Have you ever heard and watch this movie? Well it sure an old movie but I like the story line. This movie is based on the original story created by the main actor which is Eddie Murphy.
But here, I do not want to discuss about what the movie is all about but I want to review this movie like a social scientist. Well, me and my friends (M, N, J, & R) has done this critical review on this movie for one of our essay. We critic it based on the questions below. But first, you all need to watch the movie first as a requirement before reading the thinking parts.
But here, I do not want to discuss about what the movie is all about but I want to review this movie like a social scientist. Well, me and my friends (M, N, J, & R) has done this critical review on this movie for one of our essay. We critic it based on the questions below. But first, you all need to watch the movie first as a requirement before reading the thinking parts.
How material culture used by the royal member of the palace to separate them from the nation’s common people?
Material culture refers to the physical objects, resources, and spaces that people use to define their culture. In Zamunda, the royal family lives in a place where members of the royal family lead luxurious lives, which wholly ensconced by wealth and aristocratic tradition. The royal family shows their identity through their dressing, tradition and ways of living. The most obvious scene that can look that separate the royal member and the nation’s common people is that the rose petal which been throw by the maid whenever Prince Akeem step his foot to the ground. Other than that, everything is royal even Akeem’s “private part” should be taken care. This explains that the royal members must be taken care 100% because they are so precious. Then, Imani (the arranged wife-to-be) said to Akeem “Ever since I was born, I’ve been trained to serve you.” Means that the people must really obey or put all their life to the ruler. From our point of view, the bare nude women in the movie sort of portray the animals (zebras, lion, and elephant) which indicate the servant that serve for the royal members. King Jaffe, wore full-length lion and tiger fur on his shoulder means that he is rich and powerful because he is the King of Zamunda. Meanwhile, the common people just wear cloth that does not portray they are powerful as the king. So, that is how the material culture separate between the royal members of the palace from the nation’s common people.
Material culture refers to the physical objects, resources, and spaces that people use to define their culture. In Zamunda, the royal family lives in a place where members of the royal family lead luxurious lives, which wholly ensconced by wealth and aristocratic tradition. The royal family shows their identity through their dressing, tradition and ways of living. The most obvious scene that can look that separate the royal member and the nation’s common people is that the rose petal which been throw by the maid whenever Prince Akeem step his foot to the ground. Other than that, everything is royal even Akeem’s “private part” should be taken care. This explains that the royal members must be taken care 100% because they are so precious. Then, Imani (the arranged wife-to-be) said to Akeem “Ever since I was born, I’ve been trained to serve you.” Means that the people must really obey or put all their life to the ruler. From our point of view, the bare nude women in the movie sort of portray the animals (zebras, lion, and elephant) which indicate the servant that serve for the royal members. King Jaffe, wore full-length lion and tiger fur on his shoulder means that he is rich and powerful because he is the King of Zamunda. Meanwhile, the common people just wear cloth that does not portray they are powerful as the king. So, that is how the material culture separate between the royal members of the palace from the nation’s common people.
What stereotypes of America did Akeem and Semmi have when they first arrived in Queens? What stereotypes of African did Darryl express?
Stereotypes tend to emphasize group pressure on individuals for conformity or rationalization. In this movie, Prince Akeem, is an African prince of Zamunda who comes to Queens, New York to find a wife whom can both love and respect Akeem for who he is, not for his status as prince. The stereotypes of American that Akeem and Semmi have when they first arrived in Queens were they found that a woman throw garbage out of her window in the ghetto area which they were going to live in. Akeem assume that “America is great indeed; imagine a country so free one can throw glass on the street”. Akeem thought that America is a free country which we can just do whatever we want includes throwing rubbish everywhere. This explains the observation on wealth and ethnocentrism appeared when they went to Queens to lives modestly at the ghetto area which was very poor. Then when he heard some men taking to each other in a barber shop, he said to Semmi “Listen, real American.” This states that when he heard the American slang in that shop he assume they were real American without doubt their skin colours. When they reached the airport in New York, Akeem told Semmi to make sure that everyone is not going to recognize him even though he is wearing very elegance and rich cloth. This explains that he thought that all American are rich and wear fancy dress like him.
Apart from that, Darryl who was Lisa’s boyfriend who she eventually breaks up with after knows that he had a bad attitude, also has stereotypes on African people that he expresses. First, in that movie, he thought that all African do not wear any cloth on their body (“Wearing cloths must be a new experience for you”) and still playing with animals (What kind of games do you all play in Africa? chase the monkey?”). This shows that Darryl, thinks that all African people are cloth less which bring prejudice thought. Then, he thought that all African people do not have any work to do other than playing with wild animals. This stereotype thinking are no longer true with the prove of Akeem and Semmi’s life in Zamunda.
