Ermo comments

Assignment:
Please make a log entry by Noon on Thursday 13 November responding to these questions:

CA:

Ermo is my favorite film that we have viewed thus far in class. I think that the character of Ermo was a very entertaining one. Her desire to outdo her neighbor's television set was comical. It showed how obsessed a person can get over obtaining material things, things that once attained, do not satisfy the owner as she anticipated. By reading the article after viewing the film, I was able to view it with an open mind and not be expecting or looking for particular themes or ideas. Usually, I read the synopsis of the movies before, especially those films which I anticipate to be complicated. I am glad that I waited to read this because I feel that my viewing experience was not influence by the stance of Anne T. Ciecko. Ciecko's observation about the connection between Ermo's sexual drive and exposure to television and sense of self-identity were new to me after viewing the film. I find it interesting how she relates the late-night noodle making and counting her money in bed as "displaced expression of female sexuality." However, I do not feel as if my movie watching experience was depleted because I was not considering that view while watching the film, but feel as though it was enhance because I could make my own observations of the film without expecting to define a certain group of scenes a certain way. I feel that although a synopsis may be helpful to read before watching a film, the viewer can digest the material for herself without previously reading the analysis of another.

I really enjoyed watching this film in class and feel that it should be kept in the syllabus. The main plot of this film can be redirected back to Americans as it explores the discontent that lingers after acquiring many things and also the exhausting chore put on oneself by being super-competitive. Ermo finds herself disconnected from her role in her family as her obsession with buying the biggest television grows. Once she finally gets it, she is so exhausted that she cannot understand the contraption that she has worked so hard to obtain! This shows the sacrifices that were made in order for her to achieve what she felt that it was important to have. Also, as many films set in other countries do, it reminds Americans about how much we take for granted. For example, the television is a fixed appliance in American homes. I, myself, do not have one in my dorm room, but many students do. Households may have more television sets than they have people (accumulation...). The contrast is seen as the Chinese people, twenty or thirty, all huddle around one set, watching low-quality programming. They will watch football, even though they do not understand the game or have any ties to the teams, just because it is on television. Television is a phenomenon to them because they live so simply. This films provokes discussion about the problem of wanting what one does not need, the issue of faithfulness to a husband/wife and how that affects the entire family unit, and competition between people who live similar roles and brings them closer and what pushes them away from each other.

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JB:

Reading the article before coming to class I was expecting to see a city where there was a modern department store and expecting a very large city. When reading about "Blindman" I was expecting a very mean man, I was also expecting the truck to be a bit more modern. I was expecting a much different movie. Although my expectations were wrong I understood the movie as a metaphor of a changing China. I think that some of the enjoyment was lost because I did not watch it as a movie but as a depiction of rural China and how capitalism has changed it. If this movie is representative of rural China as a whole I am saddened to see that modernization and globalization has negatively impacted their culture. When "Chief" talks about the TV being insignificant compared to the building of a new home, the affect of globalization is seen. The TV has no place in Ermo's home because it is too small. The "Chief represents the old way, the old way can be seen as losing its masculinity daily to "Blindman" who in effect represents modernization.

I think that this movie was a great addition to the class because it gives insight into the modernization of China. This film really shows that capitalism in China is there and is just waiting to be unleashed. It also shows as mention in the article how China is opening its boarders to the rest of the world: This is depicted through the TV and the programming that is shown. I think that having the article sort of ruins the enjoyment in the film but adds a lot to the experience. On that note we are not watching the movie for enjoyment but for the underling message that the movie expresses about Chinese culture.

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SBC:

Despite my reading of the article after viewing the film, Lu-Chiecko's article increased my understanding and appreciation of the film exponentially. By relating it to other Chinese films of the time, including Ju Dou and The Story of Qui Ju, Lu-Chiecko identifies the film with other films of the day and later sharing the themes of "gender, peasant women, rural life, and modernization in the Deng era." The repetition of these issues that reappear in Chinese movies reflect to me the crucial, transitional nature of the Deng era in Chinese history. It sparks my interest. Maybe I want to read more about this era. Also, Lu-Chiecko's explanation of certain images in the film as symbols increases my appreciation for the work as not only a work of art, but also a comment on the "goals, processes, and results of one-sided modernization and capitalism." The film's employment of literary techniques such as irony, juxtaposition, and symbolism make it more than just a story. Rather, it became after reading this article a film of many different levels, an impressive work of art, and an educational comment on the effects of modernization on China. Like most of the other exercises we have done in class, reading this article made China seem more familiar to me, not just some exotic foreign country on the other side of the world. Just like America, China has been effected by capitalistic instincts and profit motive. Profit motive and the entrepreneurial spirit, while admirable qualities in moderation, can overcome people like Ermo and ironically drive them only towards a void of dissatisfaction and exhaustion. Not only did I learn a lot from this article, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Though I am not justifying my reading of the article afterwards by this suggestion, it might be enlightening next year if you show this film to give students a run-down on the Deng era and tell them too look for symbols and images within the film which the producer uses to comment on the era. Afterwards, you could show them this article, which would clarify and expand their knowledge. Just a thought.

