Film: Gran Torino

Alternativer Bildtext:

Thao with them, he stops them and protects Thao. As a Thank You, Thao has to work for Walt. Walt slowly develops a bond with Thao and the rest of the Lor family. They start getting along, helping each other and caring for each other. The Lor family gets more often into trouble with the gang and Walt protects them and one day takes matters in his own hands. As a consequence, the gang shoots the Lor family's house and rape Sue. Walt wants to take revenge on them without destroying Sue's and Thao's future. He goes to the gang's house, talks with them, pulls out a cigarette lighter and then gets shot to death. The gang gets arrested because there were enough witnesses, Thao gets the Gran Torino and Sue can go peacefully to college. Relationships of the characters Walt with his family But ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Walt with the church ● ● ● respects the church but is disrespectful to the priest refers to the priest as a "27 year old virgin" who does not know anything about life and death Walt with his neighbors in the beginning ● does not approve of his grandchildren's behavior or clothing holds on to the old things, appreciates and cherishes them distanced relationship lack of communication ● they reach out for his luxury his family thinks they could never meet his expectations Walt feels disconnected from them They don't care about his true feelings or him as a person ● blood relation he had a good relationship with his wife they want him to live safely and want to be secure that someone cares for him they share the same culture, background refers to them as "Swamp rats" doesn't like their culture cold and distanced relationship isn't very welcome because of his unsympathetic character has prejudices against them Walt with his neighbors throughout the film ● ● cherishes the conservative values is not familiar with their culture so he doesn't really fit in protects the Lor family from the gang builds a bond with Thao and Sue ● ● ● ● The Korean War ● 1950-1953 division of Korea in North and South Korea after WW2 ● Beginning: North Korean Communist army invaded non-communist South Korea America helped South Korea US didn't want so seem soft on communism -> Cold War as Background Armistice agreement ended the Korean War -> Korea in same division and still in Cold War tension as before Hmong people and the Vietnam War ● ● Is like a mentor or father for Thao: teaches him how to do construction, helps him get a job in construction, stands up for him Is friends with Sue: they can be honest with each other, talk like friends Builds connection with the rest of the family by coming to family celebrations or having BBQ's together ● helps them with the house (fixes things) the Hmong family thank him with food gives his life so that they could live in peace and that Thao and Sue can have a better life ● Character development of Walt ● Alone all the time -> having company Always grumpy and in a bad mood -> laughs more often and makes jokes Very distanced from everyone -> talks with others Resentment against the Hmong people and their culture -> more open-minded Doesn't really have a family he belongs to -> feels a sense of belonging to the Lor family ● Egoistic-> altruistic Wanting his peace and quiet -> more outgoing, joining family events of the Lor family Stubborn independence -> accepts help from others Hmong people from Laos fought for the US in the Vietnam War After the ending they were left alone by the US, then suffered from persecution and retaliation Many Hmong people lived in refugee camps in Thailand and fled to the US Challenges and sacrifices with belonging Thao: ● ● ● ● Walt: ● ● ● Sue: ● ● ● ● ● Struggles with his own identity and therefore with his sense of belonging Calm, shy person, not looking for trouble Doesn't meet the expectations of his family, gets made fun of Doesn't open up to many people ● Feels the need to join the gang in order to belong to a group besides his own family -> sacrifices his values and abandons his morals by trying to join the gang -> immediately regrets it and feels guilty Lack of confidence By meeting Walt: O O O O Gets provided on another view on friendship Envisions his future Has now got the father he never had Learns more about himself, becomes aware of his identity, change of his character Doesn't express the need to belong to a group other than her family ● Self-confident, knows her worth and her abilities Polish-American, who identifies with the American Dream and the blue-collar ethic Haunted by his guilt (Korean War) -> tries to find peace with himself and his past -> inner conflict Doesn't see the need to belong to any group -> estranged from his family, lives in isolation Has a general connection with people of his class By meeting the Lor Family: Opens up to their culture -> reevaluates his values O O O O Is willing to give his life for keeping the Lor family safe Church and confession inspire him to realise his plan Overcomes his trauma and prejudices Develops a sense of belonging to them Acts as a father figure for Thao -> Thao as an alternative to his own sons Is able to handle both the Hmong and the American culture Challenges of being the girl in the family -> expectations of her family Feels a strong sense of belonging to her own family -> cares about them, would do anything to make sure they're okay, is responsible for the intercultural communication Doesn't like the gang and tries to convince Thao to stay away from them Sacrifices her well-being and safety for her brother, becomes the targe of the gang Builds a relationship with Walt O Fights against his prejudices O Integrates him in her culture and family Unclear if she will ever recover from the events Bennet's model of intercultural learning transferred to Walt ● ● ● ● ● ● Denial: there is no reason to know something about foreign cultures: O Walt at the beginning of the film O Refers to the Lor family as swamp rats, chicken, etc. O Frustrated and alone -> old widow and the only white American in his neighborhood Defence: my own culture is superior to other culturesin many aspects: O Referring to the Hmong people as swamp rats O General dislike of their "lifestyle" Minimization: all human beings are similar despite some superficial differences: Witnesses Thao's positive actions O Helps Sue get away from the gang and sees her as a person not as scum Shows interest in and learns about the Hmong culture Acceptance: differences among people are no problem; they are of interest to me: His birthday at the Lor house O O They show him what his family is lacking O His mentoring for Thao establishes and he introduces him to sth. He identifies with O Mutual respect and support helping Thao to integrate in the American society Adaptation: I use different standards for the evaluation of situation in foreign cultural context Integration: I almost feel as comfortable in another culture as I do in my own: O Walt is shot O He sacrifices his own life for the Lor family