Movie Essay

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Ahaan Bagwe

Issues of tradition, modernism, individualism and women’s empowerment are hotly contested values that throughout history have clashed with each other and continue to do so today. Throughout this time period, various pieces of literature and media have explored the relationship between these values and how they reconcile with each other and within society. The movies Mona Lisa Smile (2003) and And the Spring Comes (2007) are two such films that analyze the at times contentious nature of tradition, individuality, and women’s empowerment. While both films take place in drastically different times and settings, they utilize common rhetorical elements, such as logos, to convey a message of empowerment and individuality in the character’s journey’s to either break away from tradition, or embrace it.

In And the Spring Comes, the film follows Wang Cailing, a music teacher who has dreams of leaving her small town and making it big as an Opera singer in Beijing. Throughout her journey, however, Wang is hampered by tradition and judgement from her peers and neighbors. Given that she is not conventionally attractive, many believe that Wang will not be able to become a successful singer. Furthermore, Wang herself is constrained by the idea of marrying someone who shares in her passions and would stand by her in her attempts to reach Beijing. In her attempts to find a partner that would help her achieve her dreams, as opposed to forging them herself, she finds herself simply used by certain individuals who don’t actually have romantic feelings for her. The first time this occurred, with a painter named Huang Sibao- who saw their relationship as simply trivial- left her devasted, resulting in Wang attempting to commit suicide. The second time, Wang is approached by a homosexual male ballet dancer - Hu Jiaquan- who strikes up a good friendship with her. As the friendship progresses, Hu propositions Wang to marry him in order to stop the spread of rumors about his sexuality. Learning from her previous relationship, both Wang and the audience come to the logical conclusion that while Wang had been seeking marriage for some time, she was not beholden to that ideal - because if she acquiesced to Hu’s offer, it would be nothing more than her relationship with Huang, a lie made simply to use her. In coming to this conclusion, Wang utilizes logic to decide that her life is her own, husband or not, and that if achieving her dreams meant parting with tradition, then so be it. In depicting Wang’s decision to adopt a child while unmarried, and go on to become a successful opera singer, the film utilizes logos to appeal to the audience’s logical reasoning that it is your own gumption, and not that of others, nor tradition that will ultimately help you achieve your dreams.

Interestingly, in the film, Mona Lisa Smile, logos is applied to both break away from and embrace tradition. The main plotline of the film revolves around an art history teacher, Katherine Waterson, a newly appointed professor of art history at an extremely conservative female-only university in the 50’s. Waterson grapples with 50’s era sexism, as well as a traditionalist view towards women in the school, wearing many authority figures believed that women’s right place was to be married off, as opposed to expressing their passions, individuality, and searching for careers to make lives of their own. While Waterson works to change the perceptions of her students and her peers, she helps advise one of her pupils, Joan Brandwyn, in her plans for the future. While Brandwyn has aspirations to become a lawyer, she also sees the appeal of homemaking, finding that she would be content with family life. While Brandwyn does get accepted to Yale University, she ultimately decides to decline the offer to raise a family instead. What Brandwyn points out to both Waterson and the audience however, is that this decision was made not by coercion, societal pressure, or the like, but through Brandwyn’s judgement, based on what would make her most happy, and that this decision did not make her weakest or less intelligent than those that railed against traditions. In doing so, the film applies logic to the idea that conformism isn't necessarily a bad thing. Even in a world where traditions tended to be overbearing and unempowering, empowerment itself does not necessarily come from rebellion, rather, it comes from the choice to conform or stray. In that choice, lies the ability of an individual to live their own life, whether it falls in line with tradition, or not.

