Cultural Boundaries in Lulu Wang's 'The Farewell (2019)

Khalisha Ajeng Naura1, Tasya Yushita Eka Putri2

12
Universitas Pamulang, Indonesia
[email protected], [email protected]

ABSTRACT

Cultural Boundaries in Lulu Wang's 'The Farewell' (2019) explores the complexities
of family interactions, cultural identity, and the fight between modernization and
tradition. The film follows a Chinese-American woman who, while visiting her dying
grandmother in China, conceals the truth about her illness, based on filmmaker Lulu
Wang's own experience. This narrative addresses the cultural hurdles that the
protagonist must overcome in order to appreciate both her Chinese origin and
American culture. Using Ming-Sui Cai's (2002) cultural boundary theory, this article
examines how 'The Farewell' depicts the tension between cultural authenticity and
cultural identity, emphasizing the difficulties and complexities of traversing cultural
boundaries.

I. INTRODUCTION the narrative of Chinese-American Billi

Wang, who travels to China to visit her
Anthropology, sociology, and
ailing grandmother. According to
cultural studies have all contributed
Chinese tradition, the family chooses
significantly to our knowledge of
to keep the grandmother's illness
cultural borders. Cultural boundaries
hidden from her. Billi's decision puts
are invisible lines that separate
her in a difficult position because she
different cultural groups based on
must reconcile the ideas of her
certain traditions, values, and
Chinese heritage—which emphasizes
conventions. In the context of
collective familial responsibilities and
migration and globalization, when
protecting loved ones from painful
people constantly encounter cultural
realities—with her American
disparities between their new
upbringing, which promotes
surroundings and their own, these
independence and honesty. Billi's
borders become especially visible. The
experiences highlight the cultural
act of adjusting to a new cultural
boundaries she must overcome
milieu can result in emotions of
throughout the film's story. She must
displacement and make it difficult to
strike a balance between her
maintain one's cultural identity.
American and Chinese identities,
understanding her family's deeply
Lulu Wang's 2019 film "The
ingrained customs while battling her
Farewell" is a fascinating investigation
own sense of authenticity and
of cultural differences. The film tells
belonging. Conflicts and negotiations
across cultural boundaries highlight grandmother. Throughout the film, Billi
the difficulty of balancing two separate goes through many stages of cultural
realities. Cultural boundaries are contact and assimilation, from brief
disparities and separations that exist and superficial meetings to a deeper,
between different cultural groups and more nuanced awareness and
can emerge in a variety of ways, integration of her Chinese roots. This
including language, customs, social voyage demonstrates the emotional
conventions and values. These and psychological difficulty of
boundaries shape individual and navigating two separate cultural
communal identities, influencing social environments. According to Berry
interactions and relationships. In an (1997), "acculturation involves a
increasingly globalized society, dynamic and multidimensional process
cultural barriers are being crossed of adaptation to cultural contact". This
more frequently, resulting in complex is reflected in Billi's changing
assimilation and acculturation relationship with her Chinese
processes. Ming Shui Cai's (2002) background. Furthermore, Sam and
Cultural Boundaries Theory offers a Berry (2010) write that "acculturation
thorough framework for understanding outcomes can range from complete
these phenomena. Cai's hypothesis assimilation to a blend of cultures,"
describes four degrees of cross- which Billi's transition exemplifies.
cultural interaction: Ward and Geeraert (2016) also state
that "the process of acculturation is
1. Level I: Individuals have superficial influenced by individual, group, and
and brief cross-cultural encounters. societal factors," emphasizing the
2. Level II: Individuals begin to adopt complexities of Billi's experience.
symbols and characteristics from the
"outside" ethnic group. This research examines how "The
3. Level III: The individual is fully Farewell" illustrates the topic of
bicultural. cultural borders via the lens of Ming-
4. Level IV: The individual has fully Sui Cai. The film delves deeply into
integrated into the new ethnic culture. how people deal with tensions that
arise from living in a multicultural
These levels give a formal society, as well as how they manage
framework for examining the various their cultural identities. This study
degrees of cultural assimilation and stresses the ongoing conflict between
integration that people may tradition and modernity by examining
experience while interacting with a Billi's journey and exposing the
different cultural group. difficulties and complexities of
Lulu Wang's film The Farewell negotiating cultural borders. In this
(2019) eloquently illustrates these way, "The Farewell" not only describes
cultural borders and the process of a specific experience but also
crossing them. The plot revolves addresses more fundamental themes
around Billi, a Chinese-American lady about cultural borders and how people
who returns to China to see her elderly can overcome them. The portrayal of
Billi's conflict in the film sheds light on new culture. Overall, the research
the nature of cultural boundaries and demonstrates how understanding
the ongoing effort to maintain a cultural boundaries can be used to
balance between multiple cultural better comprehend the complexities of
identities in a globalized environment. intercultural relationships. The
findings emphasize the importance of
II. RELATED STUDIES taking into account diverse views and
considerations when evaluating
This study "The Importance of
relationships, especially in a globalized
Understanding Cultural Boundaries in
world.
Relationship Development: A Study of
Intercultural Communication" by Ting- III. METHOD
Toomey (1999) in the Journal of
The study, "Cultural Blending:
Communication Research used a
Analysis of Identity and Authenticity in
cultural boundaries framework to
Lulu Wang's The Farewell (2019),"
examine the significance of
employed qualitative research
understanding cultural differences in
methods. Denzin and Lincoln (2011)
relationship development. The study
define qualitative research as an
analyzed data from 100 international
interpretive technique that analyzes
couples and conducted thorough
social phenomena using words,
interviews with participants. The study
narratives, and visual aids as primary
discovered that effective
data. A wide range of data collection
communication across cultural
techniques were used during the
boundaries requires an awareness of
study. The researchers began by
the values, norms, and communication
conducting a thorough literature
styles of both cultures. This awareness
review to acquire knowledge from
is essential for building trust and
previously published textual sources.
understanding between individuals
After watching the entire movie "The
from different cultural backgrounds.
Farewell," the researchers thoroughly
The study found that individuals examined the character relationships,
from different cultures frequently have cultural differences, and emotional
difficulty finding a balance between dynamics shown. The research
their desire to maintain their cultural focuses on how the film's protagonist's
traditions and the necessity to adapt identity and sense of self are affected
to new cultural norms. As a result, by both personal and cultural events.
they may compromise their values The study employs identity theory and
and beliefs. The research also cultural studies to examine the
discovered that individuals' opinions themes of cultural blending,
about cultural differences are authenticity, and belonging depicted
influenced by their personal in "The Farewell."
experiences and cultural background,
with some people preferring to
IV. RESULT AND DISCUSSION
maintain their cultural identity and
others seeking to assimilate into a
 Lulu Wang's The Farewell (2019) connection to her cultural heritage.
tells a beautiful story on the Billi's active engagement in these rites
complexities of cultural boundaries marks her transition to Level II, during
and assimilation. The film depicts which she begins to acquire and
Billi's journey through the four levels assimilate characteristics of the
of Ming Shui Cai's Cultural Boundaries outside ethnic group. Her acts show a
Theory, with important moments greater engagement with her
illustrating her changing relationship background, going beyond passive
with her Chinese background. observation to active participation.
This stage illustrates Billi's growing
Level I: Superficial and Brief assimilation as she begins to
Cross-Cultural Interactions internalize and respect her family's
cultural norms. Furthermore, at
At the start of the film, Billi's minute 45, a wedding dinner provides
interactions with her Chinese relatives as a backdrop for Billi's stronger
are brief and superficial. This is connection to her heritage. She takes
demonstrated around minute 12, part in traditional toasts and festivals,
when Billi arrives in China and demonstrating her gradual integration
struggles with basic greetings and into the Chinese cultural environment.
cultural nuances. This scene is critical This sequence is critical in depicting
in demonstrating her initial separation Billi's transformation from an outsider
from her Chinese roots. Her to a participant, embodying the
relationships are characterized by a symbols and qualities of her ethnic
