Good afternoon, all the appraiser committee members. Ladies and gentlemen, Welcome to attend the oral defense. I am Xieyuan from the 2012 transferred students and my supervisor is Lihui.
With her sincere and intellectual guidance, for nearly six month's hard work, I have finished my paper. I will briefly introduce my thesis and welcome any suggestion.
The title of my paper is The Joy Luck Club - conflict ? reconciliation of Chinese and Western cultures. I choose this as my topic due to the following reasons.
Firstly, I am a fan of 俞飞鸿, who is one of the main actors of the movie The Joy Luck Club. It is just the wonderful movie that makes me interested in the original work.
Secondly, I’m interested in the differences between Chinese and Western culture, which shows a lot in this movie and the original novel.
Last but not the least, in recent years, Tan’s novels are analyzed from the angle of the pure literature—thesis, narration method, character’s personality etc. But in my opinion, cultural researching should become an important topic.
For the above facts, I select the subject of conflict and reconciliation of Chinese and Western Cultures in Amy Tan’s The Joy Luck Club as the title of my paper.
This paper is divided into five parts.
First of all, this paper introduces the author Amy Tan and The Joy Luck Club, as well as research background.
Secondly, it illustrates the cultural conflicts reflected in The Joy Luck Club. In The Joy Luck Club, the main conflicts are individualism versus collectivism and the misunderstanding of traditional Chinese culture.
Thirdly, it illustrates the cultural reconciliation in The Joy Luck Club from mutual understanding between mothers and daughters to belongingness of Chinese culture.
Fourthly, it discusses about the causes of cultural conflict and reconciliation.
Finally, it is concluded that with the diversified cultures developing constantly, we should look at the Western culture in a rational way to treat culture conflicts properly.
I hope by studying this novel we can know that, today, with the accelerating pace of globalization, if we want to make international communications more harmonious, we should try to improve the understanding between each other, and respect each other's tradition and culture.
In the global environment, we should find a balance in different cultures and treat the cultural conflict with a rational attitude, also do not easily deny mother culture, and spread traditional Chinese culture when we learn the excellent cultures from all over the world.
第二篇：With the conflict between Chinese and western cult
With the conflict between Chinese and western culture in cross-cultural communication
【 abstract 】 in the Chinese and western cross-cultural communication, cultural conflict cases, seriously affected the communication go smoothly, so we it is necessary to find out the deep cause, and take some measures to cultivate the ability to cross-cultural communication, avoid cultural conflict.
【 key words 】cultural differences, cultural conflicts in cross-cultural communication
With China's opening to the outside world degree of gradually thorough, the people and things of western society more and more into our field of vision, in this case, the multinational domain, cross nation and cross-cultural economic and social interaction will be increased, which provides us with many opportunities to come into contact with westerners, to deepen our understanding of western society is a good thing, but this is not a simple matter, because we face is from unfamiliar cultures and countries, ways of thinking, life habits and behaviors and we very different people, in the process of interaction with the inevitable will appear the phenomenon of cultural conflict.
1. The Chinese and western cultural conflicts appeared frequently in cross-cultural communication
1.1 privacy conflict
The Chinese concept of privacy is weak, the belief that an individual should belong to the collective, to pay attention to unity and love together, care about each other, so the Chinese tend to be willing to understand someone else's suantiankula, the other party is willing to honest. While westerners are very pay attention to personal privacy, emphasize personal space, don't want to
mention too much to others their own things, more reluctant to let others intervention. So on privacy between Chinese and western both sides often conflict, for example: the Chinese first met often can ask each other's age, marital status, children, occupation, income, even in the eyes of Chinese people this is a courtesy, but in the eyes of westerners think these questions violate their privacy.
1.2 time view of conflict
Western concepts of time and money are linked together, the concept of time is money, so they are very cherish the time, in the life tend to be time made careful arrangements and plans, and formed the good habit of the appointment on time. In the west, to visit someone, must advance notice or agreement, and explain the purpose of visit, time and place, can be carried out only after it has been agreed. Habits of the country, and Chinese belongs to the multidirectional time has great randomness on the use of the time, generally do not like westerners strictly carried out in accordance with the plan, westerners often feel not adapt to this.
1.3 Time view of conflict
Chinese people pay attention to modest formulaic language aspects of the conflict, in communication with others, be particular about "British people", think of it as a virtue, it is a kind of rich Chinese culture characteristics of polite phenomenon. When others praise us, we tend to the fish, which symbolizes modesty and polite. Western countries have no such cultural habits, when they praised, always very happy to have a chance to say "Thank you" to accept. Because of the differences between Chinese and western culture, we think the west too confident, not modest; And when westerners heard Chinese so no others to his own praise or hear they deny their own achievement, even himself off as worthless, will feel very surprised, think Chinese people not honest.
