One of the major conflicts in Eat Drink Man Woman is the modernization/Westernization of Taiwanese society, linked with the usual generational conflict. In this scenario, the conflict is associated with a clash between tradition-bound Chinese culture and the freedom of Westernized society. We do see that seemingly inevitable breakdown of the old ways and older generation occurring, but unexpectedly some of the younger generation (Jia Chen, the middle daughter) seem to be rethinking their allegiance with new ways and revisiting more conventional ways, while the patriarch, Old Chu, has upset the whole applecart in taking his wife from the younger generation. Instead of the usual pattern of mourning the loss of the past, Lee shows a more complex result: Tradition and Chinese ways haven't been abandoned, nor does Western society dominate.
The Sunday meals become the field where we watch it all transpire. Food becomes a metaphor for the social change, where Chu's elaborate cuisine becomes a pointless ritual where everyone believes they are fulfilling the other's expectations and no one really wants to be there. Significantly, the meals aren't simply abandoned, but change and allow for voluntary attendance. In this manner, the focal conflict between the father and his middle daughter can be addressed directly rather being masked by the family tension. At the same time, Old Chu (representing an older Chinese culture) thrives by joining, in effect, the younger generation and regains his interest in continuing. However, now he truly cooks for his family (we assume, given the lunch menu subplot) rather than imposing an elaborate banquet menu that overwhelms. Cooking becomes a gift rather than a duty.
Smaller touches also suggest the seemingly inevitable Westernization of the younger generation isn't as complete as Jia Ning's (the youngest daughter) job at Wendy's suggests. Notice when she shares a meal with her future boyfriend, they eat at a street vendor, and the boyfriend dines on a meal of stinky tofu. Street food is far from the refined cuisine practiced by Chu, but nevertheless a vital part of Taiwanese and larger Chinese food culture and tradition. It's also something that most would put in the category of an acquired taste (like limburger or lutefisk), something Westerners are less likely to find appealing, but which natives would mourn the loss of.
The Sunday meals become the field where we watch it all transpire. Food becomes a metaphor for the social change, where Chu's elaborate cuisine becomes a pointless ritual where everyone believes they are fulfilling the other's expectations and no one really wants to be there. Significantly, the meals aren't simply abandoned, but change and allow for voluntary attendance. In this manner, the focal conflict between the father and his middle daughter can be addressed directly rather being masked by the family tension. At the same time, Old Chu (representing an older Chinese culture) thrives by joining, in effect, the younger generation and regains his interest in continuing. However, now he truly cooks for his family (we assume, given the lunch menu subplot) rather than imposing an elaborate banquet menu that overwhelms. Cooking becomes a gift rather than a duty.
Smaller touches also suggest the seemingly inevitable Westernization of the younger generation isn't as complete as Jia Ning's (the youngest daughter) job at Wendy's suggests. Notice when she shares a meal with her future boyfriend, they eat at a street vendor, and the boyfriend dines on a meal of stinky tofu. Street food is far from the refined cuisine practiced by Chu, but nevertheless a vital part of Taiwanese and larger Chinese food culture and tradition. It's also something that most would put in the category of an acquired taste (like limburger or lutefisk), something Westerners are less likely to find appealing, but which natives would mourn the loss of.
It is interesting that you brought up the cooking for a banquet of many people to the simple cooking for one little girl. I was thinking how we tend to have these talents that cause our hobbies to become a job. When you do something that you love you seem to excel to a certain point but when the demand for more tend to weigh you down it puts a damper on the one that you loved to do. It's no longer a hobby or joy to do. It's just a job. His cooking for the banquet hall was no longer fun. People didn't appreciate it, they just ate it. But the change in cooking for the little girl was when his cooking was appreciated and welcomed. He was able to do something he loved for someone that he loved dearly. A huge difference.
ReplyDeleteI think that Jia Chen, having been so successful in Western ways (especially with her career), coming full circle at the end and learning to appreciate the ancient Chinese tradition and buying her family home, shows that the younger generation isn't doomed to Western ways. Times and technology change, but I think that by her holding onto tradition, she links the gap between newer Taiwanese society and the ancient Chinese ways, showing that there are good things from both generations. I had to leave class early before the discussion started, so I am curious about something I didn't fully understand... Does anyone know why Old Chu could taste the food she prepared for him at the end of the movie?
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