I definitely think you should show Ermo again next year. It has definitely been one of my favorite movies so far. The pros: the students will gain a better understanding of the Deng era, a period of time that is most important in Chinese history. Viewing the film would provide a springboard of discussion of a variety of topics including Chinese food, modernization, the effects of capitalism on the individual and society, poverty in China, gender relations, and many more. These issues would all prove extremely insightful in the study of the anthropology of east Asia. Another pro is that a viewing of the film, and therefore a reading of the Lu-Chiecko article exposes students to a movie review that not only enhances' the students knowledge about the film, but also about film-making in China and Chinese history itself. It is a quality movie review. I'm honestly not sure if I think there are any cons of showing this film again. It's entertaining and insightful. It only enhanced my knowledge of Chinese history. You should definitely show it again!

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PC:

The article that Lu Cieko write allowed me to understand her perspective. At first I wondered why the director would make such a greedy selfish person who did not care about anybody but herself. But you come to understand through the article that it symbolizes the strain between the pre-modern and the post modern cultures. She is struggling to adapt to the sudden jump that China has taken with Deng. It also contrasts the industrial side of China. At first she was working with her hands and feet, and when she got a job at the restaurant, everything was done by hand. The movie shows China's opening to international culture. In the end a soap opera comes on, but she is too tired to watch it. The things her greed had craved most, had her falling asleep.

I believe that Ermo brings many pros to the table, but also a few cons. The movie has a great storyline to present it's underlying theme of the contrast between pre-modern and post-modern China. It has another theme, "money does not always make you happy" too. The movie also represents what we have been doing all semester long. All the movies we have watched have taught me some moral or lesson. I believe this movie needs to be on the syllabus next year. The article you gave us helped me to understand the movie a lot better. After I watched it, i thought that it was an ok movie, and Ermo aggravated me to no end. The only con could be that students might not stay interested through the whole movie. Many parts I did not understand what was going on. The issues that arise could be greed and love. Is money worth all that happened to her? She almost killed herself, never saw her family, and cheated on her husband to get better pay. She risked her family and her life just so she could have a TV that was bigger than anyone elses. This brings up another issue, jealousy. You could almost say that her greed was fueled by her hatred for the fat women, who took her child away. The other issue love came in the end when she finally chose to stick with her family, and that "blindmans" love was not worth it. Also, she could have talked with her child instead of scolding him for no reason; she was just jealous. Overall, She put her love aside and allowed the jealousy and greed to overcome her, only to realize that money does not buy happiness.

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AC:

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CMDuP:

In class on Tuesday, we watched Zhou Xiaowen's film, Ermo, produced in 1994. Hugh gave us an article to read called, "Ermo: Televisuality, Capital, and the Global Village," by Sheldon H. Lu and Anne T. Ciecko. I read the article after seeing the movie, and I actually found it really helpful; in reading it after seeing the movie, I was able to draw conclusions easily and recall things that I'd noticed from the movie. Plus, I understood all the scenes the author referred to and could easily see them in my head and connect his ideas to the movie.

After reading this article, I definitely feel like a have a deeper understanding of the movie. For instance, while I caught that the gender roles had been switched, with Ermo bringing in the money for the household while her husband stayed at home, I didn't catch all the underlying motivations and just how much her role was "at odds with traditional notions of femininity"(2). I thought the point that the authors make about how money equals sexual libido was one that was definitely expressed in the film, but I understood it more from reading the article, being reminded of the progression of events and how she finally gives in to Blindman after she is exposed to all of the things that he could buy her with money. Another way this article added to my understanding of the film was through its explanation of the Chinese post-modern culture. I understood the story of Ermo pursuing wealth and the TV, and the lesson of "you'll kill yourself to get something, and then won't even be able to enjoy it"-- but I didn't realize that this was an allegory to all of China opening up to global culture during the Deng era.

