Verified Document

Movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding Term Paper

Related Topics:

¶ … Big Fat Greek Wedding directed by Joel Zwick [...] differences between Greek and American culture. "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" is a funny movie about the differences in culture that can lead to unhappiness and lack of self-esteem. The main character grows up in a Greek family that wants to protect her, but she manages to find love and happiness anyway. While the film uses stereotypical examples of Greek and American culture to make its points, it is still charming, funny, and entertaining. This film really plays up the differences between Greek and American culture, and makes them charming all the same. Poor Toula Portokalos, the main character, is trapped in her father's Greek restaurant. Over 30, her family considers her an "old maid," and it is clear she is not happy under her father's thumb. She is dowdy and timid, and afraid to stand up to her very strong and opinionated father. He thinks her only goal in life should be to get married and have lots of children. This is a very real example of Greek culture and how it looks at women in general. While her father thinks he is the one...

This is another important illustration of Greek culture. The women are actually quite strong, but they play a game allowing the men to think they are the ones with the power and strength. Toula's mother recognizes she is unhappy and wants to help her, while her husband is oblivious to everything but his own beliefs and concerns.
These foundations build upon the differences between Greek and American culture. To most Americans watching this movie, the Portokalos family seems old-fashioned and a little silly. Most Americans give their daughters and wives more freedom, and most American women would not stand for the father's domineering role. Toula does not stand for it either, but she rebels in a different way, but she still gets what she wants.

Another important aspect of Greek culture portrayed in the film is how the family expects Toula to marry another Greek, and they have a hard time accepting the "outsider" she is dating. This also seems very old-fashioned compared to American culture, that is much more accepting about blending families and religious beliefs in most cases. Some of the scenes where Ian tries to fit into the Greek family are funny, and they show that Ian is open to new cultures, while the Greeks are stubbornly hanging on to their old ideas.

Another cultural difference in the film is the family. The Greek family is very large, loud, meddling, and sometimes obnoxious. They insist that their way is the only way, and do not understand Ian's vegetarianism any more than they understand tofu and organic beef. They are lusty, earthy, and opinionated, a far cry from Ian's family who does not fit in the Greek family's society any more than the Greeks fit in theirs. This is funny, but it is sad too, because both families eventually put up with each other, but do not truly…

Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Movie Classifications Movies Are Classified
Words: 1372 Length: 5 Document Type: Essay

" (p. 52) Some of the famous action adventures include the latest ventures like Transformers. It is a classic example of new age action adventure movies which has a great deal of science fiction involved. Some action adventures also include a healthy dose of comedy like Jackie Chan movies such as Rush Hour. ROMANCE Romance is possibly the one genre that is not likely to disappear. Even though over time, it has taken

Movie Accounting an Analysis Is Done of
Words: 3638 Length: 14 Document Type: Research Paper

Movie Accounting An analysis is done of the accounting methods employed in the world of glitz, glamour, fame and money in other words the movie industry to assess the increasing disparity between the techniques adopted by them to arrive at the financial statement figures as opposed to those stated in the "Generally Accepted Accounting Practices." The standards and regulations of the accounting world have been twisted to give them an entirely different

Films Comparison of the Films My Big
Words: 2020 Length: 5 Document Type: Essay

Films Comparison of the Films My Big Fat Greek Wedding and Finding Forrester Watching films has always been a favorite undertaking of several people. Some people do so as a temporary escape from the realities of the world while others are entertained simply by watching movies. Then there are those that view films for the cultural, historical, political, socials and other lessons learnt thereto. Whatever the film genre may be, movie

Symbolism In Film
Words: 2505 Length: 9 Document Type: Essay

Essay Topic Examples 1. The Use of Color as Symbolism in Film:     This essay will delve into how filmmakers use color to convey themes, emotions, and character traits. It will explore examples like the prevalent green in "The Matrix" signifying the artificiality of the virtual world, the red coat in "Schindler's List" as a symbol of innocence among chaos, and the contrasting palettes in "Am�lie" to accentuate the protagonist's whimsical experiences versus

Interpersonal Communication Based On A Movie
Words: 2615 Length: 9 Document Type: Essay

Essay Topic Examples 1. The Role of Nonverbal Communication in 'The King's Speech':     Analyze the use of nonverbal communication in the movie 'The King's Speech'. Focus on how the characters use gestures, facial expressions, and silence to convey emotions and intentions, and how these nonverbal cues affect their relationships and the storyline. 2. Conflict Resolution Explored in 'Marriage Story':     Explore the theme of conflict resolution within the film 'Marriage Story' by examining the interpersonal

Romantic Comedies Love Has Been
Words: 1026 Length: 3 Document Type: Essay

This film depicts the life of a woman who has not lived up to her cultural expectations and by the time she is thirty, she realizes that she is getting too old to find love. She then meets a man whom she falls in love with, but the problem lies in his not being from her same ethnic and cultural background. This creates turmoil among her extremely traditional family.

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now