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1、Cultural Gaps and Conflicts Between China and America from a Study of The Joy Luck Club由喜福会看中美文化差异和冲突ByFeng Die（冯蝶）Supervised byAssociate Prof. Guo Xihua（郭锡华）Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, ChinaJune, 2007ContentsAcknowledgementsiAbstract&Key Word.ii1. Introduction12. Analyzing the Cultural Gaps
2、 and Conflicts between China and America in Detail from a Study of The Joy Luck Club.42.1. Different values.52.2 Different concepts of family.82.3 Different ways of speaking and behavior.123. Looking forward to the future of cultural differences between China and America.18References20Acknowledgemen
3、tsI am greatly indebted to my thesis supervisor Associate Prof. Guo Xihua. She not only guides me to write this thesis in time, but also provides me with useful reference materials. Without her patient assistance and friendly encouragement, it would not have been possible for me to complete this the
4、sis in such a short period of time without reducing its scholarly quality.My special thanks should go to my friend Lee who has generously shared his reference materials with me and exchanged ideas on this subject. I especially thank my family and my roommates who have supported me during my research
5、 on this topic.Abstract & Key WordsAbstract: This paper mainly discusses different cultures. As a rule, intercultural communication refers to the communication between people from different cultures. Under different cultural circumstances, there are tangible differences in peoples both values and mo
6、des of thinking. Consequently, cultural gaps and conflicts are apt to come into being. From this point of view, this article intends to approach and analyze some concrete manifestations of differences in Chinese and American cultures by means of the novel, The Joy Luck Club, which is Chinese America
7、n female novelist, Amy Tans maiden work. This article can be divided into three parts. The writer of the paper tries to explain the definition of intercultural communication and similarly the history of studying it in both China and America in the first part. It also chiefly passes on American cultu
8、ral anthropologist, Edward T. Halls theories with respect to intercultural communication. His most famous theory on high context and low context cultures is included, which has usually been adopted and cited by other experts to research into intercultural communication. In the meantime, the brief in
9、troduction of the novel, The Joy Luck Club is equally helpful for readers to better understand the reason why this novel is chosen to be as the analytical subject. The second part is to make good use of Halls theory on high context and low context cultures to analyze the concrete manifestations of d
10、istinguishable cultures between China and America. Firstly, there are differences between Chinese and American values. Chinese culture advocates collectivism, on the contrary, American culture supports individualism. Secondly, Chinese concept of family differs from American one. Chinese culture emph
11、asizes traditional and conservative concept on the premise of collectivism while American culture stresses comparatively modern and open concept on the premise of individualism and self-development. Thirdly, it is impossible to doubt that the ways of speaking and behavior are different for Chinese a
12、nd American cultures. Chinese culture lays special emphasis on implicit and indirect ways. By contrast, American culture gives prominence to explicit and direct ways. The writer looks forward to the future of intercultural communication at the end of paper. With the globalization of the world, the c
13、oexistence of various cultures is an inexorable trend. Key words: The Joy Luck Club; different cultures; high context culture; low context culture摘要: 通常我们所说的跨文化交际，就是指来自不同文化群体的人们之间的交流。在交流过程中，由于各自所处的文化环境不同，价值观念和思维方式有着明显的差异，因此很有可能产生文化隔阂甚至冲突。而本文主要以此为切入点，借助美籍华裔女作家谭恩美的处女作喜福会，对中美文化差异的具体表现进行深入的分析和探讨。文章主要分为三
14、部分：首先，就跨文化交际学的定义以及中美研究发展史做一番说明。其中主要介绍多年来一直努力研究跨文化交际学的美国文化人类学家霍尔针对文化差异所提出的相关理论，包括最著名的高低背景文化理论。同时，对小说喜福会的内容做个介绍，从而让读者更好的明白选择喜福会作为研究分析对象的原因。其次，利用霍尔的高低背景文化理论，借助喜福会，对中美文化差异的具体表现来进行分析，文章从中美文化价值观念的差别、中美文化的家庭观念的不同以及中美文化说话行为表达方式差异等三个方面进行了详细的分析。本文作者最后对跨文化交际进行展望。随着全球化的进程，各种文化之间的融合将是一个必然的趋势。关键词：喜福会；文化差异；高背景文化；低
15、背景文化Cultural Gaps and Conflicts Between China and Americafrom a Study of The Joy Luck Club1. IntroductionIn its general sense, intercultural communication refers to the communication between people from different cultures. It takes place when a message is produced by a member of one culture for unde
16、rstanding and response by a member of another culture. As cultural variations are many and great, the potential for misunderstanding and disagreement can likewise be serious and great (杜瑞清等, 2004: 22). To put it another way, cultural gaps and conflicts are very likely to break out after undergoing a