I think that this film should definitely be kept on the Anth230 syllabus for next year. It was definitely my favorite film we've watched so far, because its symbolism made me think A LOT while keeping me completely entertained the whole time (with its ironic plot twists and witty lines). It gave a clear view of an example of rural Chinese society and how things were changing for people, and the lengths that they will go to in order to change--this just shows the profound influence of global culture on this society. I especially think its helpful after watching To Live; it is interesting to compare the cultures during the Mao Zedong era of the Cultural Revolution and the Deng era of Capitalism and Global Culture, trying to catch China up with the rest of the world, no matter what the cost.

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DH:

I read the article after I saw Ermo, and it provided significant background on the more complex symbolism within the movie. I find it odd that Chinese directors are categorized by generation, that such a sweeping category can be constructed to encompass everyone. I did pick up on the movie's almost disproportionate obsession with the poor, rural lifestyle of the people. During the film I was constantly having to remind myself that it was filmed in the relative 'present-day' as my mind kept trying to push the timeframe back several decades. In a society commercialized to the extent ours is, watching a film in which a woman mixes dough with her feet, and then shapes it into noodles with a giant machine no more complicated than a Play-Doh toy, to be hung to dry in the dusty open air, one cannot help but develop a false understanding of the era the movie is depicting. This ultimately of course adds to the ridiculousness of Ermo buying the 29" TV, a TV that would be big by any capitalist American standards must surely be a monstrosity in China.

I didn't find Ermo leaving me with a particularly strong feeling either way about using it next year in class. I think its depiction of rural life and the petty oneupsmanship that categorizes human nature are worth watching, but I'm not sure the class wouldn't be better served by a different movie. So I guess you could say my response to Ermo was lukewarm, therefore were it to remain in the curriculum I wouldn't object, but were it to be taken out would receive the same response.

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JH:

Reading the Lu-Ciecko article introduced me to the underlying theme which was China's desire to become capitalistic. Ermo in a sense represented most of China. She tried to make her husband and son more Western by buying them the nice white shirts. Ermo's struggle to become more wealthy, more capitalistic, and more Western in effect parallels China's struggles to do the same things. The only difference is that Ermo is on an individual instead of a national scale. The movie also shows China's desire to Westernize with the constant soap operas on China's televisions. If I had not read the article I do not think that I would have understood these underlying themes of China's struggle to become Western.

I think you should use Ermo in your class next year. Personally it was my favorite of all the movies we have seen this year in the course. I think the main issue it raises concerns women's rights in China. Ermo is a woman who is the only person who can work for her family. She struggles with laborious tasks all day to ensure that they are provided for. In most proper families the woman was to stay home and cook for the working men. Ermo finds herself in the middle of an affair with her neighbor, Blindman, who owns a truck. He agrees to take her into town daily so she can sell her twisted noodles. Overtime the affair develops, and a scandal is in the making. Ermo becomes infatuated with a greed to have a larger television than Blindman's so her son, Tiger, will not have to go over there to watch TV. In the quest to attain a larger TV Ermo stoops to low levels such as selling her blood to a blood bank multiple times a day. Eventually she realizes that she has gone too far and breaks it off with Blindman and the blood bank. In the end she is mocked for being a whore but eventually gets the big television. at the end though she and the audience learn that the TV is not important but maintaining the family is.

Another issue it brings up it jealousy or greed. This is why Ermo longs for the biggest TV set. The movie teaches the universal truth that greed and envy usually lead to disaster.

The only problem I found with the movie is that it left some loose ends. For instance, we never learn why the Chief is no longer the Chief. Moreover, I was somewhat confused on whether or not the Chief was Tiger's father or grandfather. I know the article said he was but it still seemed vague to me. I assumed grandfather until Ermo said something to Blindman in the context of what about Tiger's father. I wasn't sure if she was implying the Chief or not.

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CK:

I think that reading the Lu-Ciecko article adds to the understanding of Ermo in that it provides insight into the significance of issues in the film.

It is so interesting how the characters repeat the things they've said, really mechanically. Ermo's husband isn't the chief any longer, and hasn't been for years because his wife is. His wife is the head of the household, the 'breadwinner' and the one who can think about leaving her husband and current situation because she is able to work and provide for herself. Yet, Blindman reinforces a truth in their society in that it is still very difficult for women to come out on top even if they have financial resources or the means to provide for themselves. Ermo must subject herself to the system of sex stratification and inequality.