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Dear Ahaan Bagwe
First of all, thank you very much for your essay. I have gained a lot after reading it, and I am fortunate to have this opportunity to communicate with you. You focused on the relationship between values ​​such as tradition, modernism, individualism and woman 's empowerment, and the different ways in which they reconcile with society. Although the shooting time and shooting location of these two films are very different, they all helped us to think deeply. You have pointed out that both films use the common rhetorical "logo" to convey the message of empowerment and individuality, breake away from the tradition or embrace it. I actually have a little doubt about the “logo” you have said. Could you please explain it in detail if it is convenient?
For the movie And the Spring Comes, I appreciate some of your opinions in the movie essay, which I never thought of. You pointed out that Wang Cailing is constrained by the idea of ​​marrying a person who can support her and help her realize her dream. Whether it is Huang Sibao's insult or Hu Jinquan's fake marriage request, Wang realized that life is her own not her husband's. When ideals are against traditions, perhaps we can shake hands and make it up. When Wang Cailing adopted the child and hoped that her daughter could continue her dream, when she began to experience the warmth brought by the family, how could it be said that it was not earthly happiness? From my point of view, It is only little number of people who can change traditions in the social environment. As ordinary people, after experiencing a lot of struggle but ultimately failing to succeed, then perhaps they can adapt to nature and shake hands and make it up. Life is your own and not others', and tradition will not help you realize your dreams. What you can do is just conform to your heart and accept it calmly.
When it comes to Mona Lisa Smile, you showed us that the " logo" is used in the process of breaking away from tradition and embracing tradition. The Art history teacher Katherine has the courage to challenge the traditional views of women in this female university. She helps students to position themselves correctly and find their own heart. katherine also tells students that family and career can be owned at the same time instead of just dedicated to the family . "Compliance is not necessary a bad thing. Even in a world where tradition tended to be overbearing and unempowering, empowerment itself does not necessarily come from rebellion, rather, it comes from the choice to conform or stray. In that choice, lies the ability of an individual to live their own life, whether it falls in line with tradition, or not." This passage really moved me, in fact In the history of China for thousands of years, women are often in the status of a family accessory, and wives regard their husbands as their gods, but women ’s awareness of feminism wakes up after thousands of years. In the process of fighting against tradition, sometimes obedience is also an option. In the selection process, we need to understand whether we live according to our own wishes and live for ourselves instead of following the trend.
Finally, once again, thank you for your insights. Your essay inspired me realize the different charms and thinking about life of these two films. I am looking forward to receiving your message as soon as possible, if you have any questions, you can also leave a message and i will reply as soon as possible.
Yours,
Xiaoyi Lu, Ying Zhou

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Dear Ahaan Bagwe,
Thank you for sharing your essay about opinions on the two films and we are honored to have this opportunity to have a cross communication with you.
It is a really good work with profound thoughts. Through this article I can find that you have a strong grasp of the underlying meaning that two films convey. Via your specific description of the plot, the whole story is vividly displayed on the paper. In the beginning, you begin you perspective of your comment with a fact that “various pieces of literature and media have explored the relationship between these values and how they reconcile with each other and within society”, which makes us easier to get your point. However, I think there are some places can be improved to make your article more alluring. Firstly, you pay much attention to the emphasis on storytelling instead of the contrast and comparison of two films. So I think it will be better if you can properly shorten your description of the story; meanwhile, extract some relative plot in the two films to make a concrete analysis for a certain point. That is, you should put your focus on the contrast and comparison of one aspect in And the Spring Comes and Mona Lisa Smile. In addition, I wonder if adding a conclusive ending paragraph can give great credit to your passage. Perhaps it lacks an ending which concludes what your ideas and whole theme mentioned above. All in all, I like this article very much.
What is said above is my comment and I am looking forward to your reply as soon as possible. If you have any question, please let us know.
Yours,
He Xinyu, Dong Shijia

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Dear Xiaoyi Lu, Ying Zhou,

Thank you for your reply, I am happy to see that many of the things I wrote resonated with you! As for the term I used, "logos" I understand that to mean an appeal to the audience's logic. In the same way that Katherine argued that breaking away from tradition was a choice, then logically, adhering to it is also a choice and a facet of a person's individuality, which I believe is the message the movie was trying to convey. I hope this explanation made sense, let me know if there needs to be any further clarification!

Best,
Ahaan Bagwe

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Dear He Xinyu, Dong Shijia,

Thank you for your reply! Your assessment of my post makes a lot of sense. I have always had an issue of focusing too much on descriptions and not enough on analysis. I'll be sure to fix that up in the following days, thank you for catching it!

Best,
Ahaan Bagwe

[1802514656]

Dear Ahaan Bagwe,

Glad to receive your reply. We are happy that our assessment makes sense to your review. We also expect your final work in the following days and more good works in the future.

Yours,
He Xinyu, Dong Shijia

[1261364223]

Dear Ahaan Bagwe
Thank you for your explanation, I have understood the meaning of the "logo" you have used in the essay. I think it is a very creative aspect of thinking. It is often difficult for Chinese students to think from these special angles. You gave me special inspiration to help me understand your essay in depth. In all, thank you a lot, and you have done a good job! We are so glad to communicate with you. Have a nice day!
best,
Xiaoyi Lu, Ying Zhou.

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Revised Essay

Issues of tradition, modernism, individualism and women’s empowerment are hotly contested values that throughout history have clashed with each other and continue to do so today. Throughout this time period, various pieces of literature and media have explored the relationship between these values and how they reconcile with each other and within society. The movies Mona Lisa Smile (2003) and And the Spring Comes (2007) are two such films that analyze the at times contentious nature of tradition, individuality, and women’s empowerment. While both films take place in drastically different times and settings, they utilize common rhetorical elements, such as logos, to convey a message of empowerment and individuality in the character’s journey’s to either break away from tradition, or embrace it.
In And the Spring Comes, the film follows Wang Cailing, a music teacher who has dreams of leaving her small town and making it big as an Opera singer in Beijing. Throughout her journey, however, Wang is hampered by tradition and judgement from her peers and neighbors. Given that she is not conventionally attractive, many believe that Wang will not be able to become a successful singer. Furthermore, Wang herself is constrained by the idea of marrying someone who shares in her passions and would stand by her in her attempts to reach Beijing. In her attempts to find a partner that would help her achieve her dreams, as opposed to forging them herself, she finds herself simply used by certain individuals who don’t actually have romantic feelings for her. The first time this occurred, with a painter named Huang Sibao- who saw their relationship as simply trivial- left her devasted, resulting in Wang attempting to commit suicide. The second time, Wang is approached by a homosexual male ballet dancer - Hu Jiaquan- who strikes up a good friendship with her. As the friendship progresses, Hu propositions Wang to marry him in order to stop the spread of rumors about his sexuality. Learning from her previous relationship, both Wang and the audience come to the logical conclusion that while Wang had been seeking marriage for some time, she was not beholden to that ideal - because if she acquiesced to Hu’s offer, it would be nothing more than her relationship with Huang, a lie made simply to use her. In coming to this conclusion, Wang utilizes logic to decide that her life is her own, husband or not, and that if achieving her dreams meant parting with tradition, then so be it. In depicting Wang’s decision to adopt a child while unmarried, and go on to become a successful opera singer, the film utilizes logos to appeal to the audience’s logical reasoning that it is your own gumption, and not that of others, nor tradition that will ultimately help you achieve your dreams
Interestingly, in the film, Mona Lisa Smile, logos is applied to both break away from and embrace tradition. The main plotline of the film revolves around an art history teacher, Katherine Waterson, a newly appointed professor of art history at an extremely conservative female-only university in the 50’s. Waterson grapples with 50’s era sexism, as well as a traditionalist view towards women in the school, wearing many authority figures believed that women’s right place was to be married off, as opposed to expressing their passions, individuality, and searching for careers to make lives of their own. While Waterson works to change the perceptions of her students and her peers, she helps advise one of her pupils, Joan Brandwyn, in her plans for the future. While Brandwyn has aspirations to become a lawyer, she also sees the appeal of homemaking, finding that she would be content with family life. While Brandwyn does get accepted to Yale University, she ultimately decides to decline the offer to raise a family instead. What Brandwyn points out to both Waterson and the audience however, is that this decision was made not by coercion, societal pressure, or the like, but through Brandwyn’s judgement, based on what would make her most happy, and that this decision did not make her weakert or less intelligent than those that railed against traditions. In doing so, the film applies logic to the idea that conformism isn't necessarily a bad thing. Even in a world where traditions tended to be overbearing and unempowering, empowerment itself does not necessarily come from rebellion, rather, it comes from the choice to conform or stray. In that choice, lies the ability of an individual to live their own life, whether it falls in line with tradition, or not.
The contrast between the two films is clearly apparent. Two struggles for empowerment and equality are shown to the audiences through two very different lenses. On one hand, you have the idealist American struggle in a picturesque American college, where all the characters are beautiful and the scenery harkens to an old vintage feeling 50’s aesthetic. In the other, you have the somewhat gritty, lived in, Chinese small town that feels like almost a juxtaposition to the aforementioned scenario. And yet, despite the two starkly different realities, the problems faced by the protagonist, and the messages of the film remain universally similar. Waterson’s quest for change is mirrored by Wang’s journey for acceptance and recognition. Both want to be empowered and to do so means breaking free from traditions, and in their journeys to attain this, both, regardless of the final outcome of their respective arcs, gain a sort of cathartic actualization of their goals.

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Reflection


1. My expectations with this activity was seeing how widely attitudes can differ to two of the same movies has been extremely intriguing.

2. perhaps what interesting was perhaps the universality of some concepts. There were some ideas about empowerment, and what it meant to make your own decisions that resonated strongly I believe, with both audiences. Second, I think that my peers' ability to command the English language better than me definitely stood out. Third, the helpfulness of my peers, despite us talking to each other over the internet was very touching.

3. I absolutely did incorporate advice. It was a much-needed paragraph to synthesize the main ideas of the essay.

4. Yes, it has been a valuable experience, It has honestly been both a humbling and touching experience to receive these comments and discuss them with people who happen to be very far away, but are ultimately not that different at all, despite our borders. On top of that my experience with the exchange activity has been extremely enjoyable. It has been an absolute pleasure to understand opinions from different cultures and backgrounds.


7. fun, interesting, cool. It was a very unique and enjoyable approach to a rhetoric/Chinese class

8. n/a