17、 period of time during the communication between people of different cultures.Although as a formalized and defined area of study, intercultural communication has a comparatively short history, it is gratifying to see that more and more emphasis and importance have been placed on intercultural commun
18、ication both in and outside the academia all over the world. In detail, let us have a more deep-going comprehension of the history of the study of intercultural communication in detail.From the angle of region, intercultural communication in China began as a serious discipline for study in the early
19、 1980s with the nations reform initiatives and opening up endeavors. The study of intercultural communication in the United States can be traced to post-World War , when business and government were expanding and rebuilding globally. Government and business personnel overseas often found that they w
20、ere ill-equipped to deal with the challenges of working among people of different cultures. The language training they received, for example, did little to prepare them for the complex challenges of working abroad. In response to this situation, the U.S. government passed the Foreign Service Act in
21、1946 and established the Foreign Service Institute. The Institute hired Edward T. Hall and other prominent anthropologists and linguists (including Ray Birdwhistell and George Trager) to develop “predeparture” courses for overseas workers. Intercultural training materials were scarce, so they develo
22、ped their own. In so doing, the Institute theorists formed new ways of looking at culture and communication. Thus, the field of intercultural communication was born (杜瑞清等, 2004: 22-23). With the aspect to academia, there are many outstanding experts from many fields who are devoting themselves to do
23、ing research into the history and development of intercultural communication. Among them, the achievements of scholars from cultural anthropology and literature are probably particularly outstanding, in spite of their different research angles. Cultural anthropologists possess powerful profession an
24、d they are working hard in intercultural communication at all times so that their research theories and consequences are more authoritative. For example, Edward T. Hall, Walliam B. Gudykunst, Larry A. Samovar, Young Yun Kim and Ting-Toomy are all splendid cultural anthropologists, especially Edward
25、Hall whose theories in view of intercultural communication are usually adopted by other specialists. Edward Hall has described three important concepts and theories with regard to cultural differences, that is, time, space, and context.“Time is one of the fundamental bases on which all cultures rest
26、 and around which all activities revolve. Understanding the differences between monochromic time and polychromic time is essential to success.” Monochromic time is characterized as linear, tangible, and divisible. In monochromic time, events are scheduled one item at a time and this schedule takes p
27、recedence over interpersonal relationships. Polychromic time, on the contrary, is characterized by “the simultaneous occurrence of many things and by a great involvement with people.” (杜瑞清等, 2004: 20)Here, space refers to the invisible boundary around an individual that is considered “personal.” Thi
28、s sense of personal space can include an area, or objects, that have come to be considered that individuals “territory.” This sense of personal space can be perceived not only visually, but “by the ears, thermal space by the skin, kinesthetic space by the muscles, and olfactory space by the nose” as
29、 well (杜瑞清等, 2004: 21). Concerning Edward Halls theory on high-context and low-context cultures, it may be considered as his most significant achievement in the research of intercultural communication. Edward Hall categorizes cultures as being either high or low context, depending on the degree to w
30、hich meaning comes from the settings or from the words being exchanged. This can vary from a high context culture where background information is implicit to low context culture where much of the background information must be made explicit in an interaction (杜瑞清等, 2004: 21). In a high context style
31、, the talk tends to be indirect. Much of the message is expressed by means other than words, and people learn to watch for and interpret non-verbal cues and hinted-at nuances of meaning. A great deal is left unsaid: silence is valued and is associated with self-restraint (Fitzgerald, Helen, 2003: 81
32、). In other words, information is provided through gestures, the use of space, and even silence. Meaning is also conveyed “through status (age, sex, education, family backgrounds, title, and affiliations) and through an individuals informal friends and associates.” (Samovar, 2000: 79) Chinese cultur