Stereotypes tend to emphasize group pressure on individuals for conformity or rationalization. In this movie, Prince Akeem, is an African prince of Zamunda who comes to Queens, New York to find a wife whom can both love and respect Akeem for who he is, not for his status as prince. The stereotypes of American that Akeem and Semmi have when they first arrived in Queens were they found that a woman throw garbage out of her window in the ghetto area which they were going to live in. Akeem assume that “America is great indeed; imagine a country so free one can throw glass on the street”. Akeem thought that America is a free country which we can just do whatever we want includes throwing rubbish everywhere. This explains the observation on wealth and ethnocentrism appeared when they went to Queens to lives modestly at the ghetto area which was very poor. Then when he heard some men taking to each other in a barber shop, he said to Semmi “Listen, real American.” This states that when he heard the American slang in that shop he assume they were real American without doubt their skin colours. When they reached the airport in New York, Akeem told Semmi to make sure that everyone is not going to recognize him even though he is wearing very elegance and rich cloth. This explains that he thought that all American are rich and wear fancy dress like him.
Apart from that, Darryl who was Lisa’s boyfriend who she eventually breaks up with after knows that he had a bad attitude, also has stereotypes on African people that he expresses. First, in that movie, he thought that all African do not wear any cloth on their body (“Wearing cloths must be a new experience for you”) and still playing with animals (What kind of games do you all play in Africa? chase the monkey?”). This shows that Darryl, thinks that all African people are cloth less which bring prejudice thought. Then, he thought that all African people do not have any work to do other than playing with wild animals. This stereotype thinking are no longer true with the prove of Akeem and Semmi’s life in Zamunda.
Compare and contrast the material and non-material culture Akeem and Semmi experienced in their homeland to what they experienced in Queens.
Material culture refers to the physical object which defines their culture like their place of living while non-material is non-physical ideas that people have for their culture like their belief and rules. In this movie the material culture that Akeem and Semmi experienced in their homeland is that they live in a palace which was big and comfortable with complete domestic equipment since Akeem is the prince that come from an exotic monarchy country called Zamunda in Africa but when they were in Queens, because of Akeem wanted to live modestly like the common people, he choose to live in a poorer area which he and Semmi live in an apartment that consist of crime background and lack of facilities. Then, how Akeem and Semmi dress in Zamuda, differ with the dressing they wore in Queens. In Zamuda, his homeland, Prince Akeem wore fancy clothes and full of jewellery (gold). Beside, this shows the traditional clothes. For example, when his family introduces his prospective wife. All the people in the palace wear traditional clothes. While in Queens, Akeem and Semmi wears like the New Yorkers (sports teams jacket and hats). Other than that, all their equipment that Akeem use in Zamunda from toothbrush until hairdryer are all made from gold which are quite extreme material being use for ordinary people. This shows in the scene when a beggar begs to sell stuff that he had stolen from Akeem’s baggage but then Akeem prefer to live like New York people which he do not mind his stuff been stolen.
The non-material culture is about the family tradition culture. His family arranged marriage for him when he is growing up and becomes a king in the future. One of the culture in Zamunda is arranged marriage for the royal family. Prince Akeem was disappointed with his family tradition. He wanted to choose someone of his own choice loved him for the way he is. However, in the end of this story, Akeem married with Lisa. His father, King Jaffe willing to change the traditional rules. This movie also shows women traditional perspective which considered they born to serve to the men. While in Queens, people in city choose their own future wife or partner. The women in Queens also have job which they are not tied with traditional perspective whereas in Zamunda were to serve and to entertain.
Material culture refers to the physical object which defines their culture like their place of living while non-material is non-physical ideas that people have for their culture like their belief and rules. In this movie the material culture that Akeem and Semmi experienced in their homeland is that they live in a palace which was big and comfortable with complete domestic equipment since Akeem is the prince that come from an exotic monarchy country called Zamunda in Africa but when they were in Queens, because of Akeem wanted to live modestly like the common people, he choose to live in a poorer area which he and Semmi live in an apartment that consist of crime background and lack of facilities. Then, how Akeem and Semmi dress in Zamuda, differ with the dressing they wore in Queens. In Zamuda, his homeland, Prince Akeem wore fancy clothes and full of jewellery (gold). Beside, this shows the traditional clothes. For example, when his family introduces his prospective wife. All the people in the palace wear traditional clothes. While in Queens, Akeem and Semmi wears like the New Yorkers (sports teams jacket and hats). Other than that, all their equipment that Akeem use in Zamunda from toothbrush until hairdryer are all made from gold which are quite extreme material being use for ordinary people. This shows in the scene when a beggar begs to sell stuff that he had stolen from Akeem’s baggage but then Akeem prefer to live like New York people which he do not mind his stuff been stolen.
The non-material culture is about the family tradition culture. His family arranged marriage for him when he is growing up and becomes a king in the future. One of the culture in Zamunda is arranged marriage for the royal family. Prince Akeem was disappointed with his family tradition. He wanted to choose someone of his own choice loved him for the way he is. However, in the end of this story, Akeem married with Lisa. His father, King Jaffe willing to change the traditional rules. This movie also shows women traditional perspective which considered they born to serve to the men. While in Queens, people in city choose their own future wife or partner. The women in Queens also have job which they are not tied with traditional perspective whereas in Zamunda were to serve and to entertain.
How does Darryl exercise the concept of ethnocentrism against Akeem while they are attending the St John’s basketball game?
Darryl exercise the concept of ethnocentrism against Akeem while they are attending the St. John’s basketball game when he thinks that Akeem’s ethnic and culture is not cultured enough like his. Firstly, Darryl asks Akeem about his new experience about wearing cloth and makes disparaging remarks to Akeem about being from Africa, commenting about how it must be weird to be wearing clothes. It shows that Darryl have a stereotype thinking that people in Akeem’s country, Zamunda does not wear cloth or modern cloth like them in America. Later on, Darryl also prejudice towards Akeem. For instance, he said Akeem plays “Chase the monkey” games in Zamunda. Darryl think that their small country is full with animal and the people in there does not have games so that they will plays with animal. It really shows that Darryl have prejudice which is a bad thinking of someone’s culture even though that not true. He does not know that Akeem was from rich and cultured family. Darryl thinks that Akeem lives in place where African children with bloated bellies, flies swarming around their eyes and mouths.
Darryl tries to compare his culture to Akeem’s culture by using the cultural norms of his own group, and surmise that his culture is superior that Akeem’s. But, Akeem said that he played football in Zamunda or people in America called it soccer. After that, Darryl against him and said that football is just a real “cute sport” and he does not like the sport that does not used hands. It shows that Darryl disparagement of Akeem’s capability. Darryl thinks that he is better than Akeem in sports. Thus, Darryl has an attitude that always critiques and talks bad about Akeem even though he does not know everything about Akeem. If Darryl knows about real identity of Akeem who are the Prince of Zamunda, maybe he does not insult Akeem or being prejudice through Akeem. He will not misbehave and maybe they become friends because Daryll is a type of guy that loves money and maybe because Darryl live in America where it is wealthy country, and the infrastructure works well most of the time and its makes him thinks that his ways are better and not Akemms. Darryl verbalizes his judgmental thoughts which can hurt Akeem’s feeling.
Darryl exercise the concept of ethnocentrism against Akeem while they are attending the St. John’s basketball game when he thinks that Akeem’s ethnic and culture is not cultured enough like his. Firstly, Darryl asks Akeem about his new experience about wearing cloth and makes disparaging remarks to Akeem about being from Africa, commenting about how it must be weird to be wearing clothes. It shows that Darryl have a stereotype thinking that people in Akeem’s country, Zamunda does not wear cloth or modern cloth like them in America. Later on, Darryl also prejudice towards Akeem. For instance, he said Akeem plays “Chase the monkey” games in Zamunda. Darryl think that their small country is full with animal and the people in there does not have games so that they will plays with animal. It really shows that Darryl have prejudice which is a bad thinking of someone’s culture even though that not true. He does not know that Akeem was from rich and cultured family. Darryl thinks that Akeem lives in place where African children with bloated bellies, flies swarming around their eyes and mouths.
Darryl tries to compare his culture to Akeem’s culture by using the cultural norms of his own group, and surmise that his culture is superior that Akeem’s. But, Akeem said that he played football in Zamunda or people in America called it soccer. After that, Darryl against him and said that football is just a real “cute sport” and he does not like the sport that does not used hands. It shows that Darryl disparagement of Akeem’s capability. Darryl thinks that he is better than Akeem in sports. Thus, Darryl has an attitude that always critiques and talks bad about Akeem even though he does not know everything about Akeem. If Darryl knows about real identity of Akeem who are the Prince of Zamunda, maybe he does not insult Akeem or being prejudice through Akeem. He will not misbehave and maybe they become friends because Daryll is a type of guy that loves money and maybe because Darryl live in America where it is wealthy country, and the infrastructure works well most of the time and its makes him thinks that his ways are better and not Akemms. Darryl verbalizes his judgmental thoughts which can hurt Akeem’s feeling.
How does Lisa’s life in Queens parallel Akeem’s in his home nations?
Akeem came to the Queen, New York along with his assistant Semmi, to begin life as an ordinary citizen. In Queen Akeem met, Lisa, the daughter of the owner of a franchise business McDowell. Lisa’s life in Queen is very different to Akeem’s life in Zamuda. In Queen, Lisa was an employer to which Akeem was a prince in Zamunda. However, the mission was to get Akeem’s true love that makes him willing to be an employee at a Lisa’s family-owned franchise stores. This indicates that Lisa had a good life in the queen as a family business while Akeem being one of their employees that had to pretend to live like normal people, working and living in a less comfortable area . In Zamunda, Akeem live luxuriously, comfortable and everything is available so he did not have to do all the work alone because there are people who do that for him. Akeem learns how to mop and tries to work in America. Akeem do not know how to mop (when he works at McDowell) because he was been pampered since he was born. While, in their homeland he had everything. His servants ready to serve him when we woke up in the morning. Differ to Lisa, she had to do everything on her own from bathing, eating and going to work which his father not going to pampered her or having maids throwing petals at her pathway. In this story, it is seen that Akeem was a good prince. That is because he himself felt restless and bored with life which everything available without his need to do anything from getting up in the morning until he falls asleep again. In his mission to find a life partner in Queen, Akeem learn and familiarize him to live like normal people. It is clear that Akeem want to try things that over the years he has not been doing himself. In Queen, he worked at McDowell and start working like Lisa which she was the ideal girl that he has been looking for.
Akeem came to the Queen, New York along with his assistant Semmi, to begin life as an ordinary citizen. In Queen Akeem met, Lisa, the daughter of the owner of a franchise business McDowell. Lisa’s life in Queen is very different to Akeem’s life in Zamuda. In Queen, Lisa was an employer to which Akeem was a prince in Zamunda. However, the mission was to get Akeem’s true love that makes him willing to be an employee at a Lisa’s family-owned franchise stores. This indicates that Lisa had a good life in the queen as a family business while Akeem being one of their employees that had to pretend to live like normal people, working and living in a less comfortable area . In Zamunda, Akeem live luxuriously, comfortable and everything is available so he did not have to do all the work alone because there are people who do that for him. Akeem learns how to mop and tries to work in America. Akeem do not know how to mop (when he works at McDowell) because he was been pampered since he was born. While, in their homeland he had everything. His servants ready to serve him when we woke up in the morning. Differ to Lisa, she had to do everything on her own from bathing, eating and going to work which his father not going to pampered her or having maids throwing petals at her pathway. In this story, it is seen that Akeem was a good prince. That is because he himself felt restless and bored with life which everything available without his need to do anything from getting up in the morning until he falls asleep again. In his mission to find a life partner in Queen, Akeem learn and familiarize him to live like normal people. It is clear that Akeem want to try things that over the years he has not been doing himself. In Queen, he worked at McDowell and start working like Lisa which she was the ideal girl that he has been looking for.
How does language transcend culture as illustrated by Akeem’s conmments to Mr McDowell when he discussed about the Giant-Packer game, and Lisa’s comments to Akeem about the way he talks just prior to the holdup man entering the McDowell’s house?
When Akeem talks about the Giants-Packer Game to Mr McDowell, Mr McDowell knows that Akeem does not know a thing about American football. The way Akeem describes the game; he mentioned the ball was “an oblong pigskin ball”. In American Football, there is a kick-off or a free kick that kicking the ball through the goalposts but the way Akeem describes it is by kicking the ball through the big H. This obviously shows that he is from Africa that there is no American Football in Africa because American Football is only available in America. Hence, the language that Akeem uses illustrates the culture of Akeem.
At first, Lisa does not know that Akeem is a prince. She assumed that Akeem is an ordinary African man. The way Akeem talks is far more polite compared to the holdup man entering the McDowell’s house. We should not be stereotype in this situation in which Akeem may come from Africa but he is more polite and rational compared to the holdup man. Besides that, the way Akeem quote Nietzsche shows us that he is educated or wise. Thus, the language that Akeem uses transcended the culture of Zamunda which is people in Zamunda perhaps prioritizes education.
When Akeem talks about the Giants-Packer Game to Mr McDowell, Mr McDowell knows that Akeem does not know a thing about American football. The way Akeem describes the game; he mentioned the ball was “an oblong pigskin ball”. In American Football, there is a kick-off or a free kick that kicking the ball through the goalposts but the way Akeem describes it is by kicking the ball through the big H. This obviously shows that he is from Africa that there is no American Football in Africa because American Football is only available in America. Hence, the language that Akeem uses illustrates the culture of Akeem.
At first, Lisa does not know that Akeem is a prince. She assumed that Akeem is an ordinary African man. The way Akeem talks is far more polite compared to the holdup man entering the McDowell’s house. We should not be stereotype in this situation in which Akeem may come from Africa but he is more polite and rational compared to the holdup man. Besides that, the way Akeem quote Nietzsche shows us that he is educated or wise. Thus, the language that Akeem uses transcended the culture of Zamunda which is people in Zamunda perhaps prioritizes education.