Mulan Research Paper

1507 Words4 Pages

¨Look at me... I will never pass for a perfect bride. Or a perfect daughter. Can it be, I'm not meant to play this part? Now I see, that if I were truly to be myself, I would break my family's heart. Who is that girl I see, staring straight back at me? Why is my reflection someone I don't know? Somehow I cannot hide who I am, though I've tried. When will my reflection show who I am inside?¨ In Disney's Movie Mulan, which is based on the medieval Chinese legend of Hua Mulan, a young Chinese girl runs away from home upon failing her meeting with the ‘matchmaker’ and finding out the Huns have invaded. Mulan enlists herself in training to take her injured fathers spot in the upcoming war as he will surely die if he goes. At the time the movie is placed in …show more content…

While an animated movie, Mulan places significant emphasis on empowerment towards young girls. Like many oral legends, there are many different interpretations and versions of Mulan. The earliest recorded version was a short poem written between 386 and 533 A.D. titled Poem of Mulan. This poem is essentially simplified into, ‘Mulan is a typical Chinese girl who goes to war for her father and wins but then comes home and goes back to being typical’ (Mulan vs. The Legend of Hua Mulan 2). Disney's version includes many details not included in the original poem. For example, in the poem, Mulan returns to doing her womanly duty after willingly revealing herself to her comrades. The reason these details are changed and others are added is to make the story more Disney-esk. Without adding and changing details, Mulan would barely even pass as a short film. In Disney's version, the head of the Huns, Shan Yu, rallies a massive army with intentions to invade China and overthrow the emperor. Upon receiving this news, the emperor sends out a notice to each village ordering one man from every family to join the war effort. The legend of Mulan depicts the roots of the story differently.

Show More
Related

  • White Tigers vs. Mulan

    973 Words  | 2 Pages

    William Shakespeare once said, “[My] honor is my life; both grow in one; take honor from me, and my life is done.” The idea is touched upon in both the book Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston as well as Disney’s Mulan were family honor is more important than anything else. Mulan was directed by Tony Bancroft and Barry Cook, and produced by Walt Disney Pictures. The film Mulan retold the story of a woman warrior who took her father’s place in battle and became a savior of China.The movie uses many elements from the original story told in the chapter “White Tigers,” but adds many modern twists in order to make the story more appealing for a newer generation. In both stories of Fa Mu Lan the elements of sacrifice, silence and voice, cultural practices of ancestor worship and filial piety, and Chinese stereotypes are present.

    Read More

  • A Girl Worth Fighting For: A Critical/Cultural Analysis of Disney’s Mulan

    1624 Words  | 4 Pages

    ...sh and adore. However, next time, do not let yourself be so easily grabbed by the catchy musical numbers and seemingly revolutionary story that is told. Yes, Mulan is an unorthodox heroine who changes all the rules, but she does so by conforming to a flawed system and affecting change from the inside, under the guise of a man. In lieu of doing it as a woman, it is not as girl power filled as many of us would like to believe. She, for the most part, affects all of this change as a man. Once she’s discovered, all her hard work in the training and the relationships she’s forged are all tossed to the wind and she’s quickly relegated back to her place as a lowly woman. However, despite its flawed execution in being a girl power story, it embodies a quintessential feel-good, be true to your heart film that will leave you wanting to affect change in the world around you.

    Read More

  • Mulan Monomyth

    853 Words  | 2 Pages

    Mulan pursues the phases of the monomyth. In Mulan’s ordinary world she is expected to find a husband of good repute and prevail honor on her family. (I Sentence) Then, Mulan is called to her future adventure when the emperor sends out the herald, Chi Fu, to announce the call for new soldiers to be part of the Chinese army. Chi Fu (I Sentence) By the same token, Mulan begs the herald not to make her father go, she pleads with Chi Fu and tells him that he has already served his country and that it wouldn’t be fair. Although Mulan’s father isn’t refusing the call, Mulan is protesting the call of her father to fight. Later, Mulan meets Captain Lee Shang, her mentor, in the army training camps. At the start, Shang views Mulan as a menial, however, after a lot of serious training, Shang transforms Mulan from weak to