33、e and tradition are long, continuous and unified, and change very little over time. It possesses strong stability and solidarity so that China is viewed as the most typical country of high context culture. Low-context communication, however, is more direct and explicit: most of the message is carrie
34、d in the words and people are comparatively unaware of other contextual cues and less adept at interpreting meanings other than those expressed verbally. They tend to take what is said at face value, generally expecting people to say what they mean (Fitzgerald, Helen, 2003: 81). In short, the verbal
35、 message contains most of the information and very little is embedded in the context or the participants (Samovar, 2000: 79). America, its history and political organizations has been built for a relatively short time but develops quite fast. More and more people pay much attention to rapid change a
36、nd the idea of progress. Hence, America can be considered as the representative of low context culture. Eventually, if people would like to discuss differences between eastern and western cultures, the study of Chinese and American cultures is an effective channel and a better choice.As the globaliz
37、ation of the world, the influence of cultural diversity and variety on human communication has been greater than ever before. More and more people call for attention to appropriate principles and methods of communication when they have contact with others from different cultural backgrounds. For thi
38、s purpose, the research into gaps and conflicts generated during the intercultural communication has been the focus for most experts. In particular, the study of cultural gaps and conflicts between China and America becomes more vital. Therefore, for the sake of aiding people to be awake to this poi
39、nt intuitionally, a number of literary works of excellence have been presented to us. Especially, in recent years, Amy Tan and Maxine Hong Kinston have established a great reputation. Of course, compared with the works of Maxine Hong Kinston, the literary works of Amy Tan own more power to move the
40、feelings and are more popular with common readers, such as her first effort, The Joy Luck Club.The Joy Luck Club was Amy Tans first and perhaps the most well known literary work. It brought her great success and also made her name known around the world. The Joy Luck Club was written in 1989, a time
41、 of great change in the world and it was to show western society the culture and tradition of China at the time when most of the books being published involved western society and culture with almost none showing the eastern world or perspective. Amy Tan had thus written The Joy Luck Club in an atte
42、mpt to unveil the mysteries of Chinese culture and to present to the western society the traditions of China through the novel. The novel, The Joy Luck Club delves into the complicated relationship between four Chinese immigrant mothers and their first generation American born daughters. The novel a
43、lternates from the shocking lives of the mothers in pre-Revolutionary China to the complex and chaotic life of the daughters in the twentieth century San Francisco. And additionally this novel gives prominence to conflicts between mothers and daughters, husbands and wives owing to differences in cul
44、tures. Apparently, Amy Tan draws support from describing real life vividly to reveal the possible consequences, namely gaps, conflicts and coexistence caused in the period of intercultural communication. In summary, The Joy Luck Club clearly shows to the readers the cultural gaps and conflicts betwe
45、en Chinese and American cultures even within the family.With Edward Halls theory on high context and low context cultures, this dissertation aims to make good use of the means of literature analysis to look at differences in cultural values, concepts of family and ways of speaking and behavior with
46、the reference to the novel, The Joy Luck Club. 2. Analysis of the Cultural Gaps and Conflicts Between China and America from a Study of The Joy Luck ClubAs to cultural values, the distinction between high context and low context is collectivism and individualism. It is generally agreed that individu
47、alism and collectivism make up one of the most important and extensively discussed dimensions in intercultural communication. They reflect contrasting perceptions about knowledge, cognition, and the nature of man. The two conflicting orientations also lead to different behaviors because of personal
48、preferences. The individualism-collectivism dichotomy is the key to understanding western and eastern cultures, because nothing better distinguishes one from the other (杜瑞清等, 2004: 304). As a result, we can put stress on the importance of studying cultural values. The research of concepts of family and ways of speaking and behavior can not be allowed to lose contact with looking at cultural values.All in all, in order to help people recognize this situation and alleviate problems and conflicts e
