A RHETORICAL ANALYSIS OF CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON A Thesis Presented to the faculty of the Department of Communication Studies California State University, Sacramento Submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS in Communication Studies by Nai-Jen Chi FALL 2012 © 2012 Nai-Jen Chi ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ii A RHETORICAL ANALYSIS OF CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON A Thesis by Nai-Jen Chi Approved by: __________________________________, Committee Chair Mark A. E. Williams, Ph.D. __________________________________, Second Reader Michele Foss-Snowden, Ph.D. __________________________________, Third Reader Raymond P. Koegel, Ph.D. ____________________________ Date iii Student: Nai-Jen Chi I certify that this student has met the requirements for format contained in the University format manual, and that this thesis is suitable for shelving in the Library and credit is to be awarded for the thesis. __________________________, Graduate Coordinator ___________________ Michele Foss-Snowden, Ph.D. Date Department of Communication Studies iv Abstract of A RHETORICAL ANALYSIS OF CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON by Nai-Jen Chi This thesis employs Kenneth Burke’s cluster analysis to examine Ang Lee’s martial arts film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (USA, 2000). This Mandarin film achieved extraordinary success in the United States, where it was the first foreign-language film to be nominated in ten categories and the first Asian film to be nominated for best picture at the Academy Awards. The goal of this study is to find out how the values can be communicated, through one visual artifact and two different narratives – the Mandarin dialogue and the English subtitles. The analysis finds that the disconnection of Taoism between the Mandarin dialogue and the English subtitles results in the interpretation of the movie from a philosophical to a romantic perspective. The study also uncovers that there are similarities in the idea of moderation in the Mandarin dialogue and the English subtitles, which shows that the persuasiveness of narratives, regardless of the language differences and the structures employed, is subject to values. _______________________, Committee Chair Mark A. E. Williams, Ph.D. _______________________ Date v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank my committee for all of their support and mentorship. I am deeply grateful to my advisor and committee chair, Dr. Mark A. E. Williams, for guiding me through this process. I was privileged to be inspired by his brilliance and wisdom. His sage advice, insightful criticisms, and patient encouragement aided the writing of this thesis in innumerable ways. In addition, I thank Dr. Michele Foss-Snowden for her useful comments, support, and interest in the thesis. I am very grateful for her steadfast belief in me and my work. My gratitude also goes to Dr. Raymond P. Koegel for being so kind and patient with me. His suggestions have been immensely helpful. It has been a joy to work with such wonderful and talented scholars. Special thanks to my dear friend Heather Teoh for all her inspiration and friendship during my struggles. Last, thanks to my family for their unconditional love and support throughout my educational journey. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Acknowledgements ..................................................................................................... vi List of Tables .............................................................................................................. ix Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................. 1 Purpose of Study ............................................................................................... 2 The Artifact: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon ............................................... 5 Background of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon ................................ 5 Plots of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon ........................................... 8 Cultural History of Wuxia Genre ........................................................ 11 Review of Relevant Literature ........................................................................ 15 Previous Studies in Rhetoric ............................................................... 15 Visual Rhetoric ................................................................................... 17 Media and Film ................................................................................... 21 2. METHODOLOGY .............................................................................................. 29 Cluster Criticism ............................................................................................. 29 Cluster-agon Analysis ..................................................................................... 35 Film as an Artifact .......................................................................................... 37 Methodological Justification ........................................................................... 41 Procedure ........................................................................................................ 41 3. CLUSTER ANALYSIS ....................................................................................... 43 Introduction ..................................................................................................... 43 Identification Key Terms ................................................................................ 44 Li Mu Bai ............................................................................................ 44 Green ................................................................................................... 48 Yu Jiao Long/Yu Jen .......................................................................... 51 Interpretation of the Clusters .......................................................................... 55 Li Mu Bai ............................................................................................ 55 vii Green ................................................................................................... 64 Yu Jiao Long/Yu Jen .......................................................................... 71 Discussion ....................................................................................................... 83 4. CONCLUSION.................................................................................................... 89 Appendix A. Texts of the Narratives ......................................................................... 96 The Mandarin Dialogue of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon ........ 96 The English Subtitles of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon .......... 148 Scene Selection Menu of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon ........ 200 Appendix B. Distribution of Key Terms.................................................................. 202 The Mandarin Key Terms of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon ... 202 The English Key Terms of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon ...... 205 The Visual Key Terms of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon ........ 208 Appendix C. Distribution of Associational Clusters................................................ 211 The Mandarin Clusters of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon ....... 211 The English Clusters of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon ........... 215 References ................................................................................................................. 218 viii LIST OF TABLES Tables Page 1. Table 1.1 Terms that Cluster around Li Mu Bai (32%) ....................................... 47 2. Table 1.2 Terms that Cluster around the Green Term (65%) .............................. 50 3. Table 1.3 Terms that Cluster around Yu Jiao Long/Yu Jen (52%) ..................... 54 4. Table 2.1 Selected Narratives of “Scene 20 Young Master Long” ..................... 78 5. Table 2.2 Selected Narratives of “Scene 20 Young Master Long” ..................... 85 ix 1 Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION “What if we stopped asking whether cinema can be some sort of magic door opening onto absolute time, and instead asked about cinema’s role in the construction of different temporalities in different societies, politics, cultures, classes and so forth?” (Berry, 2009, p. 113) Understanding cultural differences is an essential issue in Communication Studies. Many scholars are now aware that intercultural communication is inevitable and necessary due to technological development, economic globalization, widespread population migration, and the development of multiculturalism (Chen & Starosta, 2005; Komolsevin, Knutson, Datthuyawat, & Tanchaisak, 2011). As more individuals or groups from different cultures interact with one another, confronting cultural barriers have become commonplace. One of the keys to effective intercultural communication involves the realization that the different values, behaviors, and attitudes exist across cultures. Cinema is an extremely important cultural vehicle for exploring social reality. Studying the symbolic universe that is created in film helps one understand the worldview of others. The relationship between cinema and culture is synergistic. Cinema is a product and also a former of culture. Film, as a cultural mirror, projects collective images of a culture’s contemporary attitudes, philosophies, values, and lifestyles while influencing them (Benson, 1974; Rushing & Frentz, 1978). While much research has focused on 2 issues concerning the adaptation of literature into film, few have examined the