sense of unfamiliarity and uneasiness, background.
indicating a superficial level of cross-
cultural involvement. She is plainly out Level III: Thoroughly Bicultural
of place, emphasizing the
superficiality and briefness of her In Minute 56, Billi exhibits a
initial interactions. This level more comprehensive bicultural
corresponds to Cai's Level I, in which identity. She is seen mediating
the individual's interactions with the conversations between her American
outside culture are restricted and lack and Chinese relatives, demonstrating
depth. her ability to navigate both cultural
situations seamlessly. This scene
Level II: Assimilation of Symbols demonstrates her growing bicultural
and Characteristics competency and better
comprehension of both societies. For
As the novel unfolds, Billi comes example, during a family supper, Billi
to understand some Chinese cultural effortlessly changes between English
symbols and features. For example, in and Mandarin, interpreting and
minute 34, Billi engages in family encouraging communication. The
rituals and traditions such as food ability to traverse and reconcile two
preparation and ancestral prayer. This cultural identities exemplifies Cai's
scenario represents her developing Level III, in which the individual is
completely bicultural. Billi's familiarity emphasizes her acceptance and
with both cultural norms and incorporation of her Chinese heritage,
languages indicates her ease and representing the peaceful integration
competence in both surroundings, of her American and Chinese
indicating a balanced bicultural living. identities.
Her acts at this time demonstrate the
internal and external harmony she has V. CONCLUSION
achieved by respecting and
integrating her American and Chinese This study demonstrates the
identities. usefulness of Ming Shui Cai's (2002)
cultural borders theory in
Level IV: Complete Assimilation understanding cultural identity in
cross-cultural relationships. This study
In the film's final sequences, examined important moments from
particularly at minute 87, Billi Lulu Wang's film The Farewell (2019)
demonstrates perfect assimilation into to demonstrate how individuals might
Chinese society. She totally supports perceive varying amounts of cultural
her family's decision to keep her boundaries as they navigate diverse
grandmother's illness a secret, cultural environments. The findings
complying with Chinese cultural values indicate that cultural boundaries are
and conventions. This signifies her dynamic and diverse, influenced by
advancement to Level IV, in which she personal experiences, societal
is completely absorbed into the new expectations, and cultural norms. The
ethnic culture. Her decision to support film illustrates Billi's journey across
the family's approach to her the four degrees of cultural contact,
grandmother's illness, despite her from superficial exchanges to
initial doubts, demonstrates her complete absorption. This story
acceptance and assimilation of emphasizes the difficulties and
Chinese cultural norms. This stage emotional challenges of negotiating
represents the climax of Billi's cultural several cultural identities, providing a
journey, in which she is no longer an thorough grasp of cultural integration
outsider but a completely integrated and the development of a bicultural or
member of her Chinese family. Her multicultural identity. Through Billi's
acts and decisions demonstrate a experience, the video emphasizes the
deep comprehension and embodiment significance of honoring one's ancestry
of the cultural ethos, indicating but also adapting to new cultural
complete integration. Billi's cultural contexts, highlighting the varied
odyssey culminates in an emotional character of current cultural
scene around minute 92, in which she exchanges. The examination of Billi's
performs a traditional Chinese transition from quick, superficial
exercise taught to her by her interactions to total cultural
grandmother. This act represents her integration provides a valuable case
full absorption and the perfect study for understanding the dynamic
integration of her bicultural identity. It
and layered structure of cultural
identity and assimilation.

VI. REFERENCES

Cai, M. (2002). Multicultural literature

for ahildren and adults :Reflections on
critical issues. United States of
America: Greenwood Press

Berry, J. W. (1997). Immigration,

acculturation, and adaptation. Applied
Psychology.

Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (2011).

The SAGE handbook of qualitative
research (4th ed.). Sage Publications.

Sam, D. L., & Berry, J. W. (2010).

Acculturation: When individuals and
groups of different cultural
backgrounds meet. Perspectives on
Psychological Science.

Ward, C., & Geeraert, N. (2016).

Advancing acculturation theory and
research: The acculturation process in
its ecological context. Current Opinion
in Psychology.