Sunday 01/14/07 11:22 AM
| Category: Core
| Comment on this
Running head: ANALYSIS OF INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION IN FILM
An Analysis of Intercultural Communication
Portrayed in the Film, “House of Sand and Fog”
Karen Giles-Smith
Spring Arbor
An Analysis of Intercultural Communication Portrayed in the Film, “House of Sand and Fog”
Intercultural communication—communication between members of different cultures—is often fraught with misunderstanding. People communicate based on their own perspectives, so when perspectives differ, as they often do between cultures, misunderstanding is bound to occur. According to Ting-Toomey, a communication professor and researcher, in order to communicate effectively when cultural differences exist, three factors must be present: cultural understanding, mindfulness, and the skill to maintain the public self-image of all parties (Griffin, 2006). Utilizing three theories of cultural communication (Anxiety Uncertainty Management, Cultural Dimensions, and Face Negotiation), this paper explains how the combination of cultural differences and the absence of the three factors of effective communication leads to conflict between two characters portrayed in the movie, “House of Sand and Fog.”
The plot of the film, “House of Sand and Fog” (2003), revolves around the relationship between Kathy Nicolo, an American living in San Francisco (played by Jennifer Connelly), and Massoud Amir Behrani, an Iranian immigrant (played by Ben Kingsley). Kathy is a recovering alcoholic who cleans houses to make ends meet. Her bungalow is mistakenly seized by the county for back taxes. Behrani was a wealthy colonel in the Iran army before his home was taken by the Ayatollah, forcing him and his family to flee to the United States. Living in an apartment in San Franciso, Behrani works on a road crew and as a gas station attendant to support his family. In an attempt to maintain appearances and his pride, Behrani leaves for work and returns from work every day in a business suit.
Unaware of the house’s history, Behrani finds the bungalow for sale and purchases it from the county for about one-quarter of its value. The house reminds Behrani of his former home by the Caspian Sea, and he believes his family will be happy in the new house until he can remodel it and sell it for a profit, thereby providing his family with the means to live a better life.
A battle for ownership ensues. Kathy wants her house back because she grew up there, it was given to her when her father died, and she can’t afford to live elsewhere. Kathy’s lawyer tries to convince Behrani to sell the house back to the county so that Kathy, the rightful owner, can reclaim her house. However, Behrani knows he legally purchased the house. Behrani tells the lawyer: “Things are not as they appear. [The house] is a matter of necessity for me and my family. I am sorry. I do not have a choice in this matter.”
Three Factors of Effective Intercultural Communication
Cultural understanding
Kathy and Behrani are products of very different cultures. As an Iranian immigrant, Behrani is a stranger in America. According to Gudykunst’s Anxiety Uncertainty Management Theory (AUM), strangers in a strange land experience anxiety and uncertainty and don’t know how to behave (Griffin, 2005). The larger the cultural differences, the more anxiety all parties will tend to experience. If uncertainty or anxiety is too high, as in this case (or too low), communication with strangers is hindered. Gudykunst believes that anxiety and uncertainty are the basic cause of intercultural misunderstandings.
In addition, strangers are hyperaware of cultural differences which can lead to stereotyping. Behrani reveals his stereotyping of Americans when he tells his son, “Americans do not deserve what they have. They have the eyes of small children who are forever looking for the next source of distraction; entertainment; sweet taste in their mouth. We are not like them.” Kathy also is influenced by preconceptions and narrow-mindedness. She has heard that many immigrants deal in real estate, so she assumes Behrani’s modus operandi is to buy up seized property in order to “make a killing.”
Both Behrani and Kathy misinterpret the other’s behavior without realizing it. According to AUM, they are exhibiting unconscious incompetence (Griffin, 2005). They don’t try to understand each other’s culture. Instead they rely on stereotypes, and so they see each other as unlike themselves and misinterpret each other’s actions as selfish and greedy. The conflict escalates and the chance to address the problem peacefully is lost.
Mindfulness
If Kathy and Behrani practiced mindfulness—being open to new information and recognizing that others may have different perspectives—they may have been able to work things out. If they knew more about the other’s culture they might realize that they have values and beliefs in common. AUM predicts that, “An increase in the personal similarities we perceive between ourselves and strangers will produce a decrease in our anxiety and an increase in our ability to accurately predict their behavior” (Griffin, 2005, p. 434).
Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions Theory offers a way to increase cultural understanding. The theory proposes five dimensions that can be used to identify the similarities and differences between cultures. The dimensions are individualism-collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, power distance, masculinity-femininity, and long-term and short-term orientation. Arab countries and the United States differ in four of the dimensions [research is not available on the fifth dimension (long-term, short-term) for Arab countries] (Dainton & Zelley, 2006).
For the purpose of this paper, the masculine-feminine dimension of the Cultural Dimensions Theory is used as an example of the cultural divide between Iran and the United States. Iran is an extremely masculine culture (Price, 2002) where “men are expected to be assertive, ambitious, and competitive; women are expected to be supportive, nurturing, and deferent” (Dainton & Zelley, p. 79). The fact that Behrani feels Kathy is challenging him—that she doesn’t know her place—adds to the conflict and communication breakdown. In a scene where Kathy tries to reason with Behrani’s wife, Behrani grabs Kathy’s arm and drags her to her car saying, “You think I’m stupid? In my country you wouldn’t be worthy to raise your eyes to me. You are nothing. Nothing.”
Maintaining public self-image (“face”)
Ting-Toomey’s Face-Negotiation Theory (FNT) helps explain why people from cultures with differing perspectives—individualistic versus collectivist cultures—handle conflict differently. People from individualistic and collectivist cultures differ in the way they want others to view and treat them. This is known as face, or public self-image. Face is not a one-way concept, face also includes awareness that others also have the desire to maintain face. According to FNT, individualistic cultures value individual identity and prefer to present themselves as confident, self-directed and independent. In contrast, collectivist cultures value group identity and are more likely to present themselves as likeable, cooperative and interested in building relationships (Dainton & Zelley, 2005).
According to Dainton & Zelley (2005), Americans value extreme individualism and Arab countries value both individualism and collectivism. However, some Arab countries lean toward collectivism—communication research most commonly mentions three core values of Arab society: collectivism, hospitality and honor (Veenstra, 2004). According to Dainton & Zelley, “When considering these opposing orientations, it should be obvious that profound cultural difference can arise when trying to communicate; moreover, these differences can lead to misinterpretation and disagreement…and intercultural conflict” (p. 88).
The ability to maintain one’s own and others’ face is important to effective communication. In “House of Sand and Fog,” Kathy and Behrani don’t understand each other’s culture or face needs, so they inadvertently threaten each others’ faces, leading to misinterpretation and conflict. Kathy feels that Behrani has stolen her independence and self-sufficiency (her individualistic values). She is forced to live in a car while Behrani is living in her house. Kathy expresses her loss of individual identity and independence when she says to her lawyer, “I was bleeding on my own doorstep waiting for a stranger to open my door.” Behrani feels that Kathy is threatening the wellbeing of his family, but he also wants to appear cooperative (his collectivist values). However, Kathy’s aggressive actions make it difficult for Behrani to maintain face. Kathy threatens Behrani’s face when she says to him in public, “You stole my house, you son-of-a-b$&*#!”
Conclusion
Kathy and Behrani don’t understand each other’s culture, nor do they attempt to. In “House of Sand and Fog,” misunderstanding arises from Kathy’s and Behrani’s reliance on stereotypes to explain the other’s behavior as well as a lack of face interaction skills, and conflict results. Ting-Toomey defines conflict as “either a perceived or actual incompatibility of values, expectations, processes or outcomes between two or more individuals” (Dainton & Zelley, 2005, p. 88). Kathy and Behrani’s conflict was one of perception. Tragically, they eventually begin to identify with and understand each other, but it’s too late to avoid the consequences of their actions.
References
Dainton, M., & Zelley, E. D. (2005). Applying communication theory for professional life: A practical introduction. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Griffin, E. (2006). A first look at communication theory (6th ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill.
Price, M. (2002, February 28). Will not repeat itself: Brief history between men and women in Iran. The Iranian. Retrieved November 26, 2006, from http://www.iranian.com/MassoumePrice/2002/February/Relationships/index.html
Veenstra, C. (2004). Listening between Arabs and Americans. Listening Professional, 3(1), 5 and 25-30.
