Fresh Off the Boat Meets Cultural Differences by Yan Lu https://padlet.com/luyl5/6jit3qkud9zqsmgh Seminar 4 Group 3. Group members: Zhuonan Zhou (1234893), Shang Li (1498984), Yue Yan (1411134), Yitong Yu (1420269), Yan Lu (1050044) en-us 2023-09-24 07:34:27 UTC 2023-10-25 05:34:38 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet-uploads.storage.googleapis.com/387264289/1802d04f2180589fd024e1daeaca847e/MV5BZDZjYmEwM2MtZmRkYi00YjJmLTgxNDYtZDI3NTgxOGRjZmYzXkEyXkFqcGdeQXRyYW5zY29kZS13b3JrZmxvdw____V1_.jpg Background luyl5 https://padlet.com/luyl5/6jit3qkud9zqsmgh/wish/2717663444 "Fresh Off the Boat" is a TV sitcom that follows the Huang family as they navigate the challenges of assimilation and cultural identity after relocating from Washington, D.C. to Orlando, Florida in the 1990s. The father was after the American dream, while the mother was experiencing culture shock, their children were struggling in fitting into new school. Through humor and heartwarming moments, the show explores generational and cultural differences while shedding light on the immigrant experience in America. ]]> 2023-09-24 07:35:26 UTC https://padlet.com/luyl5/6jit3qkud9zqsmgh/wish/2717663444 3.1 Video Clip 4 yitongyu https://padlet.com/luyl5/6jit3qkud9zqsmgh/wish/2717672797 When Eddie takes out the Chinese food his mother cooked for him, the other boys at the table all make gestures of covering their noses and facial expressions of disgust. They describe the noodle as worms and tell Eddie to get that out of here. Eddie is frustrated and angry, and then returns to the table where the African boy is. However, the African boy sneers at him and tells him to sit elsewhere. ]]> 2023-09-24 08:00:54 UTC https://padlet.com/luyl5/6jit3qkud9zqsmgh/wish/2717672797 1.1 Video Clip 1 zhuonanz https://padlet.com/luyl5/6jit3qkud9zqsmgh/wish/2717673209 First, Eddie chooses to sit with an African boy rather than join other majority groups. This shows Eddie’s self-identity in that he positions himself as a member of the minority group in school because he is new here and is an Asian boy. 
 
Eddie wants to sit with the African boy and asks permission for a seat. However, the African boy says no and Eddie looks very upset about being rejected. The African boy may have felt it and know that they both belong to minority groups here. He finally agrees Eddie to sit with him but states that don’t try to talk to him, his friend is 40 years old man. This could be a joke to make the atmosphere active, but it can also be the excuse that the African boy does not want to talk more with Eddie. 
]]> 2023-09-24 08:02:05 UTC https://padlet.com/luyl5/6jit3qkud9zqsmgh/wish/2717673209 1.2 Related Concepts zhuonanz https://padlet.com/luyl5/6jit3qkud9zqsmgh/wish/2726750194 There are two types of faces that can influence people’s interactions and self-identities, which are positive face and negative face (Spencer-Oatey, 2008, p.13-14 ). According to Scollon (2012, p.46), in every type of communication, face is a significant factor of identity. The face of Eddie is positive because he wants to make friends and get along with other students at school. 

Moreover, Langenhove and Harré (1999, p.30) state that power comes from a particular position in the social orders and personal networks. Power can have a wide range of effects on interpersonal interactions and it can change people's behaviors, attitudes and ways of interacting. In this clip, the African boy has stronger power than Eddie, he can let Eddie leave or stay, which is an inequality of power between Eddie and himself in their communication.]]> 2023-09-30 06:58:07 UTC https://padlet.com/luyl5/6jit3qkud9zqsmgh/wish/2726750194 Our Video Text - Fresh Off the Boat Episode 1 zhuonanz https://padlet.com/luyl5/6jit3qkud9zqsmgh/wish/2726753282 2023-09-30 07:07:45 UTC https://padlet.com/luyl5/6jit3qkud9zqsmgh/wish/2726753282 2.1 Video Clip 2 shangli11 https://padlet.com/luyl5/6jit3qkud9zqsmgh/wish/2726754549 After Eddie sitting down with the African boy, one of the white boys notices him and starts talking to Eddie. The white boy asks about his name and the two kids have some eye contacts. ]]> 2023-09-30 07:11:45 UTC https://padlet.com/luyl5/6jit3qkud9zqsmgh/wish/2726754549 3.2 Related Concepts yitongyu https://padlet.com/luyl5/6jit3qkud9zqsmgh/wish/2726755543 The white boys’ non-verbal behaviours convey the message of dislike and disgust that abashes Eddie. When they describe the noodles as worms and tell Eddie to go away in a commanding and aggressive manner, Eddie completely loses face. White boys’ behaviours reflect their ethnocentrism. When they see food from a different culture that they have never seen before, they use arrogant and discriminatory attitudes to laugh at it. Ethnocentrism broadly refers to any judgment that is culturally biased (LeVine, 2017, p. 166). 

The white boys’ comments on food offend Eddie and threaten the opposite’s need for face, which belongs to face-threatening acts (Spencer-Oatey & Franklin, 2009, p. 110). As the first Chinese freshman in the school, Eddie is on the weaker side in this power relationship. The third factor that affects rapport relationships is interactional goals (Spencer-Oatey, 2008, p. 17). When Eddie develops his relationship with the white boy, he has a clear interaction goal of wanting to fit in, but the white boy ruthlessly tells him to go away, resulting in the failure of Eddie’s needs. Therefore, the behaviours of the white boys directly break the rapport. 

Finally, Eddie is directly rejected again by the African boy. This is because his previous behaviour of leaving caused the African boy to lose face and destroyed the rapport relationship between him and the African boy as well.]]> 2023-09-30 07:14:59 UTC https://padlet.com/luyl5/6jit3qkud9zqsmgh/wish/2726755543 2.3 Related Concepts shangli11 https://padlet.com/luyl5/6jit3qkud9zqsmgh/wish/2726755761 As a member of majority group, the white boy shows strong confidence and relaxation while talking to Eddie, with words like “Yo, yo”. Because the white boy positions his role with higher power, so that he can say whatever he wants to anyone, and Eddie will definitely reply. Speakers of non-standard English varieties are often disadvantaged when entering the mainstream school system, which favours Standard English (Bowe et al., 2014, p.118). 

While talking about this rapper, the two boys turn to positive faces. Positive face is a person's want to be appreciated and approved by selected others, in terms of personality, desires, behavior, values and so on (Spencer-Oatey, 2008, p.13). In this case, the two boys are seeking for approval and appreciation from each other through an interesting topic. 

According to Spencer-Oatey (2008, p.17-21), in the management of rapport, five interrelated “domains” all play important roles. When it comes to non-verbal domain, it refers to gestures, eye contacts, body movements and so on. During the conversation between Eddie and the white boy, they have many non-verbal interactions such as smiling, eye contacts. Eddie also turns backward all the time, then stands up and walks to the white boys. ]]> 2023-09-30 07:15:36 UTC https://padlet.com/luyl5/6jit3qkud9zqsmgh/wish/2726755761 Please add your comments here! zhuonanz https://padlet.com/luyl5/6jit3qkud9zqsmgh/wish/2726775193 2023-09-30 08:13:35 UTC https://padlet.com/luyl5/6jit3qkud9zqsmgh/wish/2726775193 Discussion Questions zhuonanz https://padlet.com/luyl5/6jit3qkud9zqsmgh/wish/2726776594
  • If you were in Eddie's shoes, would you feel embarrassed, and in such a situation, would you choose to continue bringing Chinese food to school or try to align with the local eating habits? How would you handle such a situation to adapt to this cultural difference?
  • What roles do you believe schools, parents, and even society at large should play in addressing the negative impacts of cultural differences? What measures can be taken to better respect and understand cultural differences, and how can cultural identity be balanced in different environments?
    • ]]>     2023-09-30 08:17:37 UTC https://padlet.com/luyl5/6jit3qkud9zqsmgh/wish/2726776594     2.2 Video Clip 3 luyl5 https://padlet.com/luyl5/6jit3qkud9zqsmgh/wish/2726835057 The white boy talks about the rapper shows on Eddie's T-shirt, “B.I.G”. Both the white boy and Eddie talk with each other with big smiles. And Eddie looks very friendly and happy that he even makes a joke. Then, the white boy invites Eddie to sit with them. Eddie agrees gladly and walk to them and greets with them. The African boy feels awkward and considers this situation to be ridiculous.]]> 2023-09-30 10:51:48 UTC https://padlet.com/luyl5/6jit3qkud9zqsmgh/wish/2726835057 References luyl5 https://padlet.com/luyl5/6jit3qkud9zqsmgh/wish/2727992264 2023-10-02 05:00:17 UTC https://padlet.com/luyl5/6jit3qkud9zqsmgh/wish/2727992264 response to question 1 njj11 https://padlet.com/luyl5/6jit3qkud9zqsmgh/wish/2735018125 Hi team, so sorry for the late feedback, here's my response, and the other team member will provide for Q2 shortly.

    if i were Eddie, I would feel sad about being isolated by other cultures, choose to align with the local eating habits may be an easier option to avoid conflict or be isolated, but it wont solve the problems. i may still bring the food that i need, as it is Eddie's right / and choice to enough his transition food. but may also ask my parents if it is okay i could also share some delicious food to let others have a try, which could others to positively discover different cultures and show respect to others. or otherwise, i wouldn't be associated with those kids who didn't respect the culture of different and bully Eddie. i think Eddie could choose to make friends with those who actually respect him rather than change himself in order to be friends who judge with disrespect. ]]>     2023-10-06 04:53:22 UTC https://padlet.com/luyl5/6jit3qkud9zqsmgh/wish/2735018125     Feedback and response of discuss questions https://padlet.com/luyl5/6jit3qkud9zqsmgh/wish/2735045505 You used Zoom's automatic English subtitles during the speech, which is very good for the audience to understand the content more clearly, and the color differentiation is also clear. As for the discussion question, because I lived in Japan as a child, I have a deep feeling about your speech. Although Japan and my country are both Asian countries, there are still some differences in eating habits. For example, Japan likes light food with little taste, while many regions in China like heavy or spicy food. I will bring rice balls to the school to follow Japanese habits, and then bring some light food with Chinese characteristics for classmates to taste. It can not only better integrate into every one, but also let everyone taste Chinese food.
     
    In my opinion, it is necessary for individuals, schools, and society as a whole to make efforts to solve cultural differences. Because in the era of globalization, population flow has brought people of all nationalities to live in every country, especially in some immigrant countries, cultural differences have become a matter of great concern. Everyone should be aware of the trend of globalization, and parents should teach their children to be tolerant of all cultures.
     
    Schools can hold cultural festivals in different countries, which I think the University of Melbourne does very well. I can often see the special festivals of different countries and taste their special food.
     
    Everyone has their own cultural background, and most people think that their own country is the best, but it is very necessary to realize the differences between different cultures and respect them. In my opinion, the society should be more inclusive and open, so that citizens can understand the characteristics of other countries while promoting traditional culture.
    ]]>     2023-10-06 05:19:48 UTC https://padlet.com/luyl5/6jit3qkud9zqsmgh/wish/2735045505