Gran Torino Film Analysis 7

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Gran Torino Film Analysis

Norma J Morehead

Intercultural/International Communication

10 June 2012 Gran Torino Film Analysis 2

Cultural conflict and popular culture are two experiences in life that assist in defining intercultural communication and how its influence affects our daily intercommunication.

Cultural conflict is inevitable as we live out our daily lives in the identities we have selected for ourselves, the identities relating to our ethnicity and in those identities others have selected for us. These identities are bound to conflict with another individual’s identities which is why there is a need for understanding what intercultural communication is and how it can be enhanced becomes vital to peaceful living around the world. Popular culture is a reference point for information used to determine who we want to be, who we are, and what we want in life.

Popular culture has its good attributes and its bad attributes, both shape our society. Popular culture as it relates to television, video games, music videos and print media has a negative reputation because it is driven by money. There are characteristics of popular culture that are positive and enrich the lives of individuals such as the fine arts; the symphony, theatre, and museums. In a free society we are fortunate to have a choice. We are a free society and we want to remain a free society which makes the need for successful intercultural communication that much more important to achieve.

Released in 2008, the film Gran Torino provides multiple cultural conflicts and examples of popular culture at its worst and at its best. This film also gifts us with the proof that with sincere effort intercultural communication can be successful with success being defined as acknowledgement of cultures outside our own. This acknowledgement opens the door to understanding each other while eliminating barriers to communication. Within this film there were the intercultural conflicts defined by our text book (p226-227) (Martin & Nakayama, 2011) as conflicts in values and goals, cognitive conflict, conflict of interests, and affective conflict as it pertains to religion, age, ethnicity, race and gender. Gran Torino Film Analysis 3

Popular culture was demonstrated when the granddaughter was texting during the grandmother’s funeral services; with the gang interaction and the music they played; the encounter on the corner with the Caucasian teenager walking with Sue and they were stopped by the three African American males and harassed physically and verbally with race and gender stereotypes and age when Walt came to the rescue. Walt had a quite a few verbal stereotypes for all of them in addition to using his gun to break up the conflict. Popular culture

Of the five types of Cultural Conflict the three most significant conflicts in intercultural communication in the film Gran Torino are found in conflict in values, conflict in goals, and cognitive conflict. Conflicts in values are the differing ideologies as in philosophy and principles. Two examples of conflict in values found in the film Gran Torino are:

1. Walt and the priest had different ideologies on life and death. The priest kept

approaching Walt with the offer of confession which he had promised Walt’s wife before

she died. Walt did not think much of religion, attending church or confession or the

priest. The priest resolved to get Walt into confession with his philosophy, principles and

outlook on life as his religion dictated.

2. Ethnic types of conflict were shown at the family barbeque. Walt accepted Sue’s

invitation to the family barbeque it was also Walt’s birthday. There he learned a few of

the Hmong people’s customs, beliefs and traditions. Walt learned that you do not pat

Hmong people or their children on the head ever because they believe the soul dwells

there. Looking someone in the eye was considered rude; that is why everyone looked

down instead of looking Walt directly in the eye. Sue also advised Walt that Hmong Gran Torino Film Analysis 4

people will smile or grin when yelled at this was a cultural thing related to

embarrassment or insecurity.

Goal conflicts are when people disagree about a preferred (ideal) outcome. Three examples of goal conflicts found in the film Gran Torino are:

1. Walt’s conflict with his son in that Walt was fine living in the house alone after his wife

Dorothy died and was secure in taking care of himself and his home. Walt’s son and his

wife, on the other hand, felt that Walt would be better off in a retirement home with

amenities.

2. When Walt came to the rescue of Thao and his family as the gang members tried to drag

Thao off with them Walt came out and ran the gang members off his property with force.

Thao’s family and the neighborhood considered Walt a hero for saving Thao from the

gang members that night a celebrated him with gifts, flowers and food. Walt had no

interest in becoming their hero; his goal was to get them off his property. Each had

different goals in the confrontation.

3. The priest was upset with Walt’s handling of the situation that night asking why he did

not call the police regarding the incident as someone could have been killed. The priest

stated he was aware of gang activity in the area and preferred he call the police in those

situations to prevent an outcome that could have led to someone’s death. Walt had

accomplished what he thought was the ideal outcome and was satisfied. Their desired

outcomes conflicted with each other.

Cognitive conflict is when you realize that each others thought processes or perceptions are in conflict. Two examples of cognitive conflicts found in the film Gran Torino are: Gran Torino Film Analysis 5

1. In the first scene in the church there was conflict between what Walt thought was

inappropriate behavior in the context what his grand children and children thought were

perfectly appropriate. The daughter came into the sanctuary inappropriately dressed and

one of Walt’s grandsons mocked the religious ritual of kneeling and doing the cross

before taking his seat. One of the brothers noticed the conflict and mentioned it to the

other brother. The perceptions of what was appropriate between Walt and the family

were in conflict.

2. The priest came to confront Walt bringing up the previous conversation they had about

life and death. The priest is stern with Walt advising him that he is no longer in Korea

indicating he needs to let it go. The priests continues the scolding telling Walt that he

knows men stronger than Walt who had been given orders to kill and were able to get

through the horror of the war with forgiveness and go on to live peaceful productive

lives. Forgiveness the priest said he knew about not the war but the war is what Walt

knew. Their perceptions and processes of life and death were in conflict.

The conclusion of the film Gran Torino is the only true way it should have ended. The conclusion shows us that two of the most significant points in a human beings existence, life and death, are celebrated and understood through our cultural customs, traditions, and beliefs. It is also a reminder that what we do with ourselves between those two points are very important and

I believe that if we tear down and discard some of the barriers to intercultural communication and intercultural interaction the between time of those two points will be better utilized for our higher purpose. Gran Torino Film Analysis 6

In managing intercultural conflict my option would be the productive versus destructive style. I believe in focusing on the original issue and directing the conversation toward cooperative solutions. My overall feelings about the film are positive and reflective on what I see and experience every day in intercultural communication; conflicts will always be present. I liked the film and identified with aspects of the Walt and Sue characters. Walt was a stickler for accountability and Sue saw both sides of an issue but stood on only one.

We as human beings can live on this planet in peace despite our differences the key to living in peace would be to value the differences between us. Our communication styles are as different as our personalities and our cultures and just as important to intercultural communication. We can take a proactive approach in our intercultural communication by being aware that there are many differences between us and adapt our style to find a balance (p30)

(Edmonson, 2009). Building intercultural skills incorporates our differences and our styles but also recognizes the importance of context and the importance of expanding our catalog of experiences which reduces, little by little, a major barrier in intercultural communication and that is the use of negative stereotypes (p245) (Martin & Nakayama, 2011). Intercultural communication is an investment in our economy, an investment in technology and innovation and an investment in peace within our personal cultural space, within our country and throughout the world. We must not only try but we must become successful at intercultural communication because the future depends on it. Gran Torino Film Analysis 7

References

Edmonson, J. (2009). Let's be clear: How to manage communication styles. T & D, 63(9), 30-31.

Martin, J. N., & Nakayama, T. K. (2011). Experiencing intercultural communication. (4th ed., pp. 226-227). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.