Permanent link to "Intercultural Communication: House of Sand and Fog"
Thursday 05/05/05 10:33 PM
| Category: Concentrations
| Comment on this
Empyrean
There is a place — deep in the old-growth woodlands of hemlocks, sugar maples, and white pines — where reverence and awe bless the passers-by. In this place, a river rolls along moss-covered rocks and shimmers in the sunlight which slips through the tops of the tall trees.
The river is christened the Little Carp River – a name that belies its beauty. In the far western region of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, it wanders through a valley in the Porcupine Mountains and flows into Lake Superior.
In the woods surrounding the Little Carp, quietness has its own soft sound. The burble of the river, the titter of songbirds, the tapping of pileated woodpeckers, and the drumming of ruffed grouse are hushed by the soft undergrowth and towering trees. In midsummer, the trees cast cool shade over the forest floor. Pine needles pad the ground and the dark green shiny leaves of the blue bead lilies grow low among the amber needles. The damp, sweet smelling earth repeatedly rises and falls from the low cedar swamps, up and down hills, and onto high ridges overlooking the river.
A foot path loosely follows the river, curving into the woods, looping back toward the banks, disappearing at a river’s edge, and then emerging on the other side. The tawny water moves slowly and gracefully in some spots and forms coffee-colored, placid pools in others. It slips over stones in the shallows, then tumbles down a waterfall just beyond a bend.
The waterfalls are magnificent. There are many along the Little Carp – some with names, such as Greenstone Falls and Overlooked Falls, and some unnamed, as if no one could find just the right words. And in between, the river roams the woods, stretching through raspberry patches, swirling under logjams, gliding across flat rock, and flowing by fern-laden banks.
This is a place where God walks before you, leading you down the path, proudly pointing out the sights and sounds. And although you can’t stay, God and the essence of the place will follow you home.
Permanent link to "Empyrean"
Tuesday 05/03/05 07:55 PM
| Category: Core
| Comment on this
Time is On My Side
Karen Giles-Smith
Spring Arbor University
A proper education takes time. If a person values learning enough to make it top priority, then time spent becoming educated is time well-invested and well worth it. Higher education was important to me 15 years ago. I accomplished my goal of obtaining a masters degree at a point in my life when I could devote the majority of my time to that goal. Only recently have I realized that lifelong learning is also very important to me and have decided to pursue another masters degree. As a wife and mother working full-time, my life is filled with many other priorities, so I’ve chosen online education for the convenience it affords; however, fitting it into my schedule is a challenge. Research has shown that distance education may consume twice as much time as conventional education (Valasek, n.d., ¶ 22). The time commitment is daunting, but the online learning experience is so enriching that I’ve decided to make room for it in my life. To accommodate my new goal, there are changes I must make. I must reevaluate priorities, reprioritize, reallocate my time, and improve the way I manage my time. I must adjust emotionally to these changes and help my family to adjust as well.
Time Management and Me
My experiences with procrastination have taught me that managing time efficiently is crucial to academic success, as indicated in Macan’s study (as cited in Kelly, 2002). Over the years, through trial and error, I’ve found several time management techniques to be effective. Regular physical activity improves physical and emotional health and mental function (Yaffe, Barnes, Nevitt, Lui & Covinsky, 2004), and this helps me focus and be more productive. Relaxation is also important for optimal efficiency (Abernathy, 1999): When I’m very tired and stressed, lying down and closing my eyes for about 15 minutes rejuvenates me. Keeping things organized and in their place helps me concentrate and find what I need quickly and easily (Abernathy). Recording tasks, commitments, and important dates via a prioritized to-do list and my PDA helps me keep track of what needs to be done and in what order. I plan and manage projects by breaking them into steps and assigning a deadline to each step, working backwards from the final deadline. All of these tactics seem to help me deal more effectively with all the things going on in my life.
