Introduction
“Scent of the Green Papaya” film shot by Tran Anh Hung takes place in Vietnam in the 1950s and narrates the story of poor young woman Mui who is a servant in a rich family. Mui observes everything around her as she grows older and becomes a beautiful woman. The viewer sees the life of Vietnam represented in the film through her eyes. I consider that the review of the film will contribute to a better understanding of the Vietnamese culture.
Type of the Family
The first point that should be noted is the type of family illustrated in the film. The viewer observes a drinking father and responsible mother, who runs both business and household. The family has three sons. Based on Robbins (2013) stating that “nuclear family is the group consisting of a father, a mother, and their biological or adopted children,” one might conclude that the family presented in the film is nuclear (p. 182). Eventually, the mother considers Mui as her daughter. The above emphasizes the matrilineal kinship system of the family when persons’ ties to their mother are underlined. Although, a traditional Vietnamese family sticks to patrilineal descent.
Roles of Sexuality, Love, and Wealth
The second point worth turning one’s attention is the roles of love and sexuality in the family. During the final part of the film, Mui falls in love with the pianist, the friend of the family, but he was engaged with another woman. On the contrary to the Western culture, where women try to attract men by their appearance or communication, Mui just observes him through the window. Only when her future husband notified her, Mui began talking to him. Further, the viewer sees a romantic scene full of beauty and love when the pianist teaches the young woman reading (The Scent Of Green Papaya, 2015). The example of Mui demonstrates that wealth is not so important as the majority of people used to think. Having no money and being a servant, she found true love.
Personhood
It should also be mentioned that Mui’s personhood is uncomplaining and all-seeing, she enjoys even simple things such as the sunset or the scent of green papaya. In this connection, her view of self is socio-centric, which is typical for Eastern cultures. The woman serves perfectly and quietly, caring more about the other people rather than about herself. Mui cannot imagine herself outside the society, namely, the family she lives in.
How do Individuals Communicate their Identities to One Another
“Scent of the Green Papaya” film reveals relationships within the family and Mui’s communication and identification with the family members. From early childhood, the girl learns family traditions and rules. The fact that Mui and the family belong to the same Vietnamese culture undoubtedly promoted the identification of Mui. As a result, she incorporated only the best qualities of the family, such as following traditions, patience, and meekness. Being a servant, Mui grew up in a wise and kind woman full of love to the world.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I would like to stress that I enjoyed the “Scent of the Green Papaya” film as it shows a beautiful but, at the same time, a complicated story of the poor young woman, who grew up in a glorious woman. Moreover, the film reflects key points of the Vietnamese family, such as the type of the family, roles of sexuality, love, and wealth, and persons’ adolescence, adulthood as well as communication and identification with others that are important to better understand Vietnamese culture.
References
Kota, H. (2015). The Scent Of Green Papaya. Web.
Robbins, R. H. (2013). Cultural Anthropology: A Problem-based Approach. (6th ed). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.