    Read More

  • Donna Mulhearn Research Paper

    278 Words  | 1 Pages

    Donna Mulhearn is one of the 25 best just leaders of Australia. She became a human shield to save people in the Iraq war. The experience she gained gave her the courage to do positive things for the children in wars, whose parents have been killed or are living under threat or disaster. She is setting up safe houses for the families who lost their houses or are struggling. Donna created an NGO (non-governmental organization) setting up a shelter for street kids in Baghdad, a Centre for children that provides emergency aid to displaced families. She is speaking to schools, groups, and as many people as she can to raise awareness and funds to help the children. Donna was a remarkable woman who showed many values throughout her life. Donna showed

    Read More

  • Lal La Land Research Paper

    137 Words  | 1 Pages

    La La Land is American musical romantic comedy-drama movie in 2016. Lalaland written and directed by Damien Chazelle. It stars Ryan Gosling name is Sebastian as a jazz pianist and Emma Stone name is Mia as an aspiring actress in the movie.

    Read More

  • Comparing Mulan In Beowulf And The Fight With Gren

    322 Words  | 1 Pages

    Mulan in “Mulan” is more heroic than Beowulf in “Beowulf and the Fight with Grendel”. Mulan and Beowulf are both loyal heroes. Before Beowulf’s battle with Grendel, he gives his word to Hrothgar that he will defeat Grendel. When Hrothgar's offer to withdraw from the fight tests his allegiance, he rejects it. Mulan also goes through tests that reveal her loyalty to China when Chi-Fu exposes her true identity and banishes her from the army. Regardless of her desertion, Mulan pursues Shang to warn him about Shan-Yu’s survival and to assist the army in the fight against him. While Mulan and Beowulf are both loyal heroes, Mulan has a stronger sense of loyalty. The shame, dishonor, and isolation that result from her abandonment test Mulan’s

    Read More

  • Slacker Essay

    1203 Words  | 3 Pages

    herself in the mirror. In doing so she can see her ugliness. It is a metaphor for her

    Read More

  • Women in Movies and Feminist Movement in the United States

    963 Words  | 2 Pages

    Women have been in movies since they first started playing on the big screen, they have played an assortment of roles, the damsel in distress, the first one to die, the poor scullery maid who ends up a princess, the evil witch, etc. While some of the roles have shed bad light on women, for example being a femme fatale, other movies have set positive examples for the future generations. As time has changed, the Disney princesses have evolved with it, each princess becoming more outspoken and independent, influencing the young women of today to want to grow up to be just like them, “They enact a shift from the "princesses" of ballet to the "heroes" of sport. Heroism, egalitarianism and autonomy are slipped into the conventions of Disney princesshood” (Do Rozario, R.,C., 2004, para. 34). In Mulan the movie, Mulan saves her father by disobeying him, and taking his place in the war by doing that she ended up saving her whole country. Disney isn’t telling young women to disobey their parents; they’re showing them that while you may be a girl, you can be brave and succeed.

    Read More

  • Snow White And Cinderella Gender Analysis

    1427 Words  | 3 Pages

    However, Tangled offers strong evidence that Disney’s representation of its female princesses has changed very little over the years (Ellorin). Rapunzel’s big eyes and gorgeous long lashes are now a trademark belonging to almost every Disney Princess, as is the tiny waist and elegantly curved body image “Western standards of beauty” (Cohen). Rapunzel’s tremendously long, blonde hair is symbolic of her prime and purity; also has been used as a weapon as a rope and whip on occasion and the object of her mother’s, and men’s, desire. Her hair is a metaphor for her virginal youth and beauty. Flynn fights other men for this, and it is essentially significant to him because of the riches, authority and “bragging rights” it could get him. Her hair is the reason her jealous mother Gothel follows her, because of it’s magic healing powers it possesses, which helps her mother stay young and beautiful. Patriarchal portrayals of optimal femininity have led to the sexualization of Disney’s princesses, creating the Disney Princess stereotype. In comparison then, Snow White and Tangled are “prototypical Disney” (Manduke). They represent the classic male of female youth and beauty, as well as conformity to the significant order. Just as Snow White is a victim until her prince rescues her, Rapunzel is not confident enough to violate her mother’s orders until handsome Flynn Ryder enters her tower.

