Date of Thesis
Spring 2021
Description
The thesis examines the representation through film of the ways social systems in Western and Eastern societies impact female adolescents’ growth. My study focuses on the transition from childhood to adolescence, from a relatively "naive" state to a reflective state of mind, filled with uncertainty about oneself and the future. In this process, there are emotions of confusion, insecurity, struggle, anxiety, and intergenerational conflicts. Some crucial factors such as friendships, family relationships, and societal pressures are influential in adolescents' formation of their personalities. This transformational process is universal across all cultures, as every adolescent experiences the transition from youth to adulthood. However, different cultures have different educational concepts and place different expectations on adolescents, bearing upon the individual's experience of this transition. This study consists of a comparative analysis of four films, focusing on the differences in views on education, teen psychology, and child-rearing practices in China and the United States.
Keywords
adolescent, culture, female, transition, school, parenting
Access Type
Honors Thesis
Degree Type
Bachelor of Arts
Major
Education
Second Major
Psychology
First Advisor
Ramona Fruja
Second Advisor
Bastian Heinsohn
Recommended Citation
Li, Lily, "A Comparative Analysis of Chinese and American Cinematic Depictions of the Female Adolescent Life Transition" (2021). Honors Theses. 573.
https://digitalcommons.bucknell.edu/honors_theses/573