Anthropological Film Analysis On My Big Fat Greek Wedding
Overveiw
Toula Portokalos is a single thirty years old Greek woman, living with her parents and brother in a Chicago Greek community. After convincing her father to go to the university, she meets the non-Greek Ian Miller and they decide to get married. Her father does not accept the wedding of his daughter with a non-Greek man.
Why I chose 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding' for my analysis
I found this film to be an interesting and humorous presentation of a sub-culture within the United States. It was an excellent portrayal of the ups and downs of crossing cultures.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding is more in the nature of an embrace and celebration of the greek culture but is also an example of how strategically people adapt to culture shocks and overcome ethnocentrism for the sake of those we love. Sure, there are times when it pokes fun, but, on those occasions, it is gentle and kind-hearted, not nasty or sarcastic.
This was an important aspect for me beacuse I do not relate to films that mock other cultures subtely. And many of the foibles attributed to the Portokalos family would apply equally to any ethnic clan, regardless of whether they're Greek, Italian, Polish, Spanish, etc. A key to deriving enjoyment from this sort of movie is the ability to laugh not just at others culture, but also at your own! Which is basically being cultrually relative.
Anthropological Concepts applied in 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding'
Ethnocentrism
On the part of Tula's father, he strongly belives that his own greek cultures is better than any other. We see this when he reacts in a negative manner to his daughter's involvement with a non-greek man and shows his complete dismayal at the cool and reserved style of Ian's family.
In a general view, ethnocentrism causes us to hear and see what we want, not necessarily what is there. For instance, when Tula's aunt hears that Ian is a vegetarian and does not eat meat (What do you MEAN he don't eat meat?!)how does she resolve the issue...
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