Big Changes: Reevaluation and Reprioritization
I’ve been so busy taking care of day-to-day situations that I’ve failed to see the big picture. I’m working hard but I’m not completely sure what I’m working toward. As many people do, I know instinctively what is most important to me in a broad sense: my family and friends, education, and spirituality (Covey, Merrill & Merrill, 1994). There are many other things that are also important to me; however, I haven’t put forth the effort to decide what should take precedence. Some of the things I desire do not mesh with my core values. I feel overwhelmed and incapacitated by the disconnect and my indecisiveness. For my wellbeing, I need to determine the direction my life should take. What does God want for my life? What is right for me; for my family? It’s up to me to discover and fulfill my purpose. Determining and balancing my priorities is the only way that I’ll be able to get the most out of life, including lifelong learning. I have begun this discovery process by developing my personal mission statement utilizing a program on the FranklinCovey Web site (2004). I will continue the journey by keeping a personal journal which nurtures self-awareness and taps into my human powers to chose, respond, and change (Covey, Merrill & Merrill, 1994).
Once I decide how I want to spend my time, I can tackle time management accordingly. My time allocation analysis shows I have a maximum of four hours a day, on average, to spend on schoolwork. That means working until midnight every night and getting only six hours of sleep when I need at least eight. A time study may help me determine which activities can be pared down or eliminated (Pace Productivity, n.d.) to make room for at least one more hour of sleep and hopefully reserve some time for myself (to write in my journal) and for the unexpected.
Get Thee Behind Me, Obstacles
The obstacles and challenges I have to overcome in order to determine and balance my priorities and manage my time are those of my own making. My fear of the unknown, stubbornness, and tendency toward perfectionism have blocked my path. I have to let go of the way I’ve always done things and lower my standards in my non-priority areas. I need to allow my family to help me or to ask them for help when I need it (with a gentle reminder about how important it is for me to spend some time on myself). I need to allow myself a little more time to complete tasks and not be so hard on myself if I don’t meet my own expectations. My greatest challenge will be avoiding burnout and discouragement. By taking one course at a time, obtaining a masters degree will be a long haul. I need to be sure I get adequate sleep and time alone. To decrease frustration, I need to remind myself that the issues I’m grappling with are a part of God’s plan for my life.
Conclusion
I now realize that the time I have is time God has given me for a purpose. Time is a gift from God (Callahan, 1997). Time is not my enemy; I am blessed with this time. With God’s help, I hope to find direction for my life. In the meantime, I can appreciate this journey for what it is and learn from it.
References
Abernathy, D.J. (1999). A get-real guide to time management. Training and development, 53,
22-26. Retrieved October 11, 2004, from the WilsonSelectPlus database.
Callahan, S.C. (1997). The tyranny of time. Commonweal, 124, 7-8. Retrieved October 12, 2004,
from the WilsonSelectPlus database.
Covey, S.R., Merrill, A.R., & Merill, R.R. (1994). To live, to love, to learn to leave a legacy.
First things first: To live, to love, to learn, to leave a legacy (pp. 44-74). New York: Free Press.
FranklinCovey. (2004). Mission builder. Retrieved October 13, 2004, from
www.franklincovey.com
Pace Productivity (n.d.). How to plan your day. Retrieved October 15, 2004, from the
Get More Done Web site: http://www.getmoredone.com/tips1.html
Valasek, T. (n.d.). Student profiles in web-based courses: Identifying a profile for success.
Retrieved September 21, 2004, from Raritan Valley Community College, Communication and Languages Department Web site: http://www.raritanval.edu/departments/CommLanguage/full-time/valasek/MCF%20research.final.htm
Yaffe, K., Barnes, D., Nevitt, M., Lui, L. & Covinsky, K. (2004). A prospective study of
physical activity and mental decline in elderly women: Women who walk. Archives of Internal Medicine, 161, 1703-1708.
