Be Water Asian American Identity

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Asian-American Identity through the Media. After decades of oppression and discrimination, Asian Americans were pushed into a mold to pose as a high-expected community with a lack of flaws or humanity. The pressure and expectations created by these judgments started to enforce harmful stereotypes and ideals on the Asian American community. It wasn’t until recent years that Asian American creators, authors, artists, and actors started to play a major role in reshaping societal perceptions of the Asian American identity through their creative media. By exploring how their work challenges mainstream portrayals and stereotypes of Asian-ness and Asian-American-ness, it’s important to consider the finer perspectives and reclaim agency over their …show more content…

Lee’s legend lives on through the documentary, Be Water, made by Bao Nguyen. It is a moving depiction of Lee's life and philosophical outlook on identity. It unravels his profound impact on martial arts, cinema, and cultural representation in the Asian American community. Through a series of archival footage and insightful interviews with Lee’s loved ones, the film scrupulously outlines Lee's growth from his shaped years in Hong Kong to his rise to fame in Hollywood as a cherished actor. One important instance highlighted in Be Water is Lee's struggle against the dominant racial stereotypes in the film industry against Asian Americans. From facing numerous rejections and obstacles, Lee persevered and offered his dedication to finally debuting with his iconic role as Kato in the television series, The Green Hornet (1966). This breakthrough challenged the limited portrayals of Asians in Western media but also paved the way for more diverse representations. Without Lee opening the doors in the industry, numerous Asian American actors would not be able to reach for the stars where Lee found success in. At the essence of Be Water, it illustrates Lee's intellectual vision of adaptability and fluidity through his metaphor of water, "Empty your mind, be …show more content…

The pressure and expectations of being perfect students or working professionals without any flaws or abnormalities completely tears the Asian American community apart. On the hand, in Justin Lin’s film, Better Luck Tomorrow, introduces viewers to the main protagonist, Ben, who is a high-achieving Asian American student and how he becomes involved in a criminal scheme alongside his friends. This character plotline devalues the stereotype of Asian Americans as solely studious and law-abiding, instead presenting a realistic exploration of youth grappling with societal pressures and personal desires. Ben's downhill into crime highlights the internal conflict between societal expectations and individual identity that all young adults may experience regardless of identity. This shows an effort into challenging the simplistic narratives often imposed on Asian American youth. For instance, in one scene, Ben and his friends engage in cheating on exams and petty theft as actions that violate the model minority stereotype. This form of fresh representation of the Asian American youth serves as a form of uprising against the tensions to conform to unrealistic expectations and succeed at all costs. It grants a glimpse into the complexities of identity formation and the attraction of deviance by spreading awareness of realistic traits from the Asian American community. Through Ben's

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