    Read More

  • Reza Aslan Research Paper

    1326 Words  | 3 Pages

    Aslan explains his wife as a ‘deeply spiritual compassionate human being’ who soothes his pessimistic soul. Although Aslan is a devoted Muslim his wife practices and follows Christianity. As parents, they plan to raise their children by teaching them morals and tell them all the stories and beliefs, giving them the ability to have an open mind. As Aslan grew up with his mother being ‘culturally Muslim’ as Reza put it and his father being an Atheist. He explained the environment of his home as an ‘anti-religion’ household rather than being religious. After leaving home for one weekend when he was fifteen years old Aslan converted to Christianity later converting his own mother. Although Aslan converted back to Islam, his mother continues to be a devoted Christian till this

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Mulan

    1272 Words  | 3 Pages

    Now I see that if I were truly to be myself, I would break my family’s heart” (1998). She is torn between the pressure of being herself and conforming to social expectations. I was moved by the music and felt an immediate empathy with her. Furthermore, I could not help weeping bitterly when Mulan’s real gender was exposed, as she was wounded and deserted, alone in the snow. It is also this specific moment when Mulan reveals her hope to prove she “could do things right,” perhaps, to achieve a sense of selfhood. This theme of individualism highlights the universal element of the movie as well as accents the differences between the Disney film Mulan and the original Ballad of Mulan (500–600 A.D.). The theme of the Ballad is far from individuality but more about filial piety and loyalty. Since in ancient China country is seen as the extension of the family, while the family is the extension of the self, filial piety and loyalty are regarded as essential traditional Chinese values that uphold society and the family. Contrary to her image as a tomboyish girl unable to fit in the traditional gender role, in the Ballad of Mulan, Mulan is a dutiful daughter, serving in her father’s place out of consideration for her family and country. The description in the Ballad about Mulan is fairly feminine: she “weaves,” “fixes her cloudlike hair,” and

    Read More

  • Sociology In Mulan

    1452 Words  | 3 Pages

    Mulan tells that the story of brave Mulan. Mulan did not want her elderly father to fight in the war, so she disguised as a man and joined in her father 's army. Finally, Mulan defeated the Huns and Shan Yu (leader of the Huns) with her partners in barracks. This Disney film portrays the conflict perspective, feminism, and symbolic interaction perspective.

    Read More

  • Textual Analysis Of Mulan

    708 Words  | 2 Pages

    The story follows Mulan, a female warrior who disguises herself as a man to defend her country against Rourans. As a variation on the commonly known fairytale, this script puts almost all of the its main powerful characters as females. Rather than making all the powerful leaders male and

    Read More

  • The King Of Mulberry Street Analysis

    289 Words  | 1 Pages

    "The King of Mulberry Street," focuses on Beniamino a ten year old, fatherless boy who gets snuck on to a boat headed for America. While on the ship he encounters others that were secretly aboard as well. They ask him about why Beniamino was there, alone and his name. He doesn't answer thinking about his Italian name. They offer him names to pick from to make him sound American once he arrives. "Let's call him Domenico. In America, though, he'll need an American name," said Eduardo. Joe would be better." He is forced to choose between the names Joe and Dom. He picks Dom. This proves that as he is approaching his new permanent life he does whatever to fit it. He is willing to change his name, that carries his Italian roots, to be accepted by

    Read More

  • Malaysian Literature

    2964 Words  | 6 Pages

    Malaysian literature in English, in the genre of fiction, has become a dynamic body of writing that has been the arena where alternative views and ideas about culture are raised and articulated. In Cultures in Conflicts, Fernando’s intent in revealing the curiosity of the Tasadays, a newly discovered tribe in the Philippines, to have a glimpse of the outside world is to highlight the popular ethereal precept that “Let us call all men one man” (1), a tenet much imbued in Tagore’s writings on universal human relationship attained from the Upanishads teaching and the Emersonian maxim of the Oversoul / Unity. I argue that echoes of these universal maxims are evident in Fernando as well when he expresses in Cultures in Conflict “We search for unity, homogeneity, while being confronted by the reality of heterogeneity” (Fernando 3). The traumatic incidence of racial riots of May 13, 1969 provided the setting and milieu for Lloyd Fernando‘s Green is the Colour. Interposing Bakhtin’s dialogism in the poetics of multiculturalism about difference and unity, I propose that the novel interprets Fernando as a responsible novelist in the position of a member of a multiethnic and multicultural society in Malaysia who must contest individual aspirations in the face of communal and social demands for unity hence locating Green is the Colour as a promising consequence of multiculturalism against ferocious ethnic relationship towards nation building in that particular milieu. Furthermore, I argue that the fundamental category in Fernando’s mode of visualizing a multicultural nation in the novel is not evolution but coexistence and interaction.

    Read More

More about Mulan Research Paper

Open Document