Permanent link to "Time Management"
Tuesday 05/03/05 07:43 PM
| Category: Concentrations
| Comment on this
No Place Else to Go: A Glimpse of Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Life
Karen L. Giles-Smith
Spring Arbor University
Natalie Goldberg discovered she loved literature in college. Although she was passionate about poetry — especially the poems of Milton, Shelley, and Keats — she didn’t realize she herself had license to be a poet until she stumbled upon a book of poetry to which she could relate, Erica Jong’s Fruits and Vegetables. Since then, even though she considers abandoning writing every other month, Goldberg knows that she is meant to write. “When you accept writing as what you are supposed to do, after you’ve tried everything else…there’s finally no place else to go” (Goldberg, 1986, p. 135). For nearly 20 years, Goldberg has been a successful writer, poet, and teacher. She has written eight books, including writing guides, poetry, and memoirs. This paper provides some insight as to why Goldberg is passionate about writing and briefly examines some of her advice on how to create good writing.
The Proof is in the Passion
According to Goldberg, connecting with herself and with the world are the benefits of writing (Saunders, 1991). Goldberg also believes that anyone can write – that everyone has something to say and a unique way to say it (Zeiger, 2003). Goldberg also believes talent isn’t necessary to write well. Instead, she puts emphasis on perseverance and determination — human effort. But the effort is not blood, sweat and tears. The effort is forcing oneself to wake up. And to Goldberg, waking up means being aware and mindful: noticing subtle details and knowing the specific names of things like trees and flowers. Talent is nice, she says, but work takes you much further (Goldberg, 1986; Sounds True, n.d.).
Goldberg believes that noticing and appreciating the details in all aspects of life is crucial to living in the moment – being awake, aware, and present. In addition to adding depth and meaning to life, awareness provides material to draw upon when writing. And there’s another advantage of writing, as Goldberg (1986) explains:
In a rainstorm, everyone quickly runs down the street with umbrellas, raincoats, newspapers over their heads. Writers go back outside in the rain with a notebook in front of them and a pen in hand. They look at the puddles, watch them fill, watch the rain splash in them. (p. 48)
Afterward, writers sit down, experience this event again, and consider it carefully. “Writers write about things that other people don’t pay much attention to,” says Goldberg, “A writer’s job is to make the ordinary come alive, to awaken ourselves to the specialness of simply being” (Goldberg, 1986, p. 99). In other words, writers get to live twice.
The Bare Bones of Writing
Goldberg advises, “What is important is not just what you do…but how you do it, how you approach it, and what you come to value” (Goldberg, 1986, p. 118). Goldberg’s advice on writing is mainly philosophical: trust in yourself, pay attention to what’s right in front of you, listen without judgment, write from your heart (express your first thoughts before second-guessing), be adventurous in your writing, practice, and persevere. Goldberg sums it up this way: “Basically, if you want to become a good writer, you need to do three things. Read a lot, listen well and deeply, and write a lot. And don’t think too much. Just enter the heat of words and sounds and colored sensations and keep your pen moving across the page” (Goldberg, 1986, pp. 53-54).
Goldberg also offers some specific suggestions on the craft of writing: use real detail; add passion; don’t get too far off topic; don’t be self-absorbed; don’t tell readers what to feel, show them the situation; make clear, assertive statements; and use verbs in fresh ways. To discern if Goldberg follows her own advice, I searched one of her memoirs, Long Quiet Highway: Waking Up in America (1993) for examples of three of her suggestions: embed emotion into writing, use clear and confident wording, and use verbs creatively. I chose these suggestions as markers because they are easy to identify within prose and are more objective than subjective (compared to “Don’t be self-absorbed,” for instance). Goldberg’s suggestions are not innovative, but they are solid pieces of advice also given by experts in the craft of writing such as Zinsser (2001), Lamott (1994), and Cameron (1992).
Embed Emotion
Goldberg credits this piece of advice to an old adage about writing: Don’t tell, but show. She suggests that writers show the reader what circumstances give birth to an emotion instead of telling the reader exactly how it feels or how they should feel. Emotion should be roused in the reader through the writer’s prose without using words that define emotion such as anger, sadness, elation, or frustration (Goldberg, 1986).
Following her own “Show, don’t tell” advice may be more difficult in a memoir such as Long Quiet Highway: Waking Up in America (1993), however, Goldberg’s writing is overburdened with phrases such as “I felt like a fool…” (p. 3), “Again, I was that sad girl in high school…” (p. 5), “In fifth grade I was mad for my teacher, Mr. Burke.” (p. 9), “I was embarrassed because somehow I knew I had been arrogant.” (p. 111), and “I wanted to support him, but my heart ached.” (p. 215). Goldberg’s openness and honesty help the reader understand and relate, however, nearly every page contains emotional declarations. The reader isn’t given the chance to feel for themselves.
