Write an analysis of two scenes out of the following 3 scenes, by paying attention to the following: dialogue, music and other sound effects, mis-en-scène, visual composition, flow of the scene within the narrative, etc. In your analysis, please apply one of the following concepts, commodity fetishism or “modern girl” as a product of masculinist imagination. First, analyze them separately and then connect your interpretation of each scene to one another.
The first scene where Aesun tells her husband that she is going to a department store and there is an ensuing exchange between her and her husband.
The scene at the department store where she is shopping and talking with a clerk
Aesun at the dance concert where is watching the male dance
2.Choose one of the passages from “Dawn” and explore the relations between popular culture and the imperialist propaganda. (125words)
“…’When we go to a picture theater and watch the newsreel scenes of the Imperial Army marching to the sound of great cheers and the audience erupts in clapping, he turns to me and asks why I am quiet. ‘Why aren’t you cheering? Aren’t you happy for them?’ He scolds me endlessly. This is what boys are like today, filled to the brim with passion. ….”
“They settled on playing a round of Garuda and the mothers and boys sat down together. ‘Japan’s Navy Best in the World!’….’Pray to the Gods!’…. ‘I’ll cry or scream if I get a Japanese Empire card…’ said the boy, squaring his shoulders. … ‘Me too, I get furious when I keep losing like this. Let’s concentrate now and have another round.’ …. ‘Heartfelt comfort packages’…”
‘No, they gloried in their nimble boys who reached for the Garuda cards so swiftly no one could stop them. An atmosphere of warmth and pleasure suffused them. Kyongja took up the Garuda pack and began to read from the cards again while Hyebong, Unyong and the boys gathered round. Outside the chill wind blew. But none of them felt the cold.
3.Choose one of the passages from “Dawn” and explore how the Japanese imperial ideology combines Anti-American/Anti-white/Anti-Western Ideology, combined with Pan-Asianism (125words).
“…’These Westerners have bewitched you. With their cross in the left hand and sword in the right, clasping opium and the sacrament to their chests, they went up every hill and into every crevice to seek us Asians out. Deceiving and plundering us along the way. And we, bewitched by their artfulness and sorcery, their talk of the sovereign self and individual rights, we could not see that we were being robbed!…. And it is the blood of Asians that is winning us back our countries and our pride…’…”
“….’As we walked on, my child protested. “Mummy, why did you give directions to our enemy?” So I told him that not all Westerners are bad people…. He replied, “Believing in Jesus doesn’t mean they are on our side. When they go sketching landscapes or taking photographs, how do we know they are tourists and not spies sending it all back to their country?” As he was saying this, I kept thinking how much the white lady had reminded me of our school principal and Miss Winn—do you remember our English teacher Miss Winn?’ “
Hall (50 words)
Analyze the following passage from Stuart Hall’s essay where he defines his notion of the popular. In your interpretation of Hall’s definition, please relate one of the following concepts: 1) Frankfurt School’s notion of “culture industry” and Hall’s critique of it; 2) Gramscian notion of hegemony.
“I settle for a third definition of ‘popular’…. This looks in any particular period at those forms and activities which have their roots in the social and material conditions of particular classes; which have been embodied in popular traditions and practices. In this sense, it retains what is valuable in the descriptive definition. But it goes on to insist that what is essential to the definition of popular culture is the relations which define ‘popular culture’ in a continuing tension (relationship, influence and antagonism) to the dominant culture. It is a conception of culture which is polarized around this cultural dialectic. It treats the domain of cultural forms and activities as a constantly changing field. Then it looks at the relations which constantly structure this field into dominant and subordinate formations. It looks at the process by which these relations of domination and subordination are articulated. It treats them as a process.”
Sample Solution