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in common with these gooks than own spoilt-rotten family" with my (1 xWalt saves Thao from the Hmong gang x thao's attempt of stealing the GT Cinitiation ritual) X antagonist relation due to prejudices/ racism THAO BECOMES A MAN at the beginning: x described with female attributes x "no balls" / "pussy (kid)" x clothing (sandals) x doing women's work (dishes, gardening) x lacks self-confidence x is bossed around (by Sue, the WALT'S MASCULINITY x male characteristics (stereotypical) X * portrayed as a role model of masculinity x not showing any weakness x Motor city Detroit → Ford, change of social structure, white flight ttmong gong) no car job girl- friend flagship pockery } WALT MANS HIM ир ↓ him xhelps girlfriend, car Gmans him ир x they become friends x becomes a father- figure ("role-model") for Thao Ghelets him take the GT for hisdate, later inherits it to him beginning with his get a job, language (Barber Shop) GT for date + inheritance → job in con- struction Starts dating Youa tools/handop. lawn mower, solves his problems alone, not talking about his feelings Thao finds his male iden- tity language (swearwords), muscle cars drinking / smoking, uses force/weapons to protect himself, at (muck/" doesn't go to a doctor, after financial crisis 2008: run-down area, poverty, high crime rate 2 PERSONAL SOCIAL/ CULTURAL AMBIGUITY OF BELONGING THAO: gender question 77-137 X forl symbol of Detroit's glorious past * partly Hmong, partly American x absent at family rituals, but: - dates a Hmong girl is wearing traditional dresses at Walt's funeral * his American identity makes him look for a job and get a car ↓ in the end he's usaccesful in having a double identity (car enables him to integrate into American Society) 2 FAMILIES WALT: x wonders to which family he belongs when he finds out that he has more in common with the Hmongs Xboth traditional, *Same mindset brings them together during the movie, helps communication)... in the end he opts for the Hmong family as he sacrifices himself + inher'ts the his grand daughter GT to Thao instead of to his x his cultural identity is influenced by the past (concept of white pre- dominance, America is represented by Whites only). x his identity is challenged by de- velopments in multicultural Society ↳cultural mix at the doctor's VANG LORS: traditional (celebrate a ritual together) x very x children help in the household x guests at the child blessing Ceremony (close bonds, functioning community x happy atmosphere of a beginning life ↳ he's the only white person in a Itmong community, multicultural not prepared to mingle in society ↓ Cannot fit in, outdated model, alienated from others. (i.e. family, neighborhood, church) KOWALSKIS: x Walt's mindset: "Still living in the Sos", traditional, conservative ones x expects respect towards the older x racist prejudices against Asians (mainly due to war experiences) x set apart from his sons/grandchil- THEM: & materialistic thinking (jewellery of Walt's wife, Ashley: GT) x disrespectful, laugh about Walt (cell phone in church, naked belly button) x guests at the funeral (no close bonds) (no interaction) x atmosphere of "death" THE G.T. WALT: * expresses his personality: both are outdated models, refict of old days * represents the glorious industrial tradition of America + the values of x Gran(d) good old times of the US-enterprises these days x old, W. worked on it himself x muscle car masculinity THAO: way of becoming an adult (date, new freedom) MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY IN GT * role on his 4 polishes the car → appreciation x inherits it, new social status, mobility x central element in his cultural assimilation WHITES: * Walt's son (Mitch) lives in a white residential wealthy, area in suburbs ↳ white flight HMONG: x ghetto-like community in run-down houses x represents conservative Am. Values bridges the gap between their cultural & personal differences! NO CONTACT TO EACH OTHER Sue's boyfriend acting AA ("bro") → Walt entrusts him "his baby" = PARALLEL SOCIETIES, Strong confrontation x language barrier x deep lack of under- Standing of the other one's culture Walt patting on child's head, thinking of Hmong as a nationality prejudices, insults ("gook",..) HISPANICS: x live in an area with small apartments / low income x criminal, probably unim- ployed AFRICAN-AMERICANS: x deserted area full of rubbish/ Gdangerous x seem to spend their time Outside / in the street, probably unemployed too