Use Clear, Confident Wording
Goldberg believes that writers, especially beginners, should use clear, assertive statements and avoid indefinite modifiers such as perhaps, maybe, and somehow. Even though life isn’t always clear, she explains, affirmative statements encourage writers to trust their own minds and to stand up for their thoughts. Goldberg says, “Even if you are not sure of something, express it as though you know yourself. With this practice you eventually will” (1986, p. 86).
It’s evident that there is nothing tentative about Goldberg’s writing. In Long Quiet Highway, she doesn’t seem to seek validation or apologize for her thoughts or feelings. Her writing is clear, concise, and powerful. Readers may not agree with Goldberg, but she appears to understand and accept herself. As a result, her writing is strong and refreshing.
Use Verbs Creatively
“The more you are awake to all aspects of language, the more vibrant your writing will be,” counsels Goldberg, referring to the power of verbs (1986, p. 89). She believes verbs are the action and energy of a sentence and should be used in fresh ways. To discover creative noun-verb combinations, Goldberg suggests making a list of nouns on the left side of a piece of paper and a list of verbs on the right side, joining the nouns with various verbs, and then finishing the sentences. Unique and interesting wording may result, such as: “Dinosaurs marinate in the earth,” and “Her husband’s breathing sawed her sleep in half” (pp. 88-89).
In practice, Goldberg’s prose is simple and straightforward. She incorporates similes and metaphors, but her descriptions are far from flowery. Creative uses of verbs are lightly sprinkled throughout Long Quiet Highway (1993), but her writing maintains a conversational sound. An example of her use of “fresh” verbs is: “There was no place else to go, but moving my hand across the page gave me a way to eat my landscape, rather than be eaten by it” (p. 31). Ordinary noun-verb combinations such as “I’d watch the big white cumulus clouds sail over Taos Mountain…” (p. 84) are more common in Goldberg’s writing, which helps maintain a conversational style. After listening to a recording of an interview with Goldberg on New Dimensions World Broadcasting Network, I realize that she writes in a style very similar to the way she talks – she is well-spoken, but also plain-spoken.
Conclusion
Goldberg’s convictions come through in her writing. She is passionate about experiencing life in a state of awareness and appreciation and utilizes her writing to open readers’ eyes so they too can appreciate the extraordinary in the ordinary. As a result of this passion, and to articulate this passion, Goldberg’s writing style is open, direct, clear, and confident. She uses language descriptively to express herself, but does not obscure the meaning of her words with ornate prose. Although Goldberg’s writing doesn’t excel in a technical sense, it is an accurate expression of and effective vehicle for what she wishes to convey.
References
Cameron, J. (1992). The artist’s way: A spiritual path to higher creativity. New York: G. T.
Putnam’s Sons.
Goldberg, N. (1993). The long quiet highway: Waking up in America. New York: Bantam
Books.
Goldberg, N. (1986). Writing down the bones: Freeing the writer within. Boston: Shambhala.
Lamott. A. (1994). Bird by bird: Some instructions on writing and life. New York: Anchor
Books.
Saunders, C. (1991, December). Wild mind: An interview with Natalie Goldberg. The Sun.
Retrieved March 2, 2005, from
http://www.drcat.org/articlesinterviews/html/nataliegoldberg.html
Sounds True. (n.d.). Interview: Writing as spiritual practice - Natalie Goldberg. Retrieved
March 2, 2005, from http://store.yahoo.com/soundstruestore/interview-goldberg.html
Zeiger, G. (2003, November). Keep the hand moving: Natalie Goldberg on Zen and the art of
writing practice. The Sun. Retrieved March 2, 2005, from
http://www.thesunmagazine.org/Sun335Goldberg.pdf
Zinsser, W. (2001). On writing well: The classic guide to writing nonfiction. (6th ed.). New York:
Harper-Collins.
Permanent link to "No Place Else to Go: A Glimpse of Natalie Goldberg's Writing Life"