I think that one of the pros of using the article for next year's course is that is shows a contrasting example of the roles that women and men can play in society. Although it is apparent that the stratification of sex places cultural and societal constrains on men and women, there is still an interesting play on class conflict. The duration of the film is also good. There were also some entertaining idioms and jokes that were of course new to me, and I thought it was really interesting to consider how much humor factors into the way people can interact.

I can't really think of any cons in showing Ermo, because there isn't a problem with the film length, and the film introduces something new in all the other films we've seen. The storyline of Ermo and her strength as an individual and the 'chief' of their own household makes a clear statement in the film.

(On a side note, I read an article in the Wall Street Journal from November 7th that talked about a maid working in Shanghai that came from the country. She said that it was destiny for the people she worked for to be successful, and not hers. It was her destiny to work for them.) What is Ermo's destiny?

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ML:

After watching the Movie and then reading the article, I do not know much much it helped. The article kind of stated many OBVIOUS things. Like Ermo's pursuit for the largest TV was like the pursuit of global wealth, and the TV was a sign of China's opening itself to the world. Well DUH! It also only offers trivial symbolisms, like above. The article would have been good to read before hand in the sense that it does do a good job of summarizing the movie but that's about it. I have always believed that if a movie's symbols are so hard to find and understand that you have to read about them before or after, then the movie or work of art is not good because you are not letting people understand what you are trying to say. No one should have to feel stupid about view art. Instead the symbols should be easily understandable and accessible, like in Ermo.

I think that it would be a very good idea to include this in next years class. It presents many issues, topics and questions. The movie is also not too slow at any points. One issue it presents is the love of money and greed. Ermo's greed got in the way of her being a good mother. All she wanted was money. She did want the money for a TV for her son, but her motives behind wanting a TV were even greedy; namely to show that she loved her son and was better than her neighbor. The TV is an issue because it is new and expensive. Also, it shows status to be able to own one way out in the country. The TVs do however keep the kids interested and entertained during the day giving the parents some new free time. Basically TV was new and something to awe about. Another issue is the one of Chinese children. It is hinted at several times that Ermo's family is better because they had a boy to go on and make lots of money where as the Blindman only had a girl. There is also a slight hint to the question of why is "Chief" not the Chief anymore. What has happened in the culture of China that would change him from being so. The biggest issue it raises is that on adultery. Ermo is cheating on her husban with the Blindman because he is getting her more money by giving her employers money to give to her. The issue of adultery gets back to the Blindman's wife and she is devastated. The Chief, however, never finds out the truth about his wife and the Blindman. The movie is good because it presents not only issues that are unique to China but to every country. That is important because it gives us as viewers and students, another country's take on these questions. I do not really see any cons of the film as it is a simple social commentary on China and its social problems during this time.

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JL:

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MM:

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AM:

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PS:

Ermo is a movie that crosses all time periods and cultures. Everyone can relate to this movie in some way, which I believe is important in an anthropology class. When you are studying the different types of people around the world you can easily get caught up in seeing all of the differences that there are, but sometimes it is beneficial for us to see the similarities that all groups of people share. In Ermo we see the strive for a better life, or the appearance of a better life. For Ermo the symbol of that better life is this big television she sees in a store. She does everything that she can to get this television and it leads her down a downward spiral which leads to an affair and illness. And then when she finally is able to buy the television and it is brought home, it is nothing close to what she seemed to have dreamt of. Everyone can relate to placing your hopes in attaining something, whether it be an object, a status, a title, etc. and it some how letting you down or the effects not being what you had thought they would be. This movie reminds us that there are cross cultural problems that we all face and that tie us all together

The article "Ermo: Televisuality, Capital, and the Global Village" helps its reader delve more deeply into the film Ermo and to understand different aspects of the movie better. Not only does the article give a synopsis so that you can be sure to keep up with what's going on in the movie but it also provides insights into Chinese culture and the film that educate the viewer/reader. For example the article explains "In Deng's China, TV was 'a symbol of the success of the national modernization' and this it is fitting that the TV becomes the object of Ermo's quest." This is a helpful insight into the film that helps us to better understand why TVs were so important in that time in China. The article provides many helpful insights such as this once and is an asset to any viewer of Ermo.