1.4 Catering customs aspects of the conflict
Dining customs aspects of the conflict known as the hospitality of the Chinese nation's fine tradition. In communication occasions and on booze, enthusiasm of Chinese often each other cigarettes toast. Chinese diners, even delicacies with a table, the host would always used to say a few words of "many forgives" offer, etc. Owners sometimes use chopsticks to the guest's bowl clip vegetables, in various ways to persuade guests to eat more vegetables, drink more. In western countries, people respect for individual rights and personal privacy, so they won't do what is coming. When you eat, never hard to you food in your bowl, what they eat what they like, they will not use all way to persuade guests to drink, do not have you drunk so far.
2. The cause of cultural conflict phenomenon
The causes of the cultural conflict phenomenon to explore the causes of Chinese and western cultural conflict phenomenon is varied, investigate its fundamental, is because the two sides of Chinese and western have different cultures, different historical backgrounds, must bring people's thoughts, behavior and so on various differences, even conflict, let's to have a look at what are the main reason.
2.1Thinking mode differences
Thinking mode differences culture will influence people to the outside world views and understanding, different countries have different culture, so there must be differences in thinking pattern, this is an obvious between cultures. To pay attention to logic and analysis, the thinking mode of western culture and eastern culture were showed intuitive wholeness thinking mode, which is also characteristic of the thinking of Chinese traditional culture. Due to the effect of the traditional culture, Chinese people often pay special attention to intuition,
pay attention to the cognitive process of experience and feeling, also tend to the experience and feeling in the relationship to "his motivation". Compared with western thinking mode, this mode of thinking has obvious general and fuzzy, as time passes, will form a kind of mindset, can be interpreted as recognition and simplify the classification of things outside perception process. In essence, the mind-set tend to ignore the difference of individual things, exaggerate a certain social groups with other relevant cognitive attitude, often with emotion, accompanied by a fixed creed. Of all the set, and some set is correct, and some is wrong, will influence cross-cultural communication directly, cause communication error.
2.2. Code of conduct each are not identical
conduct different behaviour is, specific meaning by society common accept moral standard and code of conduct, in simple terms, is to tell people what to do and what not to do a specification. When people with different cultural backgrounds in communication, often appear a phenomenon is to paraphrase their social behavior criterion to judge each other's behavior, because the two sides of behavior standards is different, often misleading, unhappy or even more bad results. For example the Chinese pat young children head said a friendly, but in western countries, it is a highly respect for children, parents will be very angry about this. So in cross-cultural communication will be able to correctly identify and use of behavioral norms is to guarantee cross-cultural communication go smoothly. To ensure the smooth progress of cross-cultural communication, we must understand each other's behavior standards, especially what behavior is banned, the best way is to follow the principle of do as the Romans do.
2.3 value orientation in different
People's communicative competence is produced in the process of socialization, linked with values inevitably. Every culture has its own unique
value system, this system can help people distinguish between beauty and ugliness, good and evil, this is people philosophy, moral standard and code of conduct. But it does not exist, from the specific cultural judgment criteria of every culture is different, this culture think that is good, another culture might think is bad, but they exist within their own cultural system has its rationality, never can be understood as a kind of value standard is advanced, and the other a kind of value standard lag behind. With ZhongXiWen into the case in Chinese culture, people advocate modesty polite, pursue the happy-go-lucky, don't like competitive, at the same time society tend to kill too outstanding people, is the so-called "line above all, people will not". In Chinese culture, the collective orientation occupies dominant position, the pursuit of personal development is seen as a serious individualism, is bound to be condemned. While western culture is very much advocating individualism, "happy-go-lucky" is seen as a lack of enterprising spirit, is lazy, incompetent synonym, and individuals do not take for the society. Standard thought rooted in their hearts, people advocating independent thinking, independent judgments, relying on their own ability to achieve personal interests, and personal interests supreme.
2.4 Pragmatic transfer
pragmatic migration impact phenomenon to meet people, things and conduct the evaluation and interpretation is built on the basis of culture itself, in the intercultural communication also so, so often causes communication obstacles, the root cause is to ignore the pragmatic migration. Cultural rules for using a different language would be different, standard specification in a culture can only be explained in itself according to its specific conditions, and not as a specification to describe another culture, otherwise, will inevitably lead to the failure of the cross-cultural communication, the deep reason is that people lack of sensitivity to the social language differences, pragmatic migration unconsciously, and sometimes, the consequences will be very serious, even would incur great economic losses. Cashmere products on the international
evaluation in our country is quite good, the north one factory is used to export a "double sheep" brand of high-grade cashmere was, trademark Goats were translated into English, the results have special market is bad, because goat in English the word in addition to the original intention "goat", and "goat" meaning. With such English trademark, no matter the cashmere is how good the quality of, use rise more comfortable, those young women, housewives are not willing to lay it in bed.
