Asian Stereotypes in the Television and Film Industries of the United States

Picture 1

During the history Asians developed a negative image,which was captured by the film industries.Shah's article deals about these stereotypes. He divided it in four different Asian stereotypes which were illustrate in the television. He also talks about how Asian Americans saw theirselves and struggle for their identities. The film industries simplify and gloss over the different Asian's identities. They formed stereotypes because they constitute it as something different. In general mass media are very important for the production of culture symbols.

Yellow Peril

The Yellow Peril and Dragon Lady arised in times, when Americans were afraid of the growing Asian population. They were concerned about their jobs. During this time a negative Asian picture was settled by politics and journalists. Films represent this attitude. The Yellow Peril is an  threatining, predatory Asian man who lust for white women (Broken Blossoms 1919 and The Cheat 1915). The Dragon Lady has also a negative image. She is sneaky, mean and seduced white men (Thief of Bagdad 1924).

Lotus Blossom

Between the 1913 and the end of the Second World War Japenese soldiers were illustrated as evil. In contrast Chinese were seen as trustworthy. In this time also the Charlie Chan stereotype arised in 1936. He is describes as a mysterious man with power and a positive character. Around ten years later the Japanese image changed by becoming a satellite nation of the US while the Chinese were seen as diabolic because of the communism. The Chinese were stereotyped as drug- addicted and as hatred of the Western. Over this period the stereotype of the Lotus Blossom developed. It is a positive image of an Asian women. (Sayonara 1957).

 Nowadays the stereotypes still present as in the Martial Law or Ally McBeal, where the stereotype of a Dragon Lady appear. 

The problems are that Asians are seen as a homogeneous group without their diversity. Furthermore Asians and Asian Americans are renowned as the same. To sum up there are two ways of thinking. On the one hand the Yellow Peril and the Dragon Lady who are dangerous and threatening for the Westerns and on the other hand Charlie Chan and Lotus Blossom which represent the opposite. The 'good' side for the Westerns.

But what did Asian say to this stereotyping? Shah points out that it was a time of isolation, segregation and racism. They fought againgst the stereotypes and for better work and living conditions. Over time some time Chinese movie productions has arisen to show the real Asian life. The result was the triangular cinema which present movies in an Asian perspective like the documentation Color of Honor in 1989. They want to mobilize people and tell the real stories about Asians as Sari Red (1988) which deals about a Asian women and her dangerous life in public and private sphere. The triangular cinema shows the real life and characters. Moreover they include the different Asian symbols and cultures.

Summarizing the stereotypes were made by Hollywood like the Orientalism. We have to keep in mind that Asian Americans have a complex culture and it is a challenge to control these images and to think about it.

 Social Repercussions of Asian Stereotypes in Media

Reference:

Lotus Bossom: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:AlbaneseButterfly.jpg .

Picture 1: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/results.aspx?qu=movie&ex=2#ai:MP900406477|


Shah H. 2003. “Asian Culture” and Asian American Identities in the Television and Film Industries of the United States. Studies in Media & Information Literacy Education 3(3): 1-10. 

Yellow Peril: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/YellowPeril .