For these various reasons I think that both the film Ermo and the article "Ermo: Televisuality, Capital, and the Global Village" are both valuable assets to the Anthropology of East Asia class schedule. Together they tell an important tale and remind us that no matter how different cultures may seem from one another there are fundamental similarities.

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MS:

In class on Tuesday, our class watched Zhou Xiaowen’s 1994 film Ermo, and we had an article about it to read called “Ermo: Televisuality, Capital, and the Global Village” by Sheldon H. Lu and Anne T. Ciercko. I had really only skimmed it before class, but even doing this made the movie-watching experience much better. I knew the plot, which was easy to follow along anyway, but I knew to look out for more than just this “deceptively simple narrative.” Without much knowledge of China during the Deng Era (1978-96), I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have taken much from the film without having known what to look for. However, I learned a ton just by skimming this article, knew in advance things to look out for, add was able to recognize symbols and meanings behind images and words. For example, I doubt I would have noticed that the music echoes the sound of Ermo’s voice saying “mai mahua mian lou!” (twisty noodles for sale), I wouldn’t have known the significance of a TV during the time period (that “in Deng’s China, TV was ‘a symbol of the success of the national modernization’”), and I probably wouldn’t have picked up on seemingly insignificant (but in actuality quite important) details like Chief’s floral blanket that undermines his masculinity for instance. Basically I had gleaned a substantial amount of information from skimming the article, and doing so allowed me to see past a simple story of a peasant woman obsessed with buying a huge TV, and to appreciate Zhou Xiaowen’s knowledge, creativity, goals, and successful providing of “a road map of the processes of globalization and capital accumulation produced by economic reform during the Deng era.” Then, after watching the film, I went back and really read the article well, and I was able to appreciate the film even more. The scenes and characters described were vivid in my head, and the details I hadn’t noticed now made sense.

I can think of only pros when it comes to including Ermo as one of the films in next year’s Anth230 syllabus. The film was one of my favorites. Whereas I have at times felt frustrated while watching confusing films, this one was a good experience. Because the plot was not confusing, I was able to concentrate on the meaning more (unlike watching Chushingura, for example, where I spent most of my time simply trying to keep the many characters and sub-plots straight!). The film definitely raises some great questions and meaty issues, especially those dealing with China, the country's ultimate dream, and it's "collective national agenda of modernization and globalization." I first of all found the section of the article called "Signatures of 'China' in Global Entertainment" to be quite interesting, especially the fact that the director was "forced to change his style and subject to face the reality and politics of global entertainment;" having read the article, I was able to pick up on some of the "consumable images of rural 'third world' China." Some of the issues that I noticed and/or were mentioned in the article are ones that deal with gender roles (and how they are reversed in the film... how "conventional notions of masculinity and femininity" are satirized... how the traditional roles are challeneged, with Ermo doing all the labor while her husband bundles up in his floral blanket, etc), greed and its consequences (viewers see Ermo work herself almost to death, simply because she is motivated by greed; she must make enough money to buy the biggest TV, thus outdoing her obnoxious neighbor), sexuality/ marital infidelity and ethics (Ermo's frustration with her impotent husband and her willingness to have an affair with the richest man in their village), the attraction of money (again seen in Ermo's determination to make it and her interest in her extremely wealthy neighbor), the western culture/style infiltrating China, the effects of modernization, etc.

Here are some quotes from the article that caught my eye...

"...the inevitable cultural disruptions that modernization causes..."

"Thus, capital equals libido"

"Ermo, like China, is ripe for capitalism."

"Ermo's absence of pleasure [after finally purchasing the TV] is the most explicit critique of the effects of modernization and capitalism. Thus, as Tony Rayns has suggested, the film asks, 'What... is the true nature of satisfaction in present-day China?'"

"...the rather ludicrous pervasiveness and ireelevance / decontextualization of American popular culture"

One final thought.... I enjoyed this film a lot and think Zhou Xiaowen did an amazing job of conveying his purpose, and I think one reason the film is so effective is that not just the Chinese can relate to it. It made even me, and I'm sure all of my classmates and anyone else who has seen it, ponder things like what our true nature of satisfaction is, the dangers of greed and obsession with always being better, the traditional roles of males and females and how they have changed and if/how they should continue to change, etc.

(also-- random questions I had while watching it... the significance of the fuzzy screen at the end (I have ideas but wonder what other people took from that)... Ermo "literally becoming whiter" ... hmm thats all for now)

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RW:

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KZ: