Mulan on a Cultural Spotlight

Mulan on a Cultural Spotlight

I am an avid Walt Disney fan. And one of my favorite movies is their Mulan.

Mulan is about the Chinese girl living in a world full of restrictions where everything she does reflects the name of her family. Set in an era where dynasties are still the ruling class, and where everyone must serve the emperor, “a man by bearing arms, a girl by bearing sons,” Mulan tries to break the norm by trying to uphold her family honor in a very unconventional way.

In this study, I will try to dissect and look between the lines of this story to uncover the cultural aspects underneath all the adventures and the trials of our heroine, making her seat under the cultural spotlight.

Theories at Work

In this application, three theories will be put into perspective as I delve into the cultural ideas scattered around the movie. These are the following: (1) Standpoint Theory, (2) Face Negotiation Theory, and (3) Feminism or Feminist Scholarship under the Modern Tradition.

Standpoint Theory

This theory is about how social groups within which we are located powerfully shape what we experience and know as well as how we understand and communicate with ourselves, others, and the world. In short, it talks about how society “gets into individuals”, or what they usually say “gets under our skin”, so that members of a culture share common understandings, patterns, and values.

Also, it relates the relationship on how individuals come to understand and participate in that of a common (social) world. (Wood, 1997)

Standpoint Theory will be used to analyze how Mulan tried to fit into the social world that she was born into and how she reacted to the social norms that her family instilled in her. Brief examples are like that of she, as the only child of Fa Zhou and Fa Li, as well as being a daughter, can only uphold her family’s honor by marrying good.

Face Negotiation Theory

A theory by Stella Ting-Toomey and her colleagues, Face Negotiation Theory provides a basis for predicting how people will accomplish facework in different cultures. Facework being the communication behaviors people use to build and protect their own face, build, or threaten the face of another person. (Littlejohn & Foss, 2005)

There are two primary variables that affect facework. The first is the individualism-collectivism culture which may be summarize into a “I-Identity” versus “We-Identity” relationship. Most people have feelings of both but within a given culture; one of these will usually predominate.

This will be applicable in setting up the basis on how Mulan tried to escape the stereotyping of the value of a woman within a cultural community. How she tried to save the face of his family after she failed to impress the matchmaker who was supposed to be their key to a brighter future by joining the imperial army in place of his father after disguising herself as a man under the name “Ping.”

Definition of Terms

Face- one’s self image in the presence of others. Feelings of respect, honor, status, connection, loyalty, and other similar values; Means feeling good about yourself in whatever ways your culture prescribes.

Facework- as described above, this is the communication behaviors people use to build their own, or other person’s face.

Locus of framework- whether it is directed at self of others.

Face valence- whether a person’s actions are positive (defending, maintaining, or honoring one’s face) or negative (attacking).

Temporality- whether the communication is designed to prevent loss of face in the future or restore loss of face that has already happened.

Preventive facework- involves communication designed to protect a person from feelings of threat to personal or group face. (e.g. “I know you are very busy, and I’m sorry to intrude, but…”

Restorative facework- designed to rebuild one’s face after an insulting to a friend in a moment of anger. (e.g. Fa Zhou talking about delayed blooms being more beautiful. “My, my, what beautiful blooms we have this year. But look, this one’s late. I bet when it blooms, it will be the most beautiful of all.”)

Self-construal- one’s sense of independence or interdependence. (This variable is simply how you see yourself in relation to others.)

Feminism (Feminist Scholarship in the Modern Tradition)

This theory centers around two lines of inquiry. First is that feminism that primarily work for the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes—that seek for women to gain equal status with men within existing power structures. Second, feminisms that seek to dismantle restructure the social system to make it more emancipatory for men and women. (Littlejohn & Foss, 2005)

In short, these can be seen as liberal and radical feminism.

But as I analyze Mulan, I will focus more in the first line of inquiry since the story is set in a time where men are valued significantly more than women. And Mulan being our unconventional heroine, her strive for equality is dominant.

Definition of Terms

Liberal feminism- the idea that justice involves the assurance of equal rights for all individuals.
Radical feminism- the oppression of women runs far deeper than political rights; the problem goes to the heart of our social structure, which is patriarchal.

Feminist inquiry- seeks to transform society rather than simply incorporate women’s voices within it.

Mulan on Spotlight

In the first part of the movie, Mulan is seen as a girl who was given man chores but is expected to act modestly to attract a handsome man into marriage with the help of the “scarier than the undertaker” town’s matchmaker. Here, echoes of the Face Negotiation Theory and the Feminism under the Modern tradition are heard.

Fa Zhou: “Honorable Ancestors…please help Mulan impress the Matchmaker today. Please, please help her.”

In this dialogue, it can be seen that Fa Zhou, the father of Mulan and head of the Fa family, expects Mulan to strike a good match since she’s the only child they have, hence, she’s an only daughter, marrying is the only thing she can do for her family. Heard in this context, it can be seen that under the Feminism Theory, girls are regarded as of lower value than of boys shifting the status quo that the feminist scholarship is aiming for. Also, under the ideas of the Face Negotiating Theory, this passage highlights the need to build a collectivist type of face. In a collectivist type, the group face is given more acknowledgements. With respect to the movie, group face pertains to the honor of the Fa family.

Fa Zhou: Mulan. You should already be in town. We’re counting on you to…

Mulan: Uphold the family honor. Don’t worry, Father. I won’t let you down. Wish me luck!

The same can be said of the passage above. But in this one, Standpoint Theory also applies since based on what Mulan said, it can be deduce that she knows what she ought to do. Being raised under the culture where women are only good for marriage, our heroine already has certain knowledge on what she needs to do and tries to fulfill it by going on the usual “ceremonies”. It is the personification of what the phrase “gets into individuals” means.

Woman #2: Wait and see, when we’re through
Woman #3: Boys will gladly go to war for you
Woman #2: With good fortune
Woman #3: And a great hairdo
Both: You’ll bring honor to us all.
A girl can bring her family
Great Honor in one way
By striking a good match
And this might be the day
Woman #4: Men want girls with good taste
Woman #5: Calm
Fa Li: Obedient
Woman #5: Who works fast-paced
Fa Li: With good breeding
Woman #5: And a tiny waist
All: You’ll bring honor to us all.

Again, the voices of unequal regards for men and women. In this part, men are seen as great people who need to be pampered so their wives should be submissive and industrious when it comes to family matters. Plus, with the aid of the Face Negotiating Theory, the need for group face is always there.

But in the part after Mulan was rejected and insulted by the Matchmaker and she was “self-meditating” in the form of the song “Reflection”, it can be said that Mulan is somewhat trying to break free from the holds their culture have in her. Since they are under a collectivist culture, she is trying to redeem her face in an individualistic way of self-construal but is still conscious of the collective implications of her actions. This is what was addressed in the first part where it said that most people may feel both individualism and collectivism. But in the end, one still predominates.

And it is true. Even though Mulan wanted to do things her own way, she still thought of how her family’s honor may be endangered by her not marrying.

But then, when the imperial proclamations about China needing more soldiers with her father willing to sacrifice his life for his country (again a version of collectivist facework, as well as a point in the Standpoint Theory where people act with respect to how their culture cultivated them), Mulan’s collectivist side was forgotten making her go in place of Fa Zhou in disguised of a man. But when she was already in the Moo-Shung Camp and was engaged in havoc with other soldiers-to-be, she was faced with the dilemma that centers on how she will act equally with “disgusting” men. Under the feminist context, this is an idea that needs a lot of effort to be attained. So, started her not-so-good days at the camp where her vulnerability was highlighted until such time that she was able to do what the other men weren’t able to; making her, as Ping, a “star” of the group and thus restoring her individual face as well as her family’s (since she was pretending to be the son of Fa Zhou, whom Chi Fu, the royal “overseer” deemed as a “lunatic”).
Moving on, when they were supposed to be going to the Pass where the General was supposed to be staying guard against the Huns, the song that the soldiers were singing also depicts inequality, and how the culture views a man and wife relationship.

For a long time we've been marching off to battle.In our thundering herd, we feel a lot like cattle.Like the pounding beat, our aching feet aren't easy to ignore.Hey! Think of instead, a girl worth fighting for!Huh?

That's what I said! A girl worth fighting for!
I want her paler than the moon, with eyes that shine like stars.My girl will marvel at my strength, adore my battle scars!I couldn't care less what she'll wear, or what she looks like!It all depends on what she cooks like!

Beef, pork, chicken, mmm ...
Bet the local girls thought you were quite the charmer!And I bet the ladies love a man in armor!You can guess what we have missed the mostSince we went off to war!

What do we want?A girl worth fighting for!
My girl will think I have no flawsThat I'm a major findHow 'bout a girl who's got a brain, who always speaks her mind?Nah!My manly ways and turn of phrase and sure to thrill her!He thinks he's such a lady-killer!

I've a girl back home who's unlike any other!Yeah, the only girl who'd love him is his mother!But when we come home, in victoryThey'll line up at the door!
What do we want?A girl worth fighting for!Wish that I hadA girl worth fighting for!A girl worth fighting--

In the passage above, the ones highlighted in blue are the cultural norms that are being established in the setting of the story that Mulan is trying to shatter. The ones highlighted in pink are actually the lines Mulan contributed to the song, which are, as it is seen, rejected by her comrades because that their way of thinking is boxed into what their culture dictated on them eversince. Feministic views are also touched in these areas.

After the encounter with the Huns, where Mulan, as Ping, saved the day with her suave strategies as well as Shang, but was wounded in the course, and our heroine’s identity is revealed, instantly, the lost of face was obvious as well as the cultural perceptions (that she needs to be killed because of her treachery) and the inequality (women cannot fight). All three theories combined in a way that everything seems to matter in such a way that affects both the Fa family’s honor as well as Mulan.

Left in the mountains, Mulan decided to just go home and restore her face that is damaged by the insults Shang, Chi Fu, and the other soldiers inflicted in her (face valence: attacking) but then she accidentally learned that the Huns are still alive and are headed to the palace. Mulan being Mulan—removed from the context of her collective culture—thought that it would be a better plan to head to the Imperial City first and divulge what she has learned to protect the emperor. But when she was already there, no one wanted to believe her.

Mulan: The Huns are here!
Man: eh!
Mulan: (to Mushu) No one will listen!
Mushu: huh? Oh, I’m sorry, did you say something?
Mulan: Mushu…
Mushu: Hey, you’re a girl again, remember?

The passage above demonstrates how women are regarded in that particular setting. But then again, because of the real friends Mulan has made during the camp training, someone finally believed her and thus they were able to save the emperor. And by doing so, the feminist idealism that Mulan went so hard to achieved is given permission in a way that the emperor bowed to her and asked her to be a part of his council.

In the end, not only was her family’s honor redeemed, she also brought honor in a way that defies the culture in which she was shaped and broke the perceptions about the issue of equality between men and women.

Sto. Domingo, Rosalyn Mae P.

06-11360 2nd year BA CommRes

Comm 140 _ Dr. Paz Diaz

Application 3

REFERENCES:
Littlejohn, Stephen and Karen Foss. Human Communication, 8th ed., 2005.
Wood, Julia. Communication Theories in Action: An Introduction, 1997.
Mulan Script. Retrieved: September 16, 2007.
URL: http://www.fpx.de/fp/Disney/Scripts/Mulan.html