Deze scriptie gaat over het huwelijk en zijn invloeden op het leven van vrouwen in De Droom van de Rode Kamer. Het kijkt naar vier specifieke personages in de roman en vergelijkt dit met de...Show moreDeze scriptie gaat over het huwelijk en zijn invloeden op het leven van vrouwen in De Droom van de Rode Kamer. Het kijkt naar vier specifieke personages in de roman en vergelijkt dit met de werkelijkheid van vrouwen die in die tijd leefden.Show less
This thesis analyzes the way in which the development of environmental protection is represented in mainstream Chinese cinema by examining the different societal players in Chinese films with an...Show moreThis thesis analyzes the way in which the development of environmental protection is represented in mainstream Chinese cinema by examining the different societal players in Chinese films with an ecological theme. Such societal players are the Chinese government, or Chinese minority groups. Moreover, this thesis explores the way nature itself is presented in these films, as well as what tools are used in promoting environmental messages.Show less
Literature allows us to experience the world through different eyes, walk through faraway lands and live a life vastly different from our own, if only for a short while. Not even teenagers are...Show moreLiterature allows us to experience the world through different eyes, walk through faraway lands and live a life vastly different from our own, if only for a short while. Not even teenagers are immune to its lure, as shown by the success of youth literature throughout the world. While sales figures of this young branch of literature are astounding, it is also worth delving into its contents. Shown by websites such as The Brown Bookshelf, the Children’s Book Council Diversity Initiative and the #WeNeedDiverseBooks Campaign, there is an ongoing debate on the importance of diversity and representation of minority groups in youth literature, as people wonder what it means when our classrooms are more diverse than the characters in our youth literature. What happens if we bring this debate to China? While China is almost as large as the European continent, it is easy to mistake it for a homogenous country. In truth, China has a hugely diverse population, which begs the questions: is this diversity reflected in its just as hugely popular youth literature? When discussing minority groups in China, the first to spring to mind are the 55 ethnic minority groups. Though they make up less than 10% of the total population, combined they still account for more than a hundred million people. Their representation in Chinese youth literature will be the focus of this thesis. The first chapter will examine the current state of contemporary Chinese youth literature and how it has developed. In the second chapter, I will take a closer look at the problematic nature and context of ethnic minority groups and ethnic representation in China. The third chapter will introduce the five youth literature novels that will be the focus of this research, and a thorough discussion of the ethnic representation in these five novels will be featured in the fourth and last chapter. The main research question is: how are ethnic minority groups represented in contemporary Chinese youth literature?Show less
This MA thesis, “Inside the Heart of the Taiwanese High School: the Representation of the Classroom and its Students in Four Taiwanese High School Films”, examines how in Blue Gate Crossing, Winds...Show moreThis MA thesis, “Inside the Heart of the Taiwanese High School: the Representation of the Classroom and its Students in Four Taiwanese High School Films”, examines how in Blue Gate Crossing, Winds of September, You Are the Apple of My Eye, and Our Times, the classroom and its students are portrayed. I argue that the classroom is not solely used for teaching classes. Instead, the portrayal of the classroom and its students are more focused on the social aspects of the room. Dividing the social functions of the classroom in five themes, which are: the classroom as a social meeting point, the classroom as a place of loneliness, the classroom as a place of rest, the classroom as a place of friction, and rebellion against the authorities, the classroom becomes the center of the student's life during their six-year long stay.Show less
This thesis examines female consciousness and self-identity in six films by Chinese female directors from the Sixth Generation. This study compares three films from the independent sector to three...Show moreThis thesis examines female consciousness and self-identity in six films by Chinese female directors from the Sixth Generation. This study compares three films from the independent sector to three films from the commercial sector by using the method of social semiotics.Show less
Yang Guifei is considered to be one of China’s most beautiful women. Her beauty is portrayed in several Chinese historical and literary writings over the ages. Each generation of (mostly male)...Show moreYang Guifei is considered to be one of China’s most beautiful women. Her beauty is portrayed in several Chinese historical and literary writings over the ages. Each generation of (mostly male) authors is influenced by the technique of the male gaze and imbued her with their own contemporary beauty ideals creating new, updated versions of Yang as the perfect beauty. Most of the descriptions of Yang Guifei’s beauty tend to be general and are applicable to any beautiful woman in premodern China. Trends that remain consistent through time are cloud-like hair, red cheeks and lips, a creamy bosom and a white skin. Changes in the portrayal of her beauty can be found in the way of presenting her physique and feet.Show less
This thesis explores the way in which a realistic representation of a specific martial art in a martial arts movie is conveyed and to what extent this serves nationalistic purposes. The focus is to...Show moreThis thesis explores the way in which a realistic representation of a specific martial art in a martial arts movie is conveyed and to what extent this serves nationalistic purposes. The focus is to introduce a new approach of categorizing the performative body of the actor. The fashion in which the display of skill is portrayed, determines not only credibility of the performance, but also determines whether or not a martial arts movie can serve as a platform for a rediscovery of lost cultural heritage. The realistic depiction of a specific indigenous martial art such as Wingchun in Wilson Yip’s Ip Man (2008) as: (a) effective, (b) truthful to the martial art techniques in real-life, and (c) built on a story of national pride, serves nationalistic purposes. I argue in this thesis that we have been witnessing the emergence of a new trend in martial arts cinema: effective realism.Show less
