greek and American culture, and successfully blend in cross-culture environment. The essay will analyze the culture differences in MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING from the perspective of family values.古诗翻译
Different family values in Greece and the US
Family is the basic miniature of the social economic activity, and it is the basic unit that constitutes the society. Family value is the core in the rearch of cultural values, and it has decisive influence on people’s behaviors. Becau of the differences of geographical background, religious and belief, different nations have their own family values. Family value is the biggest differences prented in the movie MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING.
Toula lived in a big Greek family with 27 first cousins alone. And her whole family is big and loud. And everybody is in each other life and business all the time. At beginning of their acquaintances, Iafurthermore
n talked about his summer camp, and Toula first blurts out:” Y ou don’t know your cousin got into?” Ian is very surpri about this question. After determ ine the relationship between two people, Toula go to Ian’s family to have a dinner. At dinner, there are simple foods and the quiet atmosphere. There is no hug and kiss between Toula and Ian’s parents. After asking the meaning of Toula’ name in Greek, his parents have nothing more to say. Contrast to the situation of Ian’s parents to go to the Toula’s home at first time, it makes for a sharp contrast. Toula have planed Ian’s and her family sit together to have a simple family meal, in fact her mother is invite the whole family to join the party. Facing the grand and
boisterous sight, Ian’s parents are stunned and speechless. It also make Ian’s parents feel so dizzy when Toula’ s father introduce the relatives of their family to them. Also, when they heard To ula’s aunt talk about some personal issue such as her tumour and menopau, they feel even more surpri becau they ldom talk about their personal issue with people. Ian can get marry with a girl who has big different culture background with him and his parent never intervene his decision even have no objection in his decision to accept the baptism of the Greeks. But Toula is taught that people Greek married Greek and to breek more Greek. Although she lived in American, she had to go to Greek school in childhood. Her wedding dress, wedding invitations even her earrings is all decided by other people in her family.
The detail description and comparison reflect the big difference between Greek and American in family values and family structure.
In Greek family concept, the family is always the first place in their heart at any time. The Greek family value is extremely strong. They are accustomed to live together with the whole family and work together with them. The family run business is very broad, the owner is that parents. Socrates, the ancient Greece thinker, philosopher and educator, also put a high value on the relationship in family. He is a strong advocate for keeping harmonious relations among family life. In his eye, without harmony, a city will not be a good city, as the same way, a family can not become a happy family. In Athens law, the son must support and wait upon his parents. Their moral value also teaches the young people to be humble and polite towards the elders.cabbage
In Greek fa mily value, it’s especially important for them to educate the children.
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In Athens, the children under the age of ven should receive the family education and telling them the story and mythology to cultivate a variety of polite behavior. There are too many children not picky of food in the world, but have you ever heard that the whole country’s children not picky of food? That is ancient Greece. The Greek always educate the children do not pick food, be polite, respect the old and cherish the young, live elegant life.
“Ancient Greek philosopher Plato said that better be unborn than untaught, for
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ignorance is the root of misfortune. His student Socrates also said “the roots of education are taste, but the fruit is sweet.”［2］
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So the Greek pay more attenti on on children education. Just like Toula’s father’s behavior in the movie. “Every morning our father would lecture us on the history of our people, the great civilization, the Greeks.”
For the United States, “the family is not a usual frame of referenc e for decisions in US mainstream culture. Family connections are not so important to most people” (p84) American family values can be summarized as: personal independence, individual rights, freedom and equality. The independence in American family value means every family member has right to do what he or her want choo what he or her like without controlling or interference from other members. American has burning n of individual right, and this kind of n of individual right means every family member obey individualism not collectivism. Thereby, each member of family has his own sacrosanct rights which refu to be interfered. For the education of child in US, parents mainly u an equal way to educate their children. They respect children’s personalities and rights. Children in families are treated as independent individuals. Parents and children are equal.
Conclusion
Thus, many cultural differences exist in family structures and values. In some cultures, the family is the center of life and the main frame of reference for decisions. In other cultures, the individuals, not the family, is primary. In some cultures, the family’s reputation and honor depend on each person’s actions; in other cultures, individuals can act without permanently affecting the family life.
Although the cultural conflict is bound to exist among the people who maintain different cultural background, they will eventually get integrated by accepting each other. Just as Toula’s father said, on the wedding, “so here night, we have an apple and orange, eh…, we are different but…in the end we are fruits”. Hence, whichever cultural background we maintained, we are ultimately the earthman and we can not
avoid the tendency of Globalization. Cultural differences should create the history of human civilization, rather than become the human communication barrier. So, as long as we are full of love in heart and willing to establish a communicative bridge, the cultural conflict is not the barrier between us anymore.英语qq网名
Reference
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1.许力生新编跨文化交际英语教程，[M].上海：上海外语教育出版社，2009
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