3.English teaching how to train the ability of cross-cultural communication, avoid cultural conflict
How to cultivate intercultural communicative competence in English teaching, avoid cultural conflict can be seen from the above analysis, in the process of our contacts with western, there is a lot of cultural conflict, directly affects the effect of cross-cultural communication, in order to change this situation, we are very necessary in the practical teaching to cultivate students' cross-cultural communication ability, specific measures are as follows:
3.1 teaching teachers should change ideas
In the present teaching system in our country, most of foreign language teaching in class, teachers play an absolute role. If teachers only focus on grammar and vocabulary teaching, students cannot learn the practical use of language, also is unable to gain the ability to cross-cultural communication. Therefore, teachers must change their concepts, to realize the dangers of cultural conflict and to cultivate students the importance of cross-cultural communicative competence. At the same time, teachers need to strengthen learning, improve their comprehensive cultural qualities. Only in this way, in order to fully grasp the English cultural knowledge education and degrees, as well as the concrete steps and methods of the teaching, in order to achieve the expected teaching goal.
3.2 to improve the existing teaching methods
For a long time, college English teaching emphasis on language knowledge teaching, and neglected the cultivation of the intercultural communication ability. In order to change this situation, we must improve the teaching method, in quality and quantity of classroom teaching two aspects of culture teaching control, and make full use of modern teaching means (film, projector, Internet, etc.) to mobilize students' learning enthusiasm. In addition can also hold some lectures, in order to satisfy students seeking knowledge desire, cultivate talents with higher intercultural communication ability. But it is worth noting that in improving teaching methods, be sure to make the new content and closely linked to the language knowledge of student learning, and language communication practice.
3.3 attention to the cultivation of non-verbal communication Non-verbal communication is also a kind of important way of communication, refers to the specific context of situation or use nonverbal behaviors to communicate and understand the process of information, they are not real language units, but in life and in communication sometimes but it can express more strongly than the language, the meaning of some certain non-verbal behavior often represents a certain meaning, in cross-cultural communication must be attention. Under the background of nonverbal cultural connotation differences between Chinese and western culture is very big. For example, the Chinese believe in "silence is gold", think that silence can contain a wealth of information, or even "silent sound" right now, while in english-speaking countries people are very uncomfortable. When talking to westerners, the listener is generally long time watching each other's eyes, to show the listener's serious and respect for the speaker, but in Chinese eyes, it is an impolite behavior, because the Chinese are not used to each other long time staring at himself.
3.4 guides the student to contact materials of western culture In universities, the teaching of English class is very limited, but the students in their spare disposable have plenty of time, so you can't just rely on teachers in the classroom teaching to train the ability of cross-cultural communication, teachers should guide students to use extra-curricular time reading extensively western English literary works, the material such as newspapers and magazines and news commentary, learn cultural knowledge, increase the cultural quality, broaden the vision of western culture, improve intercultural communication ability. In addition, the school has a foreign teacher also should give full play to the teacher role in the spread of western culture, they are the living culture of the teaching material, lets the student directly to communicate with foreign teachers, listen to the teacher to do reports or lectures, the precept will be the student play a subtle role.
4.how to avoid cultural differences
4.1 By comparing cultural infiltration cultural awareness
If can in comparative study and use English often get twice the result with half the effort effect Fruit. Meet westerners in greeting, for example, if it is a time to meet Chinese people for dinner like eat with "?" If meet the British also asked: "Did you have the breakfast/lunch/supper? "They will probably think you will please them to dinner. This will need to note it in the teaching. Also want to learn in the call have explained Chinese and western differences. And we should tell students in Britain and the United Nations said old habits division for "Sir, Mr. Or Miss", while the teacher is refers to the teacher this profession.
4.2 Through improving the existing methods of teaching
Has long been the focus of English teaching in the teaching of language knowledge,while ignoring the Chinese and western culture communication ability. In order to change this situation, they must change the teaching
methods, use of modern teaching means to arouse the students' learning motivation. Can also be great to hold some lectures, let the students can watch some enough to represent the western culture characteristics of movie and let them learn different cultural background the differences of people, cultivate the talents with high communication ability.
4.3 Through the theme activities permeate cultural awareness. East and west countries all have their own festival, in the teaching establishment and carry out with holiday as the theme of the communicative activities, lets the student in learning a language at the same time feel the western culture, to further strengthen the understanding of language and to use. Christmas is a western nation's grand festival, we can let the students play Santa Claus, some play about Christmas program, to prepare their own, from preparation to let them understand the meaning of Christmas and the culture of Christmas.
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