NOTE: Free essay sample provided on this page should be used for references or sample purposes only. The sample essay is available to anyone, so any direct quoting without mentioning the source will be considered plagiarism by schools, colleges and universities that use plagiarism detection software. To get a completely brand-new, plagiarism-free essay, please use our essay writing service.
One click instant price quote
In Her Essay Tragic Love and Transcendental Love, Gina Marchetti uses a keen eye to closely analyze and uncover the underlying themes present in the 1957 film Sayonara. Marchetti argues that, if anything, the film is much more involved with civil rights than it is with any serious ant-war or anti-racism message. Her point is well made and defended by the many examples given of how instances of conservative behavior, often masculine characters craving control, overshadow any hint of moral lesson about interracial relations. The movie repeatedly creates awareness of a social problem such as the absurdity of society rejecting interracial relationships but just as soon as the audiences attention is captured, the point shifts in another direction causing confusion about what the true message of the movie is. Rather than exploit or challenge the traditional American beliefs and values of Americans towards issues of race, Sayonara succeeds in reinforcing the American conservative views on masculinity versus femininity and the like. Although superficially posing as an antiwar film, Sayonara is hardly convincing as any discussion about the morality of the Korean War quickly fades out as a main theme of the movie in the opening scenes (Marchetti 128).
Gruver, apparently disturbed by an encounter with the enemy earlier that day, comments that the pilot had had a face. While the viewer anticipates some type of elaboration on the thought, the subject quickly changes to Japan and there is foreshadowing of what is to come when the doctor mentions the Japanese dolls he is sure to encounter. Marchetti points out that this vague reference to the Korean war is a brief moral consideration only touched upon before it is long forgotten and lost in a love story. By bringing up his moral dilemma in the first place and changing directions so quickly, the movie tends to make light of the conflict in Korea and works against its intention to serve as an anti-war movie. Gruver's problem is portrayed as an Oedipal dilemma as he begins to question why he has committed his whole life to something his father wanted (Marchetti, 129). Throughout the movie, Gruver is continuously questioning whether he is really happy with his life thus far and if what he has accomplished is what life is all about.
As he contemplates his life thus far and the path it is currently taking, he does not make a point to stress the absurdities of war but rather his own dissatisfaction with feeling as though he has not lived for himself but only for his father and his legacy. Rather than promote the integration of cultures of Americans and Japanese, the American characters in Sayonara repeatedly mock the customs they find to be strange or different to American ways. For example, Gruver makes fun of the armrest saying Itll be even better when the rest of the chair gets here or when he comments that the tea ceremony is such a big production. When Gruver is introduced to the Kabuki dancer he makes a sarcastic remark about it needing more Marylin Monroe type characters.
By freely expressing his feelings about the strange nature of Japanese customs, he is directly insulting the culture and is hardly scolded for his bold behavior. This is a representation of arrogant Americas belief that their way is the right way and other ways are strange or are not as good. This part of the movie hardly shows a fusion of cultures but rather hints the implausibility of America truly accepting the Japanese culture. The roles played by the females in Sayonara adds to the confusion of what point the movie is trying to make. One might wonder if he or she is supposed to feel sympathetic towards the couples feelings of rejection from society or rather for the women as they deal with the oppressive and controlling male figures in their lives. Marchetti calls attention to the conversation between Major Gruver and his American fiancee, Eileen when Gruver appears to be incredibly threatened by her assertiveness and strongly defends his conservative ways (Marchetti, 135).
Gruver even deliberately defends traditional marriage. It is such feminine aggression that threatens his traditional views and sense of manhood that causes him to look elsewhere to satisfy his desire for control... Repeatedly the intentions of Major Gruver and Kelly come into question as they seem to be merely infatuated with the idea of having so much control in a relationship. Comments such as when Gruver says to Hana Ogi, I got one word for you... FOOD! , receive no criticism from the women nor anyone else in the movie and thus are portrayed as an acceptable way to treat ones wife. While Kelly is getting scrubbed by Katsumi in the bath tub and says happily to Gruver Isnt this the life? ! .
Kelly is constantly fussed over without any kind of objection whatsoever from the quiet Japanese woman. Such portrayals of the women as servants to their men simply reinforce conservative American views and even mock the idea that the American men are truly interested in the women for what they have to offer intellectually as human beings. Kelly and Gruver both fulfill their need for control when they find Japanese women who will not challenge and talk back to them but rather do anything to serve them and make them happy. In one dramatic scene, Gruver and Hana Ogi run into the other room to find Kelly striking Katsumi. The viewers initial reaction is to be shocked and expect Gruver to likely defend Katsumi and make an example out of Kellys absurd behavior but the anxious feeling is quickly diffused when Gruver is seen chastising Katsumi like a child for what she has done. No example is made of Kelly for what he did nor is the viewer ever swayed to think what he did was all that wrong for rather than Kelly getting a deserved scolding, it is Katsumi who quickly apologized to calm the situation.
By neglecting to make an example of such an obviously immoral act it serves to reinforce the conservative idea of the womens subservience to her husband. At the same time one can view the incident as reaffirming Americas need for control over another race. Instead of looking at it as dominance over women in general one can easily relate Katsumi being Japanese to the situation as well for in the movie, Eileen is an example of an American woman; a woman who does not as easily sacrifice her feelings for the sake of making her man happy. It is this characteristic that apparently drove Gruver to seek a women, a Japanese woman, to make him feel more like a man, in the superior sense of the word. Sayonara again reaffirms traditional American ways by emphasizing Hana Ogi's desire to become a woman. Since the moment she and Gruver first spoke, Hana Ogi had transformed from her rigid masculine self who had rejected Americans as well as men in general, to a much more feminine, lady-like figure who apologized for ever having ill feelings towards Americans.
At this point in the movie, Marchetti recognizes that gender change and submission to American authority coincide. Not only does Hana Ogi begin to reveal her uncontrollable attraction to Major Gruver and offer her love to him, but she also apologizes for hating Americans which is anything but subtle in its attempt to influence the viewer to appeal to Americans and make light of any wrong doing they have committed in times of war. Again when looked at closely it is clear that the role of the masculine American in the movie as representative of not only the conservative view of mans role in his relationship with a woman but also Americas position as a superior country, unable to be criticized. The presence of traditional American views on the issues of race, gender, and war are summed up in the conclusion as Hana Ogi gives in to the aggressive, take no prisoners attitude of Gruver who has finally found himself and restored his masculine and nationalistic perspective. Gruver refuses to take no for an answer from Hana Ogi as he undauntedly insists she is obligated to him!
and that she must give up her Japanese life to live in America. Ultimately, she submits to the relentless Gruver and in doing so represents the idea of womens subservience to men, especially Japanese inferiority to men, and the superiority of the proud America over countries like Japan who have tested the great country but in the end can only give into the American way.
Free research essays on topics related to: hana, traditional american, korean war, american ways, kelly
Research essay sample on Korean War Traditional American
