《刮痧》演绎了人世间的亲情、爱情、友情以及对社会和谐地渴求、向往,同时,由于文化的差异而导致的跨文化交际的失败也表现得淋漓尽致。
《刮痧》所表现的中国人和美国人的差异,不仅在中美两国的法律、道德标准等方面,而且触及法理、观念,甚至中医理论等诸多议题。由于时空上的差异,造成了中美—东西方文化、观念上的不同。差异性主要表现为国家的传统与现代之间的矛盾;由于各国在地域、历史、政治、经济等方面的原因造成了中西方的差异,表现为民族传统精神背景、文化背景、哲学背景等方面。
从文化方面来看,首先,中西方在哲学观上是不同的,西方崇尚理性主义的实证论,它的医学——解剖学,也是建立在这种哲学思想上,所以对“刮痧”这种口耳相传的经气之学是不能理解的;而中国哲学的特点是“天人合一”,就是要探索自然与人类的关系问题。在影片中我们可以看到,法庭上,当许大同给他们讲述“刮痧”的原理时,在场的美国人的表现,法官听不懂他的辩词,以为他是在乱讲,甚至于他的辩护律师都不能在这方面理解他。其次,在意识方面,中国看重的是群体意识,重视整体的价值,认为人应该为家庭社会做贡献;而西方强调的是个人主义,追求个人自由、自由思考和选择。影片中我们也能看出许大同为了不让老父亲担心,如何和妻子痛苦地隐瞒事情的真相;为了让即将回国的老父亲见上孙子一面,如何艰苦的把丹尼斯从儿童福利院“偷”了出来。中国人是相当重视家庭伦理的,他们重视每个人在家庭社会中的位置,强调家的观念与感情。西方文化从接受了“独立精神”教育,和家庭的感情较为淡薄。美国父母相当尊重孩子的行动自由,在大原则的范围内,任子女自由发展。再次,中国人的思维模式是综合的,承认整体和事物间的普遍联系,追求人与自然的完美统一。所以,对中国人来说,美国思维似乎冷漠、不讲人情;而西方人认为中国人思维模糊不清。
我们再来看观念方面的差异,它是深层次的文化差异,比如人的价值观念、思维方式、社会心态、审美观念等。一个人可以在另一种文化中生活很长时间,掌握其语言,了解其习俗,但可能不理解其价值观中的某些部分,许大同就是活生生的一个例子。因为在深层文化上,许大同代表的仍是中国的传统文化,这具体体现在处事观、家庭观、朋友观等方面。在处事观方面,美国人喜欢面对事实,表明自己的观点,,并掌握可靠的信息。由此我们可以看出美国人处理问题以事实为基础,就事论事。而中国人在事实面前,人情似乎显得更重要些。在影片中,我们可以看到法庭上儿童福利局所列出的一个个证据,请出的一个个证人是多么的具有说服力,虽然在中国人看来觉得有些不可思议;而许大同所叙述的只是他如何如何爱自己的儿子,却没有有力的证据;中国人把孩子当作一个私有财产,是我生的就属于我。虽然许大同认为打孩子是给朋友的尊重,但在昆兰看来,打人是犯法的,无论打的是谁。美国人认为父母、子女是平等的,父母很少为孩子决定什么事情,而是让其依靠自己的力量去奋斗。在朋友观方面,东西方文化中也包含着不同的意义。理想的境界是美国式的友谊,建立在自然发生、相互吸引以及温馨的个人感情的基础上。人们选择自己的朋友,同时,他们又把朋友关系与社会或工作义务分开。在中国,情形有所不同。交朋友讲究的是时间愈长愈好,承担的义务愈多愈好。理想的境界是为朋友两肋插刀,赴汤蹈火在所不辞。中国人对于朋友的期望值很高,若有困难,应该倾囊相助。当昆兰指证许大同打过孩子时,许大同指责昆兰“我一直把你当朋友,但你却在法庭上出卖我!”而昆兰感到很委屈和不解:“我只是实话实说而已。”诚信是美国人最基本的美德之一,你让一个美国人撒谎也相当于让他放弃基本的价值观。 影片在表现中美差异的同时,也表达了对文化趋同、文化融合的一种向往。
第二篇:film review about Gua Sha(刮痧影评)
The Gua Sha treatment is a movie about the differences and
conflicts between American and Chinese culture. There are so many cultural gaps shown in this movie. Ways of child education, value of friendship and concept of familial affection, all of these Chinese
traditions torture Da Tong, the leading role of this film, and his family during their assimilation into American culture.
The first culture difference come into my mind is the way they treat their children. For Da Tong , when his son doesn’t obey his word to make an apology to his boss’s son, he teaches his son by force without thinking twice. When his boss asks him, he say he do this because he want to save his boss’s face. This is quite unacceptable for the boss. There are two obvious culture differences in this case. First, in Chinese parents’ eyes, children are their “private” property, they have right to teach their children in any way they like. Second, it is quite common to teach
children by force if they refuse to apologize to other children before their parents. It’s one way to save other adults’ face. But for America they don’t have such ideas. They care more about their children’s feelings, care more about the law.
The second typical difference is the way they do things. In the film it reflects on the way they choose lawyer. At first they choose a lawyer who isn’t familiar with the family affairs. They do this because they have a typical Chinese belief that “acquaintance make things easy ” . This is a
quite common belief for Chinese. But for Americans , they choose the proper one even if he is a strange.
Da Tong, as a typical Chinese man, chooses to undertake his father’s fault in court rather than tell the truth. We Chinese can understand it , but for Americans it’s quite unacceptable. In their views, one must stand on his own feet, so everyone must take his own responsibility, at the same time , one must tell the truth in court. So Da Tong is wrong. But we Chinese can understand him. As a traditional Chinese son, he should to undertake his father’s fault in such case.
Fortunately, as we communicate more, more understanding and appreciation is between us.